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37TH  CONGRESS,  )      HOUSE  OF  REPRESENTATIVES.        (  REP.  COM. 
3d  Session.       )  ( 


REPORT 


of 


THE  JOINT  COMMITTEE 


ON    THE 


CONDUCT  OF  THE  WAR, 


IN    THREE    PARTS. 


WASHINGTON: 

GOVERNMENT    PRINTING    OFFICE 
1863. 


IN  THE  SENATE  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES,  March  2,  1863. 

Resolved,  by  the  Senate  of  the  United  States,  (the  House  of  Representatives  concurring,)  That 
in  order  to  enable  the  "  Joint  Committee  on  the  Conduct  of  the  War  "  to  complete  their 
investigations  of  certain  important  matters  now  before  them,  and  which  they  have  not 
been  able  to  complete,  by  reason  of  inability  to  obtain  important  witnesses,  be  authorized 
to  continue  their  sessions  for  thirty  days  after  the  close  of  the  present  Congress,  a-nd  to 
place  their  testimony  and  reports  in  the  hands  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Senate. 

Resolved,  further,  That  the  Secretary  of  the  Senate  is  hereby  directed  to  cause  to  be 
printed,  of  the  reports  and  accompanying  testimony  of  the  Committee  on  the  Conduct  of 
the  War,  5,000  copies  for  the  use  of  the  Senate,  and  10,000  copies  for  the  use  of  the  House 
of  Representatives. 

Attest :  J.  W.  FORNEY,  Secretary. 


IN  THE  HOUSE  or  REPRESENTATIVES,  March  2,  1863. 

Resolved,  That  the  House  concur  in  the  foregoing  resolutions  of  the  Senate  to  continue 
the  sessions  of  the  "Joint  Committee  on  the  Conduct  of  the  War"  for  thirty  days,  and  to 
direct  the  Secretary  of  the  Senate  to  cause  the  printing  of  the  reports,  &c.,  with  the  fol 
lowing  amendment  :  insert  at  the  end  the  words  :  "of  the  present  Congress." 

Attest :  EM.  ETHERIDGE,  Clerk. 


IN  THE  SENATE  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES,  March  2,  1863. 

Resolved,  That  the  Senate  concur  in  the  foregoing  amendment  of  the  House  of  Represen 
tatives  to  said  resolution. 

Attest:  •  J.  W.  FORNEY,  Secretary, 


APRIL  6,  1863. 

Mr.  WADE,  from  the  Joint  Committee  on  the  Conduct  of  the  War,  in  accordance  with 
the  preceding  resolution,  placed  in  the  hands  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Senate  the  follow 
ing  report  in  three  parts. 

PART  1.— ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC. 

PART  2.— BULL  RUN— BALL'S  BLUFF. 

PART  3.— WESTERN  DEPARTMENT,  OR  MISSOURI— MISCELLANEOUS. 


REPORT  ~       V,2> 

OF  THE 

JOINT  COMMITTEE  ON  THE  CONDUCT  OF  THE  WAR, 


PART  III.— DEPARTMENT  OF  THE  WEST. 


The  joint  committee  on  the  conduct  of  the  war  submit  the  following  report, 
ivith  the  accompanying  testimony  in  relation  to  the  department  of  the  west. 

Your  committee  have  been  unable  to  take  all  the  testimony  necessary  to 
enable  them  to  present  a  comprehensive  report  in  relation  to  the  administration  of 
affairs  in  the  department  of  the  west,  more  particularly  while  under  the  command 
of  General  John  C.  Fremont.  Compelled  to  remain  in  attendance  upon  Congress 
during  its  sessions,  they  were  unable  to  visit  the  department  in  order  to  take 
the  testimony  of  witnesses  there.  And  they  did  not  feel  willing  to  call  from  so 
great  a  distance  the  witnesses  whose  testimony  was  necessary  to  fully  elucidate 
all  the  facts,  as  their  services  were  constantly  required  in  the  field.  Throughout 
their  investigations  your  committee  have  strictly  adhered  to  the  rule  adopted  by 
them  from  the  first,  to  ask  the  attendance  of  those  in  the  military  service  only 
when  no  detriment  to  the  public  interests  would  result  from  a  temporary  ab 
sence  from  their  commands.  When  Congress  closed  its  session  last  summer, 
many  of  those  who  had  been  most  actively  engaged  in  the  operations  to  which 
your  committee  desired  to  direct  their  attention  had  been  ordered  to  other  parts 
of  the  country ;  some  were  in  Tennessee  and  Mississippi,  some  in  Arkansas, 
some  in  the  army  of  the  Potomac^  and  others  in  the  department  of  the  south 
under  General  Hunter.  Such  testimony  as  was  within  reach  your  committee 
have  taken.  But  they  are  fully  aware  that  their  investigation  upon  that  subject 
has  been  far  from  complete ;  and  they,  therefore,  present  but  a  brief  report, 
together  with  such  testimony  as  they  have  obtained. 

When  the  rebellion  commenced  Missouri  was  one  of  the  most  turbulent  among 
those  States  which  the  rebel  leaders  sought  to  gain  over  to  their  cause  by  the 
connivance  and  treachery  of  the  State  authorities,  and  by  the  presence  of  armed 
forces  to  operate  upon  the  fears  of  the  people.  The  number  of  federal  troops 
in  that  region  was  very  small ;  a  great  portion  of  our  troops,  stationed  in  the 
Territories  and  at  our  military  posts  upon  the  western  frontier,  had  been  basely 
surrendered  by  Twiggs  to  the  rebels  in  Texas.  St.  Louis,  the  great  commercial 
emporium  of  the  State,  was  preserved  from  falling  under  rebel  control  only  by 
the  prompt  and  fearless  course  pursued  by  General,  then  Captain,  Lyon,  who, 
not  waiting  for  orders  or  authority,  occupied  the  United  States  arsenal,  when 
threatened  by  the  traitor  governor  of  the  State,  and  dispersed  the  rebel  troops 
who  were  collected  under  the  specious  name  of  State  guards,  in  a  camp  of  in 
struction  near  St.  Louis. 

The  difficulty  under  which  our  commanders  there  labored  in  obtaining  supplies 
of  arms,  clothing,  &c.,  for  volunteers,  was  far  greater  than  was  felt  in  any  other 
part  of  the  country.  Distant  from  all  the  principal  depots,  at  a  time  when 
the  ability  of  the  government  was  taxed  to  the  utmost  to  arm  and  equip  the 
large  number  of  volunteers  called  into  the  field,  those  who  were,  from  time 
to  time,  placed  in  charge  of  that  department  were  compelled  to  act  under 
the  greatest  disadvantages.  Q  rl  ~  1 


4  CONDUCT  OF  THE  WAR. 

Just  previous  to  the  appointment  of  General  Fremont  to  the  command  of  that 
department,  the  state  of  affairs  in  Missouri  had  become  very  alarming.  In 
every  portion  of  the  State  the  rebel  forces  had  appeared  and  assumed  the  offen 
sive;  all  through  the  State  they  were  committing  their  depredations,  and  Jack 
son,  the  governor,  had  appeared  with  a  large  force  of  troops,  furnished  by  the 
r^bel  authorities  from  Arkansas  and  Texas,  in  addition  to  those  he  had  been 
able  to  collect  in  Missouri.  Pillow  and  other  rebel  generals  had  collected  a 
large  force  from  Tennessee,  Kentucky,  &c.,  and  were  threatening  the  south 
western  portion  of  the  State,  and  Cairo,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Ohio.  General  Lyon, 
who  was  the  highest  officer  in  command,  after  the  removal  of  General  Harney, 
had,  with  his  limited  means,  been  most  active,  and  had  taken  the  field  for  the 
purpose  of  preventing  Jackson,  with  his  superior  forces,  from  getting  possession 
of  the  northern  portion  of  the  State. 

In  July  General  Fremont  was  assigned  to  that  command.  He  proceeded  to 
New  York  city,  where  he  spent  some  days,  endeavoring  to  arrange  for  supply 
ing  his  department  with  the  arms,  &c.,  which  were  absolutely  requisite.  He 
reached  St.  Louis  on  the  25th  of  July.  General  Pope,  who  had  been  assigned 
the  command  in  northern  Missouri,  was  calling  for  troops  to  enable  him  to  take 
the  field ;  General  Lyon,  in  the  southwestern  portion  of  the  State,  had  been  calling 
for  re-enforcements  for  some  time ;  General  Prentiss,  at  Cairo,  was  also  asking  for 
re-enforcements.  General  Fremont  first  re-enforced  Cairo,  as  being  the  most  impor 
tant  point,  situated,  as  it  was,  at  the  junction  of  the  Ohio  and  the  Mississippi,  and 
controlling  the  navigation  of  those  two  rivers.  The  number  of  troops  that  he 
could  obtain  for  that  purpose  was  small ;  but  the  enemy  were  led  to  believe,  by 
the  large  number  of  steamboats  that  went  down  from  St.  Louis,  that  the 
re-enforcement  was  far  greater  than  it  really  was  ;  and  Pillow,  who  had  a  force 
estimated  at  12,000  men,  was  deterred  from  making  the  attack  he  had  contem 
plated. 

Cairo  being  re-enforced,  General  Fremont  at  once  took  steps  to  send  troops  to  the 
assistance  of  General  Lyon.  The  number  of  the  enemy  opposed  to  General  Lyon 
was  almost  overwhelming.  It  was  supposed  by  many  that  he  would  retire 
before  them  until  he  should  meet  supports.  He  himself  seems  to  have  con 
templated  such  a  movement,  for  after  the  affair  of  Dug  Springs  he  retired  to 
Springfield;  and  General  Sturgis  testifies  that,  at  that  time,  General  Lyon  ex 
pressed  his  convictions  that  re-enforcements  could  not  be  sent  to  him. 

Upon  reaching  Springfield,  General  Lyon  halted  his  forces,  and  after  waiting 
there  some  four  or  five  days  announced  his  intention  to  march  out  and  attack 
the  enemy.  What  reasons  influenced  him  in  forming  that  determination  are 
not  well  established  by  the  testimony.  Some  of  the  officers  have  expressed 
their  conviction  that  he  apprehended  that  the  enemy,  should  he  retire  further 
from  them,  would  fall  upon  his  rear  and  cripple  him,  or  force  him  to  fight  a 
battle  under  great  disadvantages.  His  brave  spirit,  doubtless,  led  him  to  meet 
the  enemy  he  had  gone  so  far  to  reach,  and  endeavor  to  inflict  such  a  blow  as 
would  lead  them  not  to  press  very  closely  upon  him.  Whatever  his  reasons 
may  have  been,  he  determined  upon  the  attack.  The  battle  was  fought  at 
Wilson's  creek,  on  the  10th  of  August,  and,  though  the  enemy  outnumbered 
our  forces  four  to  one,  our  army  was  eminently  successful. 

General  Lyon  fell,  leading  on  a  regiment  to  the  attack.  His  loss  at  that  time 
was  most  deeply  felt.  Dying  as  a  brave  soldier  would  wish  to  die,  fighting  for 
the  cause  of  his  country  against  those  who  were  seeking  its  destruction,  his 
example  has  exercised  its  influence  upon  those  who  have  since  won  the  glorious 
victories  which  have  made  our  armies  in  the  west  so  illustrious. 

After  that  battle  our  forces  retired  to  Holla,  the  enemy  being  so  severely 
punished  that  they  followed  only  at  a  distance.  At  Rolla  they  were  joined  by 
the  troops  that  had  been  started  to  their  relief,  but  had  been  delayed  for  want 
of  transportation. 


CONDUCT   OF   THE    WAR.  5 

In  September,  Colonel  Mulligan,  who  had  been  upon  an  expedition  in  the 
northern  part  of  the  State,  was  obliged  to  fall  back  before  the  forces  of  the 
enemy  advancing  against  him  under  General  Price.  Colonel  Mulligan  made  a 
stand  at  Lexington,  and  prepared  to  resist  them,  sending  for  re-enforcements. 
General  Fremont,  upon  hearing  of  Colonel  Mulligan's  situation,  made  arrange 
ments  to  send  troops  to  his  assistance ;  but  from  various  causes  they  were  un 
able  to  reach  him,  and  the  enemy  succeeding  in  cutting  off  his  supply  of  water 
he  was  compelled  to  surrender. 

Shortly  after  this,  General  Fremont  determined  to  take  the  field  in  person, 
with  all  the  forces  he  could  collect  together.  He  was  deficient  in  transporta 
tion,  so  much  so  that  the  adjutant  general  of  the  army  reported  to  the  Secre 
tary  of  War  that  General  Fremont  would  be  unable  to  move.  He  did  move, 
however,  and,  by  the  first  of  November,  succeeded  in  reaching  Springfield. 
The  enemy,  some  2,000  strong,  had  been  driven  from  that  place  by  Major 
Zagoni,  who,  with  barely  100  cavalry,  made  the  most  brilliant  charge  of  the  war. 

Preparations  were  made  to  engage  the  enemy,  who  were  understood  to  be  in 
force  in  the  immediate  neighborhood  of  Springfield.  The  day  was  fixed  and 
the  order  of  the  attack  determined  upon.  Just  then  General  Fremont  was  re 
moved  from  the  command  and  General  Hunter  appointed  as  his  successor. 

General  Hunter  testifies  that  he  became  satisfied  that  the  enemy  were  not 
so  near  as  General  Fremont  had  supposed.  He  determined,  therefore,  to  with 
draw  to  St.  Louis,  which  was  done,  and  active  operations  in  the  State  were  sus 
pended  for  some  time. 

In  relation  to  the  administration  of  General  Fremont  much  has  been  said 
about  the  high  prices  paid  by  him  for  arms  and  other  supplies  ;  the  unnecessary 
fortification  of  St.  Louis  ;  delay  in  re-enforcing  points  threatened  by  the  enemy  ; 
undue  assumption  of  authority,  &c.  Your  committee  can  but  briefly  notice 
those  different  points,  on  account  of  their  inability  to  obtain  full  evidence  in  re 
lation  to  them. 

This  much,  at  least,  appears  to  be  established :  General  Fremont,  upon  tak 
ing  the  command,  was  clothed  with  the  most  ample  authority,  and  the  exigen 
cies  of  the  department  were  such  that  much  should  be  pardoned  in  one  com 
pelled  to  act  so  promptly,  and  with  so  little  at  his  command.  Whether  that 
authority  was  exercised,  in  all  respects,  as  it  should  have  been — whether  Gen 
eral  Fremont  was  justified  in  all  that  he  did  by  the  circumstances  under  which 
he  was  called  upon  to  act — your  committee  do  not  undertake  to  express  a  posi 
tive  opinion. 

In  relation  to  the  purchase  of  arms,  &c.,  it  appears  that  the  department  was  very 
destitute  of  supplies  of  all  kinds ;  the  demand  was  most  pressing,  and  the 
government  was  unable  to  supply  it.  Some  of  the  arms  engaged  by  General 
Fremont,  for  the  soldiers  in  his  department,  were  diverted  to  the  army  of  the 
Potomac,  the  primary  object  of  the  government  the'n  being  to  collect  and  equip 
an  army  at  Washington,  as  soon  as  could  possibly  be  done.  This  rendered  it 
the  more  important  that  other  arms  should  be  obtained ;  yet  with  all  that  General 
Fremont  deemed  it  proper  to  do  his  department  long  felt  the  want  of  adequate 
supplies. 

In  reference  to  the  fortifications  about  St.  Louis,  General  Fremont  but  carried 
out  what  General  Lyon,  before  him,  had  deemed  necessary.  In  reference  to 
the  manner  in  which  it  was  done — as  the  government  has  had  its  agents  to  ex 
amine  the  contracts  for  that  work,  as  well  as  other  contracts — your  committee 
forbear  expressing  an  opinion. 

In  regard  to  re-enforcing  promptly  those  points  threatened  by  the  enemy,  so 
far  as  your  committee  have  the  evidence  before  them,  they  believe  that  General 
Fremont  acted  with  energy  and  promptness.  He  was  peculiarly  situated.  The 
first  call — that  of  General  Lyon — was  pressed  upon  him  so  soon  after  he  took 
command  of  the  department,  and  he  was  compelled  to  act  so  hastily,  without 


b  CONDUCT    OF    THE    WAR. 

time  for  fully  surveying  the  field  before  him,  and  ascertaining  the  extent  of  the 
resources  at  his  command,  that  even  if  he  failed  to  do  all  that  one  under  other 
circumstances  might  have  done,  still  your  committee  can  discover  no  cause  of 
censure  against  him.  But  in  regard  to  both  General  Lyon  and  Colonel  Mulligan 
your  committee  have  discovered  no  evidence  of  any  disregard  for  the  public 
interest,  or  want  of  energy  or  inclination  upon  the  part  of  General  Fremont. 
Troops  were  collected  by  him  as  soon  as  could  be  done,  and  they  were  promptly 
sent  where  the  exigencies  of  the  service  demanded.  Some  of  them  were  diverted 
to  other  purposes  than  those  for  which  General  Fremont  designed  them.  The 
government  called  upon  him  for  troops  to  be  sent  to  the  east  at  a  time  when  he 
was  most  earnestly  engaged  in  procuring  forces  for  the  assistance  of  Colonel 
Mulligan.  Those  that  were  left  were  sent  promptly,  and  only  failed  to  render 
the  assistance  needed  from  causes  over  which  General  Fremont  had  no  control. 
General  Fremont  early  turned  his  attention  to  the  building  of  gunboats  for 
our  western  rivers.  Whoever  is  entitled  to  the  credit  of  originating  the  idea  of 
employing  such  means  of  warfare  in  that  section  of  country,  it  is  not  to  be  de 
nied  that  General  Fremont  perceived  the  advantage  to  result  from  them.  Our 
brilliant  victories  in  the  west  will  bear  enduring  testimony  to  the  correctness  of 
his  judgment  in  that  respect. 

But  that  feature  of  General  Fremont's  administration  which  attracted  the 
most  attention  at  the  time,  and  which  will  ever  be  most  prominent  among  the 
many  points  of  interest  connected  with  the  history  of  that  department,  is  his 
proclamation  of  emancipation.  Whatever  opinion  may  be  entertained  in  refer 
ence  to  the  time  when  the  policy  of  emancipation  should  have  been  inaugurated, 
or  by  whose  authority  it  should  have  been  promulgated,  there  can  be  no  doubt 
that  General  Fremont  at  that  early  day  rightly  judged  in  regard  to  the  most 
effective  means  of  subduing  this  rebellion.  In  proof  of  that  it  is  only  necessary 
to  refer  to  the  fact  that  his  successor,  when  transferred  to  another  department, 
issued  a  proclamation  embodying  the  same  principle.  And  the  President,  as 
commander-iii-chief  of  the  army  and  navy,  has  applied  the  same  principle  to  all 
the  rebellious  States,  and  few  will  deny  that  it  must  be  adhered  to  until  the 
last  vestige  of  treason  and  rebellion  is  destroyed. 

The  administration  of  General  Fremont  was  eminently  characterized  by 
earnestness,  ability,  and  the  most  unquestionable  loyalty.  In  the  exercise  of 
the  almost  unlimited  power  delegated  to  him,  there  was  no  evidence  of  any  ten 
derness  towards  treason,  or  any  failure  to  fully  assert  the  dignity  and  power  of 
the  government  of  which  he  was  the  representative.  The  manner  in  which  that 
power  was  exercised  was  to  be  judged  by  the  results,  and  the  policy  of  con 
tinuing  him  in  command  was  a  matter  for  the  authorities  above  him  to  determine. 
In  order  to  pronounce  a  final  judgment  upon  all  the  affairs  in  the  western 
department,  much  more  information  is  necessary  than  is  in  the  possession  of 
your  committee.  They  have  undertaken  merely  to  state  what  seems  to  be  borne 
out  by  such  testimony  as  they  have  been  able  to  obtain. 

B.  F.  WADE,  Chairman. 

Z.  CHANDLER. 

JOHN  COVODE. 

GEO.  W.  JULIAN. 

As  the  testimony  which  the  committee  submit  in  relation  to  the  western  de 
partment  is  so  incomplete,  the  testimony  of  so  many  witnesses  deemed  material 
by  the  whole  committee  being  wanting,  the  undersigned  decline  to  concur  in  the 
above  report,  and  for  themselves  prefer  to  submit  the  testimony  without  com 
ment. 

D.  W.  GOOCH. 
M.  F.  ODELL. 


TESTIMONY 


WESTERN  DEPARTMENT. 


WAR  DEPARTMENT, 

Washington  City,D.  G.,  March  12,  1862. 

SIR:  I  have  the  honor,  in  compliance  with  your  request  of  the  28th  ultimo, 
to  transmit  herewith  copies  of  the  following  papers,  viz: 
Report  of  Adjutant  General  Thomas  upon  the  Western  Department,  and 
The  order  discharging  the  body  guard  under  Major  Zagoni. 
Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

EDWIN  M.  STANTON, 

Secretary  of  War. 
Hon.  B.  F.  WADE, 

Chairman  Joint  Committee  on  the  conduct  of  the  present  war. 


HARRISBURG,  PA.,  October  19,  1861. 

GENERAL:  When  I  did  myself  the  honor  to  ask  you  to  accompany  me  on 
my  western  tour,  it  was  with  the  view  of  availing  myself  of  your  expe 
rience  as  adjutant  general  of  the  army.  Finding  that  the  result  of  my  in 
vestigations  might  (as  I  at  first  apprehended)  have  an  important  effect  not 
only  uj[)on  the  army  of  the  west,  but  upon  the  interests  of  the  whole  country, 
I  requested  you  to  take  full  notes  upon  all  points  connected  with  the  object 
of  my  visit. 

As  you  inform  me  that  you  have  carefully  complied  with  my  wish,  I  now 
respectfully  request  you  to  submit  your  report  as  early  as  practicable,  in 
order  that  the  President  may  be  correctly  advised  as  to  the  administration 
of  affairs  connected  with  the  army  of  the  west. 
Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

SIMON  CAMERON,  Secretary  of  War. 

Brigadier  General  L.  THOMAS, 

Adjutant  General  of  the  United  States  Army. 


WASHINGTON,  D.  C.,  October  21,  1861. 

SIR:  I  have  the  honor  to  submit  the  report  requested  in  your  letter  of  the 
19th  instant: 

We  arrived  at  St.  Louis,  as  you  are  aware,  at  2J  a.  m.  October  llth. 
After  breakfast,  rode  to  Benton  Barracks,  above  the  city.  On  the  street 
leading  to  the  camp,  passed  a  small  fieldwork  in  course  of  construction. 
Found  the  camp  of  great  extent,  with  extensive  quarters,  constructed  of 
rough  boards.  Much  has  been  said  of  the  large  sums  expended  in  their 
erection;  but  some  one  mentioned  that  General  McKinstry,  principal  quar- 


8  TESTIMONY. 

termaster,  who  made  the  disbursements,  gave  the  cost  at  $15,000.  If  so,  it 
was  judicious.  The  actual  cost  should  be  ascertained.  General  Curtis  was 
in  command.  Force  present  140  officers,  3,338  men;  principally  detach 
ments,  except  the  1st  Iowa  cavalry,  34  officers,  904  men,  having  horses,  but 
without  equipments. 

General  Curtis  said  of  General  Fremont  that  he  found  no  difficulty  in 
having  access  to  him,  and  when  he  presented  business  connected  with  his 
command  it  was  attended  to.  General  Fremont  never  consulted  him  on 
military  matters,  nor  informed  him  of  his  plans.  General  Curtis  remarked 
that  while  he  would  go  with  freedom  to  General  Scott  and  express  his 
opinions,  he  would  not  dare  do  so  to  General  Fremont.  He  deemed  Gen 
eral  Fremont  unequal  to  the  command  of  an  army,  and  said  that  he  was  no 
more  bound  by  law  than  by  the  winds. 

After  dinner,  rode  to  the  arsenal  below  the  city,  Captain  Callender  in  charge. 
The  garrison  for  its  protection  is  under  Major  Granger,  3d  cavalry.  But  very 
few  arms  in  hand ;  a  number  of  heavy  guns,  designed  for  gunboats  and  mortar- 
boats.  The  captain  is  engaged  in  making  ammunition.  He  said  he  heard  that 
some  person  had  a  contract  for  making  the  carriages  for  these  guns;  that  if 
so  he  knew  nothing  of  it;  and  that  it  was  entirely  irregular,  he  being  the 
proper  officer  to  attend  to  the  case.  This,  in  my  opinion,  requires  investi 
gation.  He  expected  soon  to  receive  funds,  and  desired  them  for  current 
purposes.  Was  fearful,  however,  that  they  might  be  diverted  for  other 
payments. 

Visited  a  large  hospital  not  distant  from  the  arsenal,  in  charge  of  Assist 
ant  Surgeon  Bailey,  United  States  army.  It  was  filled  with  patients,  mostly 
doing  well.  In  fine  order  and  a  credit  to  the  service.  The  doctor  had  an 
efficient  corps  of  assistants  from  the  volunteer  service,  and  in  addition  a 
number  of  sisters  of 'charity  as  nurses.  God  bless  these  pure  and  disin 
terested  women! 

Colonel  Andrews,  chief  paymaster,  called,  and  represented  irregularities 
in  the  pay  department,  and  desired  instructions  from  the  Secretary  for  his 
government,  stating  that  he  was  required  to  make  payments  and  transfers 
of  money  contrary  to  law  and  regulations.  Once,  upon  objecting  to  what 
he  conceived  an  improper  payment,  he  was  threatened  with  confinement  by 
a  file  of  soldiers.  He  exhibited  an  order  for  the  transfer  of  $100,000  to  the 
quartermaster's  department,  which  was  irregular.  Exhibited  abstract  of 
payments  by  one  paymaster  (Major  Febiger)  to  42  persons,  appointed  by 
General  Fre'mont,  viz:  1  colonel,  3  majors,  8  captains,  15  first  lieutenants, 
11  second  lieutenants,  1  surgeon,  3  assistant  surgeons;  total,  42.  Nineteen 
of  these  have  appointments  as  engineers,  and  entitled  to  cavalry  pay. — (See 
paper  No.  1.)  A  second  abstract  of  payments  was  furnished,  but  not  vouched 
for  as  reliable,  as  the  paymaster  was  sick,  and  is  only  given  to  show  the 
excess  of  officers  of  rank  appointed  to  the  major  general's  body  guard  of 
only  300  men:  the  commander  being  a  colonel,  &c. — (See  paper  No.  2.)  The 
whole  number  of  irregular  appointments  made  by  General  Fremont  was  paid 
by  Colonel  Andrews  to  be  nearly  two  hundred. 

The  following  is  a  copy  of  one  of  these  appointments  : 

"  HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

"St.  Louis,  August  28,  1861. 

"  SIR:  You  are  hereby  appointed  captain  of  cavalry,  to  be  employed  in  the 
land  transportation  department,  and  will  report  for  duty  at  these  head 
quarters. 

"J.  C.  FREMONT, 
"  Major  General  Commanding. 
"  To  Capt.  FELIX  VOGELE,  Present." 
(See  paper  No.  3.) 


TESTIMONY.  y 

I  also  saw  a  similar  appointment  given  to  an  individual  on  General  Frd- 
inont's  staff,  as  director  of  music,  with  the  rank  and  commission  of  captain  of 
engineers.  This  person  was  a  musician  in  a  theatre  in  St.  Louis.  Colonel 
Andrews  was  verbally  instructed  by  me  not  to  pay  him,  the  person  having 
presented  the  two  papers  and  demanded  pay.  Colonel  Andrews  also  stated 
that  these  appointments  bore  one  date,  but  directed  payment,  in  some  cases, 
a  month  or  more  anterior  thereto.  He  was  then  without  funds,  except  a 
small  amount. 

The  principal  commissary,  Captain  Haines,  had  no  outstanding  debts,  and 
expected  funds  soon.  Major  Allen,  principal  quartermaster,  had  recently 
taken  charge  at  St.  Louis,  but  reported  great  irregularities  in  his  depart 
ment,  and  requested  special  instructions.  These  he  deemed  important,  as 
orders  were  communicated  by  a  variety  of  persons,  in  a  very  irregular 
manner,  requiring  disbursements  of  money.  These  orders  are  often  ver 
bally  given. — (See  paper  No.  4,  asking  for  instructions.)  He  was  sending, 
under  General  Fremont's  orders,  large  amounts  of  forage  from  St.  Louis  to 
the  army  at  Tipton,  where  corn  was  abundant  and  very  cheap.  The  dis 
tance  was  160  miles.  He  gave  the  indebtedness  of  the  quartermaster's 
department  in  St.  Louis  to  be  $4,506,309  73. — (See  paper  No.  5.) 

In  regard  to  contracts,  without  an  examination  of  the  accounts  it  would 
be  difficult  to  arrive  at  the  facts.  It  is  the  expressed  belief  of  many  persons 
that  General  Fremont  has  around  him,  in  his  staff,  persons  directly  and  in 
directly  concerned  in  furnishing  supplies.  The  following  is  a  copy  of  a 
letter  signed  by  Leonidas  Haskell,  captain  and  aide-de-camp.  He,  though  on 
General  Fremont's  staff,  is  said  to  be  a  contractor  for  hay  and  forage  and 
mules;  the  person  named  in  his  note,  Colonel  Degraf,  being  his  partner. 

"  HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

"  Gamp  Lillis,  October  2,  1861. 

"  SIR  :  I  am  requested  by  the  commanding  general  to  authorize  Colonel 
Degraf  to  take  any  hay  that  has  been  contracted  for  by  the  government, 
his  receipt  for  the  same  being  all  the  voucher  you  require. 
"  Respectfully  yours, 

"LEONIDAS  HASKELL, 

"  Captain  and  A.  D.  C? 
(See  Exhibit  No.  6.) 

What  does  this  mean  ?  Contractors  deliver  forage  direct  to  quartermas 
ters,  who  issue  the  same;  but  here  another  party  steps  in,  and,  if  a  con 
tractor,  or  the  partner  of  one,  to  fill  his  own  contract.  This  double  transac 
tion,  it  is  difficult  to  suppose,  is  done  without  a  consideration.  The  accounts 
should  be  examined,  and  the  price  paid  to  Degraf  compared  with  that  paid 
to  the  contractors  whose  forage  was  seized. 

This  same  Captain  Haskell,  aide-de-camp,  was  a  contractor  for  mules.  He 
desired  Captain  Turnley  to  receive  his  animals,  good,  bad,  and  indifferent,  as 
Captain  Turuley  said.  This  he  would  not  do,  and  stated  his  prices  for  dif 
ferent  classes,  wheel,  lead,  &c.  Besides,  he  had  more  mules  than  he  could 
possibly  send  to  the  army.  Notwithstanding  all  this,  he  received  an  order 
to  inspect  and  receive  Mr.  Haskell's  mules  as  rapidly  as  possible.  Captain 
Turuley  very  soon  received  orders  from  General  Fremont  to  leave  St.  Louis 
and  proceed  to  the  interior. — (See  paper  No.  7,  showing  his  great  labor  and 
heavy  responsibility.) 

By  direction  of  General  Meigs,  advertisements  were  made  to  furnish  grain 
and  hay,  and  contracts  made  for  specific  sums — 28  cents  per  bushel  for  corn, 
30  cents  for  oats,  and  $17  95  per  ton  for  hay.  In  face  of  this,  another  party 
at  St.  Louis,  Baird,  or  Baird  &  Palmer,  (Palmer  being  of  the  old  firm  in  Cal- 


10  TESTIMONY. 

ifornia  of  Palmor,  Cook  &  Co.,)  were  directed  to  send  to  Jefferson  City,  (where 
hay  and  corn  abound,)  as  fast  as  possible,  100,000  bushels  of  oats,  with  a 
corresponding  amount  of  hay,  at  33  cents  per  bushel  for  grain,  and  $19  per 
ton  for  hay. — (See  paper  No.  7 — Captain  Turnley's  letter.) 

Captain  Edward  M.  Davis,  a  member  of  his  staff,  received  a  contract,  by 
the  direct  order  of  General  Fremont,  for  blankets.  They  were  examined  by 
a  board  of  army  officers,  consisting  of  Captain  Hendershott,  4th  artillery, 
Captain  Harris,  commissary  of  subsistence,  and  Captain  Turnley,  assistant 
quartermaster.  The  blankets  were  found  to  be  made  of  cotton,  and  to  be 
rotten  and  worthless.  Notwithstanding  this  decision,  they  were  purchased, 
and  given  to  the  sick  and  wounded  soldiers  in  hospital.  These  facts  can  be 
ascertained  from  the  report  of  the  board  or  the  officers  themselves,  and  the 
bill  of  purchase. 

Amongst  the  supplies  sent  by  General  Fremont  to  the  army  now  in  the 
field  may  be  enumerated  500  half  barrels,  to  carry  water,  in  a  country  of 
abundant  supply,  and  500  tons  of  ice. 

We  examined  the  barracks  in  course  of  construction  in  St.  Louis,  near  and 
around  the  private  house  occupied  by  him  as  quarters — the  Brant  House, 
rented  at  $6,000  per  annum.  These  barracks  have  brick  foundations  and 
brick  outer  walls,  weatherboarded,  and  are  sufficient  as  quarters  and  stables 
for  1,000  men.  Like  those  of  Camp  Benton,  these  barracks  were  not  built 
by  contract  or  proposals;  they  are  certainly  more  expensive  and  more  per 
manent  than  the  quarters  of  a  temporary  army  would  require;  and  the  ex 
act  expense,  though  perhaps  difficult  to  ascertain,  should  be  discovered. 

A  pontoon  bridge  has  been  thrown  across  the  Ohio  river  at  Paducah.  A 
ferry  boat,  in  a  region  where  such  boats  are  readily  procured,  would  be  just 
as  efficient  and  much  less  expensive. 

Contracts,  it  will  be  seen,  were  given  to  individuals  without  resorting  to 
advertisements  for  bids,  as  required  by  law  and  regulations. 

Having  received  an  intimation  from  another  quarter  of  an  impropriety,  I 
called  on  Captain  McKeever,  assistant  adjutant  general,  for  the  facts,  which 
he  gave  me  as  follows:  One  week  after  the  receipt  of  the  President's  order 
modifying  General  Fremont's  proclamation  relative  to  the  emancipation  of 
slaves,  General  Fremont,  by  note  to  Captain  McKeever,  required  him  to  have 
200  copies  of  the  original  proclamation  and  address  to  the  army  of  same 
date  printed  and  sent  immediately  to  Irontou,  for  the  use  of  Major  Gavitt, 
Indiana  cavalry,  for  distribution  through  the  country.  Captain  McKeever 
had  the  copies  printed  and  delivered.  The  order  is  as  follows  : 

"  Adjutant  general  will  have  200  copies  of  proclamation  of  commanding 
general,  dated  30th  August,  together  with  address  to  the  army  of  same  date, 
sent  immediately  to  Ironton  for  the  use  of  Major  Gavitt,  Indiana  cavalry. 
Major  Gavitt  will  distribute  it  through  the  country. 

"  J.  C.  F.,  Commanding  General. 

"  SEPTEMBER  23,  1861. 

"A  true  copy: 

"  CHAUNCEY  McKEEYER, 

"A&ttAdft  Gen'l» 

We  left  St.  Louis,  October  12,  for  General  Fremont's  headquarters,  at 
Tipton,  160  miles  distant,  passing  the  night  at  Jefferson  City,  the  capital  of 
Missouri,  125  miles  from  St.  Louis;  General  Price  was  in  command  of  the 
place  with  a  force  of  12,000  men.  The  8th  Iowa  was  there  en  route  for  Tip- 
ton.  At  this  place  there  were  accumulated  a  large  quantity  of  forage  landed 
from  steamboats,  and  some  wagons  and  mules  for  transportation;  also  the 
half  barrels  for  carrying  water,  and  a  number  of  mules,  which  Captain  Turn- 


TESTIMONY.  11 

ley  said  ho  could  not  get  forward,  having  no  control  over  the  transportation 
by  railroad. 

Leaving  Jefferson  City  on  the  13th,  we  arrived  at  Tipton  at  9  o'clock  a.m. 
The  Secretary  of  War  was  called  upon  by  General  Fremont,  and  upon  the  gen 
eral's  invitation  accompanied  him  to  Syracuse,  five  miles  distant,  to  review 
the  division  under  General  McKinstry,  nearly  eight  thousand  strong.  This 
body  of  troops  is  said  to  be  the  best  equipped  and  best  supplied  of  the  whole 
army.  They  certainly  are,  so  far  as  means  of  transportation  are  concerned. 
At  Tipton,  besides  General  Fremont  and  staff,  his  body-guard,  &c.,  I  found 
part  of  General  Hunter's  1st  division,  and  General  Asboth's  4th  division. 

The  force  designed  to  act  against  Price  consists  of  five  divisions,  as  fol 
lows  : 

First  division,  Hunter's,  at  Tipton 9,750 

Second  division,  Pope's,  at  Georgetown 9,220 

Third  division,  Sigel's,  at  Sedalia 7,980 

Fifth  division,  Asboth's,  at  Tipton     6,451 

Sixth  division,  McKinstry's,  at  Syracuse 5,388 


Total 38,789 

As  soon  as  I  obtained  a  view  of  the  several  encampments  at  Tipton,  I  ex 
pressed  the  opinion  that  the  forces  there  assembled  could  not  be  moved,  as 
scarcely  any  means  of  transportation  were  visible.  I  saw  General  Hunter, 
second  in  command,  and  conversed  freely  with  him.  He  stated  that  there 
was  great  confusion,  and  that  Fremont  was  utterly  incompetent;  that  his 
own  division  was  greatly  scattered,  and  the  force  then  present  defective  in 
many  respects;  that  he  required  one  hundred  wagons,  yet  he  was  ordered  to 
march  that  day,  and  some  of  his  troops  were  already  drawn  out  on  the  road. 
His  cavalry  regiment  (Ellis's)  had  horses,  arms,  (indifferent,)  but  no  equip 
ments;  had  to  carry  their  cartridges  in  their  pockets;  consequently,  on  their 
first  day's  march  from  Jefferson  City,  in  a  heavy  rain,  the  cartridges  carried 
about  their  persons  were  destroyed.  This  march  to  Tipton  (thirty-five  miles) 
was  made  on  a  miry,  heavy  earth  road  parallel  to  the  railroad  and  but  a  little 
distance  from  it.  The  troops  were  directed  by  General  Fremont  to  march 
without  provisions,  knapsacks,  and  without  transportation.  A  violent  rain 
storm  came  up,  and  the  troops  were  exposed  to  it  all  night;  were  without 
food  for  twenty-four  hours,  and  when  food  was  received  the  beef  was  found 
to  be  spoiled. 

General  Hunter  stated  that  he  had  just  received  a  written  report  from  one 
of  his  colonels,  informing  him  that  but  twenty  out  of  one  hundred  of  his 
guns  would  go  off.  These  were  the  guns  procured  by  General  Fremont  in 
Europe.  I  may  here  state  that  General  Sherman,  at  Louisville,  made  a  sim 
ilar  complaint  of  the  great  inferiority  of  these  European  arms.  He  had 
given  the  men  orders  to  file  down  the  nipples.  In  conversation  with  Colonel 
Swords,  assistant  quartermaster  general,  at  Louisville,  just  from  California, 
he  stated  that  Mr.  Selover,  who  was  in  Europe  with  General  Fremont,  wrote 
to  some  friend  in  San  Francisco  that  his  share  of  the  profits  of  the  purchase 
of  these  arms  was  $30,000. 

When  General  Hunter,  at  Jefferson  City,  received  orders  to  march  to  Tip- 
ton,  he  was  directed  to  take  forty-one  wagons  with  him,  when  he  had  only 
forty  mules,  which  fact  had  been  duly  reported  to  headquarters.  At  this 
time,  Colonel  Stevenson's  7th  Missouri  regiment  was,  without  General  Hunt 
er's  knowledge,  taken  from  him,  leaving  him,  when  under  marching  orders, 
with  only  one  regiment  at  Jefferson  City  fit  to  take  the  field. — (See  paper 
No.  9.)  General  Hunter  showed  me  the  order  for  inarching,  dated  October 
10,  which  he  only  received  the  12th. — (See  paper  No.  10.  See  Hunter's 


12  TESTIMONY. 

reply,  showing  the  great  wants  of  his  command,  marked  No.  11.)     The 
same  day  the  order  was  changed  to  one  day's  march. — (See  paper  No.  12.) 

When  General  Pope,  at  Georgetown,  twenty-five  miles  distant,  received 
this  order  of  march,  he  wrote  a  private  letter  to  Hunter,  which  I  read.  It 
set  forth  the  utter  impossibility  of  his  moving  for  the  want  of  supplies  and 
transportation,  and  asked  whether  'General  Freinont  could  mean  what  he 
said. 

All  of  the  foregoing  goes  to  show  the  want  of  military  foresight  and 
soldierly  judgment  on  the  part  of  General  Fremont,  in  directing  the  neces 
sary  means  for  putting  and  maintaining  in  the  field  the  forces  under  his 
command. 

General  Hunter  stated  that,  though  second  in  command,  he  never  was 
consulted  by  General  Fremont,  and  knew  nothing  whatever  of  his  inten 
tions.  Such  a  parallel,  I  venture  to  assert,  cannot  be  found  in  the  annals  of 
military  warfare.  I  have  also  been  informed  that  there  is  not  a  Missourian 
on  his  staff — not  a  man  acquainted,  personally,  with  the  topography  and 
physical  characteristics  of  the  country  or  its  people. 

The  failure  of  General  Fremont  to  re-enforce  General  Lyon  demands  brief 
notice.  General  Fremont  arrived  at  St.  Louis  July  26,  called  thither  from  New 
York  by  telegraph,  stating-  that  General  Lyon  was  threatened  by  30,000  rebels. 
At  this  time  General  Pope  had  nine  regiments  in  north  Missouri,  where  the 
rebels  had  no  embodied  force,  the  confederate  forces  in  the  State  being  those 
under  Price  and  McCulloch,  near  Springfield,  southwest  Missouri,  and  those 
under  Pillow,  Jeff.  Thompson  and  Hardee,  in  southeast  Missouri;  two 
regiments  held  Rolla,  the  terminus  of  the  southwestern  branch  of  the  Pa 
cific  railroad,  whilst  Jefferson  City,  Boonesville,  Lexington  and  Kansas  City 
had  each  a  garrison  of  three  or  four  hundred  men,  behind  intreuchments. 
Cairo  and  Bird's  Point  were  fortified  and  defended  with  heavy  artillery. 
(Pilot  Knob  and  Cape  Girardeau  were  fortified  after  General  Fremont's 
arrival.)  All  these  places  could  be  re-enforced  by  railroad  and  river  from 
St.  Louis  and  the  northwestern  States,  and  could  hold  out  until  re-enforced, 
even  if  attacked  by  superior  forces.  On  his  arrival  in  St.  Louis,  General 
Fremont  was  met  by  Captain  Cavender,  1st  Missouri,  and  Major  Farrar,  aide- 
de-camp  to  General  Lyon,  with  statements  from  the  latter,  and  asking  for 
re-enforcements.  Major  Phelps,  member  of  Congress  from  Springfield,  Doctor 
Miller,  of  Omaha,  and  many  other  citizens,  having  ample  means  of  informa 
tion,  made  the  same  representations  and  urged  the  sending  of  re-enforce 
ments.  To  Governor  Gamble  he  said  :  "  General  Lyon  is  as  strong  as  any 
other  officer  on  this  line."  He  failed  to  strengthen  Lyon,  and  the  result,  as 
is  well  known,  was  the  defeat  of  that  most  gallant  oflScer.  The  two  regi 
ments  at  Rolla  should  have  been  pushed  forward,  and  the  whole  of  Pope's 
nine  regiments  brought  by  rail  to  St.  Louis  and  Rolla,  and  thence  sent  to 
Lyon's  force.  Any  other  general,  in  such  an  emergency,  would  have  pur 
sued  this  obvious  course. 

The  battle  of  Springfield,  (or  more  strictly  Wilson's  creek,)  one  of  the 
most  desperate  ever  fought  on  this  continent,  took  place  August  10,  when 
the  brave  Lyon  fell,  and  the  troops,  borne  down  by  greatly  superior  numbers, 
were  obliged  to  fall  back,  but  uupursued  by  a  badly  beaten  foe 

General  Fremont  called  four  regiments  from  North  Missouri  and  went 
with  them  to  Cairo.  It  is  evident  that  he  had  no  intention  of  re-enforcing 
General  Lyon,  for  the  two  regiments  at  Rolla,  125  miles  only  from  Spring 
field,  received  no  orders  to  march,  and  were  not  supplied  with  transporta 
tion,  and  thirty  or  forty  hired  wagons,  just  returned  from  Springfield,  were 
discharged  at  Rolla  August  4,  seven  days  before  the  battle,  and  returned  to 
St.  Louis. 

After  the  news  of  the  battle  readied  St.  Louis,  four  other  regiments  were 


TESTIMONY.  13 

drawn  from  Pope  in  North  Missouri  and  sent  to  Rolla.  Better  to  have 
called  in  these  troops  before  the  battle,  as  after  the  battle  the  whole  revo 
lutionary  elements  were  called  forth.  The  six  regiments  accomplished 
nothing,  and  were  not  ordered  to  advance  and  cover  the  retreat  of  Lyon's 
army,  although  it  was  supposed  in  St.  Louis  that  Price  and  McCulloch 
were  following  it,  and  that  Hardee  had  moved  up  to  cut  off  its  retreat  on 
the  Gasconade. 

An  advance  of  these  regiments  would  have  enabled  the  army  to  retrace 
its  steps,  and  to  beat  the  forces  of  Price  and  McCulloch  so  badly  that  they 
would  have  been  unable  to  follow  our  forces  in  their  retreat.  It  is  said 
that  every  officer  in  Lyon's  army  expected  to  meet  re-enforcements,  and  to 
return  with  them  and  drive  Price  and  McCulloch  from  the  southwest. 

General  Hunter  arrived  at  St.  Louis  from  Chicago,  called  thither  on  a 
suggestion  from  Washington  as  an  adviser.  General  Fremont  submitted 
to  him,  for  consideration  and  advice,  a  paper  called  "  Disposition  for  retaking 
Springfield."  It  sets  out  out  with  a  statement  that  Springfield  is  the  strong 
strategical  point  of  that  wide  elevation  which  separates  the  waters  of  the 
Osage  from  those  of  the  Arkansas  ;  the  key  to  the  whole  southwestern  Mis 
souri,  commanding  an  area  of  nearly  60,000  miles.  Why  did  not  this  enter 
the  brain  of  the  major  general  before  the  fall  of  Lyon,  and  he  strain  every 
nerve  to  hold  that  important  key  when  in  his  possession  ? 

General  Hunter,  in  answer  to  the  paper,  replied  :  "  Why  march  on  Spring 
field,  where  there  is  no  enemy  and  nothing  to  take  ?  Let  me  take  the  troops 
and  proceed  to  Lexington,"  in  which  direction  Price  was  marching,  and 
where  he  expected  to  be  joined  by  40,000  rebels.  Instead  of  this  he  was 
sent  to  Holla,  without  instructions,  and  remained  there  until  ordered  to  Jef 
ferson  City,  still  without  instructions,  and  thence  to  Tipton,  where  we  found 
him. — (See  Exhibit  No.  13.) 

No  steps  having  been  taken  by  General  Fremont  to  meet  Price  in  the 
field,  he  moved  forward  his  line  of  march,  plainly  indicating  his  intention  of 
proceeding  to  Lexington.  When  within  some  thirty-five  miles  of  the  place,  he 
remained  ten  or  more  days,  evidently  expecting  that  some  movement  would 
be  made  against  him.  None  being  made,  he  advanced  and,  *with  his  much 
superior  force,  laid  siege  to  Lexington,  defeated  by  Mulligan  with  2,700 
men  September  12,  and  captured  it  the  21st,  nine  days  thereafter. 

Now  for  the  facts  to  show  that  this  catastrophe  could  have  been  pre 
vented,  and  Price's  army  destroyed  before  or  after  that  disastrous  affair. 

Before  Price  got  to  Lexington  the  forces  to  resist  him  were  as  follows  : 
Jefferson  City,  5,500  ;  at  Rolla,  4,000  ;  along  the  Hannibal  and  St.  Joseph 
railroad,  about  5,000  ;  western  line  of  Missouri,  under  Lane,  down  near  Fort 
Scott,  2,300  ;  Mulligan's  force  at  Lexington,  2,700  ;  a  large  force  in  Illinois, 
along  the  Mississippi  river,  and  on  the  Iowa  line  ;  outside  of  St.  Louis,  some 
17,000  ;  in  St.  Louis,  18,000,  but  say  10,000. 

Hunter's  plan,  up  to  Sunday,  22d  September,  was  to  concentrate  from  St. 
Louis,  Jefferson  city,  and  Rolla;  also  from  the  Hannibal  and  St.  Joseph 
railroad,  20,000  men,  and  relieve  Mulligan.  He  said  that  if  Price  was  a 
soldier,  Lexington  had  then  fallen,  but  he  could,  with  energy,  be  captured 
with  all  his  baggage  and  plunder. 

The  objection  that  there  was  no  transportation  is  idle.  The  railroads  and 
river  were  at  command,  and  the  march  from  Sedalia  was  only  forty-five  miles. 
The  force  could,  General  Hunter  supposed,  be  thrown  into  Lexington  by 
Thursday,  as  it  appears,  before  it  was  taken. 

General  Fremont  ordered  Sturgis,  in  North  Missouri,  to  Lexington,  and 
by  crossing  the  river  to  re-enforce  Mulligan.  Sturgis  had  only  1,100  mqn, 
and,  on  reaching  the  river  opposite  the  town,  found  it  commanded  by  Price, 
and,  of  course,  was  compelled  to  fall  back.  Hunter's  plan  of  moving  these 


14  TESTIMONY> 

troops  was  to  strike  the  river  at  a  point  below  Lexington  in  our  control, 
cross,  and  march  up  to  the  place.  In  the  interview  with  General  Fremont 
the  question  was  asked  whether  any  orders  had  been  given  to  re-enforce 
Mulligan,  and  the  reply  being  in  the  negative,  General  Hunter  suggested 
orders  to  Sturgis,  and  had  the  order  then  been  given  by  telegraph,  he  would 
have  reached  the  river  before  Price  had  taken  possession  of  the  north  bank 
and  could  have  crossed.  The  order  was  not  given  until  three  days  after 
the  interview.  This  loss  of  time  was  fatal. 

Mulligan  was  ordered  from  Jefferson  City,  then  garrisoned  with  5,000 
troops,  with  only  one  regiment,  to  hold  Lexington  until  he  could  be  relieved. 
When  Lexington  fell,  Price  had  20,000  men,  his  force  receiving  daily  aug 
mentation  from  the  disaffected  in  the  State.  He  was  permitted  to  gather 
much  plunder  and  fall  back  towards  Arkansas  unmolested,  until  we  were  at 
Tipton,  the  13th  October,  when  the  accounts  were  that  he  was  crossing  the 
Osage.  Fremont's  order  of  march  was  issued  to  an  army  of  nearly  40,000, 
many  of  the  regiments  badly  equipped,  with  inadequate  supplies  of  ammu 
nition,  clothing  and  transportation.  With  what  prospect,  it  must  be  in 
quired,  can  General  Fremont,  under  such  circumstances,  expect  to  overtake 
a  retreating  army,  some  one  hundred  miles  ahead,  with  a  deep  river  between  ? 

General  Hunter  expressed  to  the  Secretary  of  War  his  decided  opinion 
that  General  Fremont  was  incompetent  and  unfit  for  his  extensive  and  im 
portant  command.  This  opinion  he  gave  reluctantly,  owing  to  his  position 
as  second  in  command. 

The  opinion  entertained  by  gentlemen  who  have  approached  and  observed 
him  is,  that  he  is  more  fond  of  the  pomp  than  the  stern  realities  of  war; 
that  his  mind  is  incapable  of  fixed  attention  or  strong  concentration;  that 
by  his  mismanagement  of  affairs  since  his  arrival  in  Missouri  the  State  has 
almost  been  lost,  and  that,  if  he  is  continued  in  command,  the  worst  results 
may  be  anticipated. 

This  is  the  concurrent  testimony  of  a  very  large  number  of  the  most  in 
telligent  men  in  Missouri. 

Leaving  Tipton  on  the  13th,  we  arrived  at  St.  Louis  late  in  the  evening, 
and  on  the  14th  the  Secretary  of  War  directed  me  to  issue  the  following  in 
structions  to  General  Fremont: 

"ST.  Louis,  Mo.,  October  14,  1861. 

"  GENERAL:  The  Secretary  of  War  directs  me  to  communicate  the  following 
as  his  instructions  for  your  government: 

"  In  view  of  the  heavy  sums  due,  especially  in  the  quartermaster's  depart 
ment  in  this  city,  amounting  to  some  $4,500,000,  it  is  important  that  the 
money  which  may  now  be  in  the  hands  of  the  disbursing  officers,  or  be  re 
ceived  by  them,  be  applied  to  the  current  expenses  of  your  army  in  Missouri, 
and  these  debts  to  remain  unpaid  until  they  can  be  properly  examined  and 
sent  to  Washington  for  settlement;  the  disbursing  officers  of  the  army  to 
disburse  the  funds  and  not  transfer  them  to  irresponsible  agents;  in  other 
words,  those  who  do  not  hold  commissions  from  the  President,  and  are  not 
under  bonds.  All  contracts  necessary  to  be  made  to  be  made  by  the  dis 
bursing  officers.  The  senior  quartermaster  here  has  been  verbally  instruct 
ed  by  the  secretary  as  above. 

"  It  is  deemed  unnecessary  to  erect  fieldworks  around  this  city,  and  you 
will  direct  their  discontinuance;  also  those,  if  any,  in  course  of  construction 
at  Jefferson  City.  In  this  connexion  it  is  seen  that  a  number  of  commis 
sions  have  been  given  by  you.  No  payments  will  be  made  to  such  officers, 
except  to  those  whose  appointments  have  been  approved  by  the  President. 
This  of  course  does  not  apply  to  the  officers  with  volunteer  troops.  Colonel 


TESTIMONY.  15 

Andrews  has  been  verbally  so  instructed  by  the  Secretary;  also,  not  to  make 
transfers  of  funds,  except  for  the  purpose  of  paying  the  troops. 

"  The  erection  of  barracks  near  your  quarters  in  this  city  to  be  at  once 
discontinued. 

"  The  Secretary  has  been  informed  that  the  troops  of  General  Lane's  com 
mand  are  committing  depredations  on  our  friends  in  western  Missouri. 
Your  attention  is  directed  to  this,  in  the  expectation  that  you  will  apply 
the  corrective. 

"  Major  Allen  desires  the  services  of  Captain  Turnley  for  a  short  time, 
and  the  Secretary  hopes  you  may  find  it  proper  to  accede  thereto. 

"  I  have  the  honor  to  be,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

"L.  THOMAS,  Adjutant  General 
"Major  General  J.  C.  FREMONT, 

"  Commanding  Department  of  the  West,  Tipton,  Mo." 

Instructions  were  previously  given  (October  12)  to  the  Hon.  James  Craig 
to  raise  a  regiment  at  St.  Joseph,  Missouri. 

We  left  St.  Louis  October  14,  and  arrived  at  Indianapolis  in  the  evening. 
I  remained  at  Indianapolis  October  15,  and  conversed  freely  with  Governor 
Morton.  We  found  that  the  State  of  Indiana  had  corne  nobly  up  to  the 
work  of  suppressing  the  rebellion.  Fifty- five  regiments,  with  several  bat 
teries  of  artillery,  had  been  raised  and  equipped;  a  larger  number  of  troops, 
in  proportion  to  population,  than  any  other  State  had  sent  into  the  field. 
The  best  spirit  prevailed,  and  it  was  manifest  that  additional  troops  could 
easily  be  raised. 

The  governor  had  established  an  arsenal,  and  furnished  all  the  Indiana 
troops  with  full  supplies  of  ammunition,  including  fixed  ammunition  for 
their  batteries  of  artillery.  This  arsenal  was  visited,  arid  found  to  be  in 
full  operation.  It  was  under  the  charge  of  a  competent  pyrotechnist. 
Quite  a  number  of  females  were  employed  in  making  cartridges,  and  I  ven 
ture  to  assert  that  the  ammunition  is  equal  to  that  which  is  manufactured 
anywhere  else.  Governor  Morton  stated  that  his  funds  for  this  purpose 
were  exhausted;  but  the  Secretary  desired  him  to  continue  his  opera 
tions,  informing  him  that  the  government  would  pay  for  what  had  been 
furnished  to  the  troops  in  the  field.  It  is  suggested  that  an  officer  of  ord 
nance  be  sent  to  Indianapolis  to  inspect  the  arsenal  and  ascertain  the 
amount  expended  in  the  manufacture  of  ammunition,  with  a  view  to  reim 
bursing  the  State. 

Left  Indianapolis  October  16  for  Louisville,  Kentucky,  where  we  arrived 
at  121  o'clock  p.  m.,  and  had  an  interview  with  General  Sherman,  command 
ing  the  department  of  the  Cumberland.  He  gave  a  gloomy  picture  of  affairs 
in  Kentucky,  stating  that  the  young  men  were  generally  secessionists,  and 
had  joined  the  confederates;  while  the  Union  men,  the  aged,  and  conserva 
tives,  would  not  enrol  themselves  to  engage  in  conflict  with  their  relations 
on  the  other  side.  But  few  regiments  could  be  raised.  He  said  that  Buck- 
ner  was  in  advance  of  Green  river  with  a  heavy  force  on  the  road  to  Louis 
ville,  and  an  attack  might  be  daily  expected,  which,  with  the  then  force,  he 
would  not  be  able  to  resist,  but  that  he  would  fight  them.  He,  as  well  as 
citizens  of  the  State,  said  that  the  border  State  of  Kentucky  must  furnish 
the  troops  to  drive  the  rebels  from  the  State.  His  force  then  consisted  of 
10,000  troops  in  advance  of  Louisville,  in  camp  at  Nolin  river,  and  on  the 
Louisville  and  Nashville  railroad,  at  various  points;  at  Camp  Dick  Robin 
son,  or  acting  in  conjunction  with  General  Thomas,  9,000;  and  two  regi 
ments  at  Henderson,  on  the  Ohio,  at  the  mouth  of  Green  river — (See  paper 
No.  14.)  On  being  asked  the  question,  what  force  he  deemed  necessary,  he 
promptly  replied,  200,000  men.  This  conversation  occurred  in  the  presence 


16  TESTIMONY. 

of  Mr.  Guthrie  and  General  Woods.  The  Secretary  replied  that  he  sup 
posed  that  the  Kentuckians  would  not,  in  any  number,  take  up  arms  to 
operate  against  the  rebels,  but  he  thought  General  Sherman  over  estimated 
the  number  and  power  of  the  rebel  forces;  that  the  government  would  fur 
nish  troops  to  Kentucky  to  accomplish  the  work;  that  he  (the  Secretary) 
was  tired  of  this  defensive  war,  and  that  the  troops  must  assume  the  offen 
sive,  and  carry  the  war  to  the  firesides  of  the  enemy;  that  the  season  for 
operations  in  Western  Virginia  was  about  over,  arid  that  he  would  take  the 
troops  from  there  and  send  them  to  Kentucky;  but  he  begged  of  General 
Sherman  to  assume  the  offensive,  and  to  keep  the  rebels  hereafter  on  the 
defensive.  The  Secretary  desired  that  the  Cumberland  Ford  and  Gap 
should  be  siezed,  and  the  East  Tennessee  and  Virginia  railroad  taken  pos 
session  of,  and  the  artery  that  supplied  the  rebellion  east.  Complaint  was 
made  of  the  want  of  arms,  and  on  the  question  being  asked,  "  What  became 
of  the  arms  we  sent  to  Kentucky  ?"  we  were  informed  by  General  Sherman 
that  they  had  passed  into  the  hands  of  the  Home  Guards,  and  could  not  be 
recovered;  that  many  were  already  in  the  hands  of  the  rebels,  and  others 
refused  to  surrender  those  in  their  possession,  alleging  the  desire  to  use 
them  in  defence  of  their  individual  homes  if  invaded.  In  the  hands  of  in 
dividuals,  and  scattered  over  the  State,  these  arms  are  lost  to  the  army  in 
Kentucky.  Having  ascertained  that  6,200  arms  had  arrived  from  Europe 
at  Philadelphia,  3,000  were  ordered  to  Governor  Morton,  who  promised  to 
place  them  immediately  in  the  hands  of  troops  for  Kentucky.  The  remain 
ing  3,200  were  sent  to  General  Sherman,  at  Louisville.  Negley's  brigade 
at  Pittsburg,  2,800  strong,  two  companies  of  the  19th  infantry  from  Indian 
apolis,  the  8th  Wisconsin  at  St.  Louis,  the  2d  regiment  of  Minnesota  volun 
teers  at  Pittsburg,  and  two  regiments  from  Wisconsin,  were  then  ordered 
to  Kentucky,  making  in  all  a  re-enforcement  of  about  ten  thousand  men. 
We  left  Louisville  at  3  o'clock  p.  m.  for  Lexington,  accompanied  by  General 
Sherman  and  Mr.  Guthrie.  Remained  there  a  few  hours,  and  proceeded  to 
Cincinnati,  arriving  at  8  o'clock  p.  m.  At  Lexington,  also,  we  found  that 
the  opinion  existed  that  the  young  men  of  Kentucky  had  joined  the  rebels; 
that  no  large  bodies  of  troops  could  be  raised  in  Kentucky,  and  that  the 
defence  of  the  State  must  necessarily  devolve  upon  the  free  States  of  the 
west  and  northwest. 

Having  accomplished  the  object  of  our  visit  to  the  west,  we  left  Cincinnati 
on  the  18th  and  reached  Washington  on  the  21st,  having  spent  the  19th  and 
20th  at  Harrisburg. 

Respectfully  submitted. 

L.  THOMAS,  Adjutant  General. 

Hon.  SIMON  CAMERON,  Secretary  of  War. 


[Paper  No.  3.] 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

St.  Louis,  August  28,  1861. 

SIR  :  You  are  hereby  appointed  captain  of  cavalry,  to  be  employed  in  the 
land  transport  department,  and  will  report  for  duty  at  these  headquarters. 

J.  C.  FREMONT, 
Major  General  Commanding. 
To  Captain  FELIX  VOGELI,  Present. 

A  true  copy  :  C.  McKEEVER, 

Assistant  Adjutant  General. 


TESTIMONY.  17 


[Exhibit  No.  6.] 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

Gamp  Siller,  October  2,  1861. 

SIR  :  I  am  requested  by  the  commanding   general  to  authorize  Colonel 
Degraf  to  take  any  hay  that  has  been  contracted  for  by  the  government,  his 
receipt  for  the  same  being  all  the  voucher  you  require. 
Respectfully,  yours, 

LEONIDAS  HASKILL, 
Captain  and  Aide-de- Camp. 

[Paper  No.  9.] 

HEADQUARTERS  FIRST  DIVISION, 
Jefferson  City,  Missouri,  October  4,  1861. 

COLONEL  :  Your  letter  of  yesterday,  ordering  me  to  march  this  morning, 
was  only  received  this  morning  at  ten  minutes  after  two.  You  will  see  by 
my  report  of  transportation,  sent  you  on  the  2d  instant,  that  for  the  forty- 
one  wagons  in  possession  of  my  quartermaster  he  has  only  forty  rnules. 
It  will  therefore  be  impossible  for  him  to  take  the  forty  or  more  wagons 
agreeably  to  your  order. 

Colonel  Stevenson,  of  the  7th  Missouri  regiment,  informs  me  that  he  is 
attached  to  Colonel  Totteii's  brigade  of  the  fifth  division.  I  must  protest,  in 
the  strongest  terms,  against  this  very  unmilitary  proceeding  of  depriving 
me  of  the  most  important  part  of  my  command,  when  under  marching  or 
ders,  without  giving  me  an  official  notice  of  the  change.  Detaching  Colonel 
Stevenson  from  my  division  will  leave  me  but  one  regiment  here  fit  to  take 
the  field.  .  ' 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

D.  HUNTER, 

Major  General  Commanding  1st  Division. 
Colonel  J.  H.  EATON, 

Acting  Assistant  Adjutant  General, 

Headquarters  Western  Department,  Jefferson  City. 

[Paper  No.   10.] 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 
Camp  Asboth,  Tipton,  Mo.,  October  10,  1861. 

GENERAL  :  The  following  movements  of  the  several  divisions  of  the  army 
of  Western  Missouri,  under  my  command,  have  been  decided  upon  : 

Acting  Major  General  Pope,  with  the  forces  under  his  immediate  command, 
will  march,  by  way  of  Otterville,  to  Sedalia,  and  from  there  by  the  most 
direct  route  to  Leesville. 

Acting  Brigadier  General  Jefferson  C.  Davis  will  start  on  the  13th  of 
October  from  Georgetown,  by  Sedalia,  with  the  troops  belonging  to  General 
Pope's  division,  and  pursue  the  same  direct  road  to  Leesville,  reaching  his 
destination  on  the  15th  instant. 

Acting  Major  General  Sigel  will  start  from  Sedalia  on  the  13th,  and  pro 
ceed  in  three  marches  by  Spring  Rock  and  Cole  Camp  to  Warsaw,  which  place 
he  will  occupy;  commence  .preparations  immediately  to  cross  the  river  the 
next  day,  supported  by  Acting  Major  General  McKinstry's  forces,  and  cross 
on  the  16th  at  all  hazards,  if  a  position  can  be  taken  on  the  right  bank  under 
the  protection  of  which  a  bridge  may  be  built. 

Acting  Major  General  McKinstry    will  start  on  the   13th,  and  proceed  in 

Part  iii 2 


18  TESTIMONY. 

four  marches,  by  Florence,  How  creek  and  Cole  Camp,  to  Warsaw,  where  he 
will  co-operate  with  General  Sigel. 

Major  Genera"!  Hunter  will  also  start  on  the  13th  instant,  and  proceed  in 
four  marches,  by  way  of  Versailles  and  Minerva,  (Hibernia, )  to  Duroc  Ferry. 

Acting  Major  General  Asboth  will  start  with  his  division  on  the  14th, 
and  march  in  three  days  to  Cole  Camp  creek,  by  way  of  Wheatland  and 
Hibernia. 

Generals  Sturgis  and  Lane  are  expected  to  be  at  the  same  time  in  Clin 
ton  on  our  extreme  right.  You  are  therefore  instructed  to  commence  your 
march  on  the  day  appointed  for  your  troops  to  move,  and  proceed  according 
to  the  directions  above  laid  down. 

The  state  of  the  roads  is  such  that  trains  may  notunfrequentlybe  delayed, 
which  renders  it  more  than  usually  necessary  that  the  troops  should  in  all 
cases  have  at  least  one  day's  rations  in  their  haversacks.  The  commanders 
of  divisions  will  also  in  all  cases  where  possible  send  forward,  in  advance 
of  the  march,  a  company  of  pioneers,  protected  by  cavalry,  to  repair  the 
bridges  and  roads  wherever  impassable. 

J.  C.  FREMONT, 
Major  General  Commanding. 

Major  General  HUNTER, 

Commanding  First  Division. 

[Paper  No.  4.] 

QUARTERMASTER'S  OFFICE, 
St.  Louis,  Missouri,  October  11,  1861. 

GENERAL:  I  take  the  occasion  of  the  presence  of  the  honorable  Secretary 
of  War  and  yourself  to  make  certain  inquiries. 

Is  it  competent  for  every  member  of  the  staff  of  Major  General  John  C. 
Fremont  to  issue  orders  in  the  name  of  the  general,  directed  to  me,  and 
involving  an  expenditure  of  money  ? 

Am  1  bound  to  recognize  any  other  signature  than  that  of  Captain 
McKeever,  the  regularly-constituted  assistant  adjutant  general  of  the 
western  department  ? 

I  desire  to  be  instructed  whether  the  simple  approval  of  an  account  by 
the  commanding  general  carries  with  it  the  weight  of  an  order. 

There  are  heavy  accounts,  involving  hundreds  of  thousands  of  dollars,  that 
have  come  under  my  observation,  which  are  approved  by  Major  General  John 
C.  Fremont,  but  in  direct  terms  are  not  ordered.  It  is  doubtless  the  intention 
of  the  general  to  order  the  payment.  But  as  I  understand  the  army  regu 
lations  and  the  laws  of  Congress,  an  approval  is  not  an  order.  If  I  am 
mistaken  in  this,  I  desire  to  be  corrected. 

Great  latitude  is  taken  in  verbal  orders.  And  the  general  being  in  the 
field,  I  cannot  stop  to  question  the  authenticity  of  these  orders,  and  feel  it  to 
be  my  duty  to  see  them  executed,  although  I  have  not  the  authority  on  paper 
necessary  to  carry  these  expenditures  through  the  treasury. 

Accounts  involving  hundreds  of  thousand  of  dollars  have  been  presented 
to  me  within  the  few  days  I  have  been  here,  informal,  irregular,  and  not 
authorized  by  law  or  regulations. 

No  quartermaster  who  understands  his  duty  can  pay  this  class  of  accounts 
without  involving  himself  in  irretrievable  ruin.  1  do  not  mean  to  say  that 
these  accounts  are  not  just,  or  should  not  be  paid ;  but  as  they  are  outside 
of  the  regulations — in  other  words,  extraordinary — they  can  be  adjusted  only 
by  extraordinary  authority. 

Some  three  days  ago  I  telegraphed  the  quartermaster  general,  M.  C. 
Meigs,  a  message;  and  I  give  you  an  extract,  from  memory:  "If  the  reckless 


TESTIMONY.  19 

expenditures  in  this  department  are  not  arrested  by  a  stronger  arm  than 
mine,  the  quartermaster's  department  will  be  wrecked  in  Missouri  alone." 
I  have  the  honor  to  be,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

ROB'T  ALLEN,  Major  and  Quartermaster. 
General  LORENZO  THOMAS, 

Adjutant  General  United  States  Army. 


JEFFERSON  CITY,  MISSOURI,  October  11,  1861. 

GENERAL:  In  June,  1855, 1  left  St.  Louis  with  seven  steamboats,  with  stores 
and  troops  for  the  Upper  Missouri  river.  I  remained  there  on  duty  until  1857. 
I  joined  General  Johnston,  and  went  to  Utah.  I  returned  from  Utah  last 
winter,  on  the  first  and  only  leave  of  absence  I  have  had  in  twelve  years. 
While  on  my  way  to  Washington,  in  April,  I  stopped  at  Harrisburg;  and, 
at  the  request  of  Governor  Curtin,  I  remained  there  to  assist  in  organizing 
the  troops  there  assembling  into  camps,  and  to  put  their  commissariat  into 
order.  From  there  I  was  on  duty  constantly,  day  and  night,  at  various 
posts — York,  Cockeysville,  Baltimore,  Perrysville,  and  Annapolis.  Finally, 
about  the  20th  of  July,  I  was  ordered  to  report  to  General  Fremont.  I  did 
so  at  New  York.  I  was  ordered  on  duty  at  St.  Louis,  where  I  resumed 
similar  labors  to  those  I  had  been  at  in  the  east,  and  have  been  on  my  feet 
night  and  day  since.  A  few  days  ago  I  received  orders  to  report  at  this 
place  for  duty  in  the  field. 

I  left  all  my  public  accounts  open,  in  an  incomplete  and  exposed  condition, 
on  my  office  table  in  St.  Louis,  besides  a  vast  deal  of  property  not  turned 
over.  My  health  is  so  broken  down  that  /  am  not  able  longer  to  stand  up. 
I  desire,  as  an  act  of  simple  justice  to  me,  I  be  allowed  to  resume  the  leave 
of  absence  I  surrendered  in  April,  (it  would  have  expired  15th  June,)  or  else 
that  I  be  ordered  permanently  to  a  post  where  I  can  get  some  rest,  and  be 
able  to  make  up  and  forward  to  the  Treasury  Department  my  public  accounts. 

Your  early  reply  to  this  is  respectfully  requested. 
Respectfully, 

P.  T.  TURNLEY,  Assistant  Quartermaster. 

General  L.  THOMAS, 

Adjutant  General  United  States. 

NOTE. — My  unsettled  and  unadjusted  accounts  will  reach  over  one  million 
and  a  half  dollars. 

[Paper  No.  11.] 

HEADQUARTERS  IST  DIVISION,  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

Tipton,  Missouri,  October  12,  1861. 

COLONEL:  I  have  received  the  general's  order  directing  my  division  to 
move  in  the  morning.  Ncrt  one-half  of  my  division  has  yet  reported.  Colonel 
Ellis's  cavalry  are  without  ammunition,  cartridge-boxes,  swords,  pistols, 
and  great  coats,  and  many  of  them  are  greatly  in  want  of  clothing. 

The  men  of  the  Indiana  batteries  are  in  want  of  great  coats,  clothing, 
and  ammunition. 

Requisitions  have  been  sent  in  for  ambulances,  but  they  have  not  been 
furnished.  Some  of  our  mules  are  unshod,  and  we  shall  have  them  lame 
and  unservicable,  unless  we  can  be  furnished  with  portable  forges  and 
blacksmith's  tools.  About  fifty  tents  are  needed  for  the  division.  As  we 
shall  have  to  send  our  teams  back  for  provisions  after  four  days'  march,  we 
should  not  leave  here  with  less  than  sixty  thousand  rations,  as  we  cannot 


20  TESTIMONY. 

calculate  on  their  return  in  less  than  fifteen  days  to  our  camp,  even  if  we 
should  remain  stationary  at  the  end  of  our  four  days'  march. 

The  cavalry  regiment  has  not  a  wagon;  and  Colonel  Palmer's  and  Colonel 
Eland's  have  neither  of  them  sufficient  for  their  baggage. 

To  enable  us  to  move  efficiently  we  need  at  least  one  hundred  wagons, 
and  the  ambulances  already  ordered  to  be  supplied  to  the  division  by  the 
general  commanding. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  very  respectfully  your  obedient  servant. 

D.  HUNTER,  Major  General  Commanding. 
Colonel  J.  H.  EATON, 

Acting  Assistant  Adjutant  General, 
General  Fremont's  Headquarters. 

[Paper  No.  12.] 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 
Camp  Asboth  near  Tipton,  Missouri,  October  12,  1861. 

GENERAL:  In  complying  with  the  letter  of  instructions  of  yesterday, 
General  Fremont  directs  that  you  proceed  from  Tipton  for  the  present,  only 
so  far  as  the  first  convenient  camp  ground,  for  the  purpose  of  bringing  your 
immediate  command  together  and  to  enable  you  to  organize  the  better, 
your  means  of  transportation.  Colonel  Woods,  director  of  transportation, 
will  confer  with  you  to  supply,  at  the  earliest  moment  practicable,  what  is 
deficient.  At  a  distance  of  two,  three,  or  five  miles,  your,  wagons  can 
return  to  Tipton  for  what  is  needed. 

Respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

J.  H.  EATON,  A.  A.  A.  G. 
Major  General  D.  HUNTER, 

Commanding  1st  division,  Tipton,  Missouri. 

[Paper  No.  7.] 

JEFFERSON  CITY,  October  13,  1861. 

GENERAL  :  On  the  25th  September  ultimo,  I  opened  the  bids,  in  my  office 
at  St.  Louis,  made  under  General  Meigs's  advertisement  for  furnishing  grain 
and  hay.  I  made  contracts  in  accordance  therewith,  and  gave  notice  to 
contractors  of  the  amount  I  supposed  would  be  required  weekly.  A  day  or 
two  after,  another  party  (a  Mr.  Baird  or  Baird  &  Palmer)  in  St.  Louis  in 
formed  me  they  had  received  an  order  (per  telegraph)  from  Colonel  Woods, 
or  General  McKinstry,  then  at  Jefferson  City  with  headquarters,  to  forward 
as  fast  a  possible  to  Jefferson  City,  one  hundred  thousand  bushels  of  oats, 
and  a  like  or  corresponding  amount  of  hay.  The  contractors  under  advertise 
ment  objected  to  this  order,  because  they  said  Baird  got  33  cents  for  grain, 
and  $19  per  ton  for  hay,  while  contractors  got  28  cents  for  corn,  30  cents 
for  oats,  and  $17  95  per  ton  for  hay.  I  then  told  contractors  they  need  not 
send  any  forage  up  the  river;  or  if  they  did  they-would  be  paid  the  same 
that  Bird  was. 

About  29th  or  30th  September,  after  the  headquarters,  western  depart 
ment,  had  left  St.  Louis,  (I  being  left  there  highest  in  rank  in  my  department 
but  no  orders  or  instructions  except  the  single  remark  of  General  Fremont 
that  he  wished  no  delay  or  obstacle  whatever  in  the  forwarding  of  supplies, 
&c.,)  I  was  daily  and  almost  hourly  called  upon  by  different  persons  arid 
asked  to  have  their  mules  inspected.  All  stated  they  were  turning  in  mules 
on  Mr.  Haskell's  account.  I  called  for  the  contract  or  order  under  which 
Haskell  furnished  them,  but  never  received  any  until  I  received  a  line  from 
General  McKinstry,  quartermaster,  stating  that  General  Fremont  desired 
me  to  inspect  and  receive  Mr.  Haskell's  mules  as  rapidly  as  possible.  I  re- 


TESTIMONY.  21 

ceived  mules  from  Mr.  Haskell  only  as  they  were  required  to  ship  off  for 
field  service.     I  received  some  from  other  parties  in  like  manner. 

I  have  good  grounds  for  believing  that  in  not  receiving  all  Mr.  HaskelPs 
mules,  I  gave  much  offence  to  him  and  to  his  friends.     But  I  believed  then, 
and  do  yet,  that  my  action  was  for  the  best  interest  of  the  government. 
Respectfully,  P.  T.  TURNLEY, 

Assistant  Quartermaster. 
General  L.  THOMAS,  Adjutant  General  United  States. 

[Paper  No.—.] 

DISPOSITION  FOR  RETAKING  SPRINGFIELD. 

Springfield,  the  strategical  point  of  that  wide  elevation  which  separates 
the  waters  of  the  Osage  from  those  of  the  Arkansas  river,  is  the  key  to  the 
whole  southwestern  part  of  Missouri,  commanding  an  area  of  nearly  60,000 
square  miles. 

Around  it  is  clustered  a  true  and  loyal  population,  large  numbers  of  whom, 
driven  from  their  homes  and  firesides,  and  burning  with  a  desire  to  revenge 
their  sufferings  and  recapture  their  homesteads,  are  eagerly  awaiting  the 
opportunity  to  join  an  advancing  army. 

Not  only,  therefore,  military  strategy,  but  a  wise  and  humane  policy,  de 
mands  the  reoccupation  of  that  place. 

To  effect  this  in  the  shortest  and  speediest  way,  a  combined  movement  of 
our  troops  should  be  made  from  Roll  a  and  Jefferson  City. 

The  column  from  the  latter  place,  moving  first,  will  cross,  after  two  days' 
marching,  the  Osage  river  at  Tuscumbia.  To  prevent  delay  in  crossing, 
anchors,  ropes,  pulleys,  and  other  portable  necessaries  for  the  construction 
of  raft  bridges,  should  be  taken  along  from  Jefferson  City. 

Upon  an  appointed  day  after  the  passage  of  the  river  has  been  accom 
plished,  the  column  from  Rolla  will  commence  its  march,  and  that  place  arid 
Tuscumbia  being  each  about  one  hundred  miles  from  Springfield,  in  six  days 
the  two  forces  will  be  able  to  unite  at  their  destination. 

As  the  lines  of  march  converge  upon  their  approach  to  Springfield,  it  will 
be  practicable  at  Lebanon  and  Cross  Blain  (ten  miles'  north  of  Buffalo)  to 
open  communication  between  the  columns.  Strong  scouting  parties  will 
best  effect  this  object,  and  each  body  will  thus  support  and  assist  the  other. 

The  Cole  county  home  guards  should  occupy  Tuscumbia.  After  the  column 
from  Jefferson  City  had  passed  that  place,  a  reserve  should  be  left  at  Linn 
Creek  to  cover  the  rear  provision  train,  while  Warsaw,  the  most  important 
point  on  the  Osage,  should  be  immediately  occupied  by  the  home  guards  of 
Johnson,  Pettis  and  Benton  county,  re-enforced  by  a  volunteer  regiment  and 
two  pieces  of  artillery. 

Rolla,  Wanesville,  and  Lebanon  can  be  occupied  upon  the  withdrawal  of 
the  other  troops,  by  regiments  of  the  United  States  reserve  corps  from  St. 
Louis,  while  Jefferson  City  can  be  placed  in  charge  of  an  adequate  force  of 
General  Sigel's  brigade,  now  under  re-organization. 

To  co-operate  with  this  combined  movement,  General  Lane  will  be  directed 
to  march  from  Fort  Scott,  in  Kansas,  to  Springfield,  by  way  of  Lamar  and 
Greenville,  re-enforced  if  possible. 

The  successful  execution  of  this  plan  puts  us  in  possession  of  the  entire 
eouthwesten  portion  of  this  State,  forces  the  enemy  to  retire  into  Arkansas, 
and  enables  us,  immediately  after  the  concentration  at  Springfield,  to  as 
sume  the  offensive  against  that  State. 

The  exhausted  condition  of  the  country  through  which  our  troops  are  to 
pass,  renders  necessary  the  most  particular  attention  to  the  organization 
and  protection  of  the  provision  trains;  the  commencement  of  cool  weather 
demands  additional  clothing  for  the  men,  and  the  sad  experience  of  the  past 
warns  us  to  make  every  necessary  preparation  to  meet  their  wants.  . 


22  TESTIMONY. 

[Paper  No.  14.] 

In  camp  at  Nolin  river  and  on  the  Louisville  and  Nashville  railroad  at  various 

points. 

6th  Indiana,  Colonel  Crittenden,  Nolin  river. 
29th  Indiana,  Colonel  Miller,  Nolin  river. 
30th  Indiana,  Colonel  Bass,  Nolin  river. 
38th  Indiana,  Colonel  Scribner,  Nolin  river. 
39th  Indiana,  Colonel  Harrison,  Nolin  river. 
32d  Indiana,  Colonel  Willich,  New  Han. 
10th  Indiana,  Colonel  Mansie,  Bardstown. 
19th  Illinois,  Colonel  Turchin,  Lib.  Junction. 
24th  Illinois,  Colonel  Hecker,  Colesburg. 
34th  Illinois,  Colonel  Kirk,  Nolin  river. 
15th  Ohio,  Colonel  Dickie,  Nolin  river. 
49th  Ohio,  Colonel  Gibson,  Nolin  river. 
3d  Kentucky,  Colonel  Rousseau,  Nolin  river. 
4th  Kentucky,  (cavalry,)  Colonel  Board,  Nolin  river. 
Stone's  Kentucky  light  battery,  four  pieces,  Nolin  river. 
Cotter's  (Ohio)  six  rifled  pieces  will  be  in  camp  in  two  or  three  days  at 
Nolin  river. 

At  Camp  Dick  Robinson,  or  acting  in  conjunction  with  General  Thomas's  com 
mand. 

Two  Tennessee  regiments,  nearly  full  and  nearly  ready  for  service. 

Four  Kentucky  regiments,  in  same  condition  as  Tennessee  regiments;  one 
regiment  cavalry. 

14th  Ohio,  Colonel  Stedman,  Nicholasville. 

37th  Ohio,  Colonel  Connell,  Nicholasville. 

33d  Indiana,  Colonel  Coburne,  Camp  Dick  Robinson. 

38th  and  35th  Ohio,  Camp  Robinson. 

Three  batteries  of  artillery,  Ohio. 

Four  Ohio  regiments  on  line  of  Covington  and  Lexington  railroad,  acting 
with  General  Thomas. 

37th  Indiana,  Colonel  Crufts,  Owensboro'. 

Also,  three  or  four  Kentucky  regiments  at  Owensboro',  under  General 
Crittenden,  not  full  nor  ready  for  the  field,  but  probably  1,500  men  could 
turn  out  under  arms. 

HEADQUARTERS  DEPARTMENT  OF  MISSOURI, 

St.  Louis,  November  27,  1861. 
Special  Orders  No.  13.] 

********* 
6.  Brigadier  General  Sturgis  is  hereby  directed  to  muster  out  of  service, 
to-morrow,  the  squadron  of  cavalry  known  as  the  Fremont  Body-Guard.  The 
chief  quartermaster  and  ordnance  officer  will  direct  proper  officers  to  receive 
and  receipt  for  all  property  belonging  to  their  respective  departments  now 
in  possession  of  the  commander  of  the  squadron. 

**  *  *  *  **** 

By  order  of  Major  General  Halleck. 

J.  C.  KELTON, 
Assistant  Adjutant  General. 

ADJUTANT  GENERAL'S  OFFICE,  March  4,  1862. 
Official. 

E.  D.  TOWNSEND, 

Assistant  Adjutant  General. 


TESTIMONY. 

[Paper  No.  — .] 


23 


Name. 

Rank. 

Corps. 

Emavic  Meizaras  

Captain      

Fremont  Hussars. 

do 

Do. 

James  \V<irin  °*  

1st  lieut  and  q   m 

Do. 

G.  W.  Ebbert  

1st  lieutenant.  .  .    ... 

Do. 

Thomas  W.  Cooper.  .  .  . 

2d  lieutenant  

Do. 

Randolph  Blome 

Major 

Do. 

C.  Schaffer  

Captain  .  *  . 

Do. 

Charles  Casselman  .... 

....  do  

Do. 

G.  E.  Warino-  

Major  t 

Frdmont  Body-Guard. 

Hy.  Chas.  DeAlma  

Colonel  .        ... 

Do. 

Charles  Zagonge  

Captain  .  

Do. 

H.  S.  Newall  

2d  lieutenant 

Do. 

Napoleon  Westerburg 

do. 

Do. 

Louis  Vanstein  Kiste  .  . 

Captain  

Do. 

Daniel  Abby  

Major  . 

Fremont  Rangers 

D.  Addone  

1st  lieutenant.  . 

General  Fremont's  staff 

A.  Sacche  

Captain     

Do. 

A.  E.  Kroner 

2d  lieutenant 

Infantry 

G.  Masrsrner.  . 

Chief  of  . 

United  States  artillery 

A..  .Asboth. 

Brigadier  general 

Volunteers 

F.  J.  White  

Capt  and  aide-de-camp 

General  Fremont 

E  W  Davis 

Capt  and  asst  o   in 

Volunteer  engineer  pioneers 

Anton  Geister  

Captain  . 

Engineer  corps. 

Hugh  C.  Lon°*  .  .    . 

do 

Independent  company  vols 

Alex.  Silverpare  

2d  lieutenant 

Artillery 

Frank  Kappner  .  . 

Mai  or  .  . 

Engineers. 

Turnley . . . 
Rankin  . . . 
McKinstry 


[Paper  No.  5  ] 


Davis 


Gunboats,  40  mortar  boats 


$456,309  73 

950,000  00 

2,500,000  00 

3, 906, 309  73 
100,000  00 

4,  006,  309  73 
500,000  00 

4,506,309  73 


24 


TESTIMONY. 


Abstract  of  payments  made  ly  P.  M.  Fcbiger,  paymaster  United  States  army, 
for  the  months  of . 


No.  of  vouchers. 

Date  of  pay 
ment. 

To  whom  paid. 

Rank  or  grade. 

Corps. 

From  Sept.  23 

1st  lieutenant  

Missouri  sappers  and  miners,  2d 

to  Oct.  12, 
i861 

2d  lieutenant  

voucher,  engineers. 

Jas.  W.  Savage   
George  D   Friedlein  

Captain  

1st  lieutenant....  .... 

A.  D.  C.  to  General  Fremont. 

....  d* 

Do. 

Hans  A   De  Werthern 

do 

Do 

Assistant  surgeon... 

General  Fremont's  staff. 

C   S   Verdi 

Do                   do. 

Lui<*i  Viria  

do  .  ..*  

Engineers. 

Captain    

General  Fremont's  staff. 

Charles  S.  Shelton  

Engineers. 

J.  C.  Woods  

2d  lieutenant  . 

A.  D.  C.  to  General  Fremont. 

Joseph  Wevdenuycr    

Captain  .         

Artillery. 

John  T  Fiala 

Colonel                  .... 

General  Fremont?cl  staff. 

Edward  Linderman  

1st  lieutenant  

Do.                  do. 

Sebastian  Volkner       ... 

...    (JO  

George  Gordan  DeLuna  Byron  . 
Richard  Flack              . 

Captain  

Cavalry. 

do     

William  H.  C.  Reinke     

2d  lieutenant         .... 

Do. 

do  

Do. 

do.  

Do. 

Charles  Zagonyi  
Anton  Guster  

Major  
Captain  .         

General  Fremont's  Body-Guard. 

Do 

Bernhardt  Kroeger  

Infantry. 

H.  C.  Lon»  .. 

do  

Do. 

J.  R.  Muhleman           ..   . 

1st  lieutenant..  

General  Fremont's  staff,  1st  vouch 

- 

Major  

er,  Kukel's  command. 
General  Fremont's  staff. 

Arden  R.  Smith  

1st  lieutenant      .... 

William  Hoelke    . 

do 

Itr  inli  old  Pfenninghausen  ... 

Captain    

Independent  field  battery,  No.  4. 

E.  L.Jones  

1st  lieutenant  
do  

Engineers. 
Do. 

Charles  Gerick  

Independent  field  battery,  No.  4. 

Felix  Vogeli     

Captain 

3d  regiment  United  States  reserved 

corps,  continued  by  Gen.  Fremont. 

WASHINGTON,  January  9,  1862. 
Colonel  JOHN  B.  PLUMMER  sworn  and  examined. 

By  the  chairman : 

Question.  What  is  your  rank  in  the  army  ? 

Answer.  My  rank  in  the  old  army  is  that  of  captain.  I  am  colonel  of  the 
llth  regiment  of  Missouri  volunteers. 

Question.  Where  have  you  served  during  the  present  war  ? 

Answer.  In  Missouri  entirely. 

Question.  Under  whose  command  ? 

Answer.  Under  the  general  command  of  General  Fremont  for  apportion  of 
the  time,  and  subsequently  under  the  general  command  of  General  Halleck  ; 
under  the  immediate  command  of  General  Lyon,  and  also  of  General  Grant, 
who  now  commands  the  district  in  which  my  present  post  is  situated. 


TESTIMONY.  25 

By  Mr.  Chandler : 

Question.  You  were  in  the  battle  at  Springfield  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  At  what  time  did  you  join  General  Lyon's  column  ;  or  did  you 
go  under  his  command  at  that  time  ? 

Answer.  We  arrived  in  the  neighborhood  of  Springfield — 12  miles  from 
Springfield — on  the  13th  July.  I  joined  General  Lyon  on  Grand  river  about 
a  week  before  that  time. 

Question.  You  joined  him  early  in  July  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  You  then  marched  with  General  Lyon's  column  to  Springfield  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  after  joining  him.  The  column  I  was  with  was  Major 
Sturgis's  column,  that  left  Kansas  City  on  the  23d  of  June,  and  joined 
General  Lyon  early  in  July  on  Grand  river.  We  proceeded  from  there  to 
Springfield  in  pursuit  of  Price's  army%  We  arrived  12  miles  from  Spring 
field  on  the  23d  of  July.  I  remember  that  date,  but  not  all  the  others. 

Question.  Will  you  give  us,  as  briefly  as  may  be,  the  movements  of  Gen 
eral  Lyon's  column  until  the  battle  of  Springfield  was  fought? 

Answer.  We  lay  there  from  the  13th  of  July  until  the  1st  of  August,  wait 
ing  for  re-enforcements. 

Question.  What  was  the  strength  of  your  army  at  that  time  ? 

Answer.  It  was  about  5,500,  as  was  stated  by  General  Lyon  in  a  council 
of  war  in  which  I  was  present.  It  was  about  that  in  round  numbers — it 
fell  a  little  short  of  that.  General  Lyon  was  satisfied  that  the  enemy  was 
too  strong  to  pursue  with  the  force  he  had,  and  he  waited  there  for  re-enforce 
ments  and  supplies.  He  was  short  of  supplies.  We  commanded  the  mills 
for  some  ten  or  fifteen  miles  about,  and  got  flour  in  that  way.  The  last  two 
weeks  of  the  time  before  the  first  of  August  we  were  without  sugar  and 
coffee,  and  what  we  call  in  the  army  "  small  rations,"  such  as  beans,  rice,  &c. 
We  had  fresh  beef,  and  salt  beef,  and  bread.  On  the  1st  day  of  August  the 
army  moved  in  pursuit  of  Rains,  leaving  a  force  in  Springfield  to  guard  the 
train  and  town.  We  marched  between  twenty-five  and  thirty  miles  south 
of  Springfield.  We  had  a  little  skirmish  with  the  enemy  the  second  day 
out,  at  a  place  called  Dug  Springs,  gave  them  a  few  shots,  and  there  was  a 
charge  of  cavalry  there.  On  the  morning  of  the  4th  of  August  General 
Lyon  called  a  council  of  war,  at  which  1  was  present ;  all  the  commanding 
officers  of  battalions,  regiments,  and  corps  were  present.  I  was  at  the  time 
in  command  of  a  battalion  of  regulars.  He  stated  to  the  council  our  force  ; 
that  we  had  no  rations — we  knew  before  that  we  were  out  of  small  rations  ; 
that  we  had  only  about  one  day's  ration  of  bread  ;  that  we  would  necessarily 
lose  the  command  of  the  mills  where  we  had  obtained  supplies  of  bread  if 
we  moved  on  ;  we  would  be  reduced  to  salt  and  fresh  beef,  of  which  we 
could  get  a  sufficient  quantity;  and  that  Rains  had  been  retreating  before 
us,  apparently  luring  us  on.  The  question  he  proposed  to  the  council  was 
whether  we  would  pursue  further,  or  fall  back  upon  Springfield  and  wait  for 
re-enforcements  and  supplies,  or  after  we  got  back  to  Springfield  act  accord 
ing  to  circumstances.  The  unanimous  vote  of  the  council  was  that  we 
should  fall  back  ;  that  as  we  had  no  supplies  it  would  be  folly  for  us  to  pur 
sue  Rains  further,  who  was  retreating  before  us  constantly.  General  Lyon 
stated  the  force  of  the  enemy  to  be  about  15,000  men,  as  near  as  he  could 
ascertain  from  his  spies,  which,  I  would  remark  here,  fell  far  short  of  their 
actual  numbers. 

Question.  Was  this  council  of  war  at  Dug  Springs  ? 

Answer.  It  was  beyond  Dug  Springs.  We  went  one  day's  march  beyond 
Dug  Springs.  We  commenced  the  march  back,  and  I  think  we  arrived  at 


26  TESTIMONY. 

Springfield  either  on  the  morning  of  the  fifth  or  the  sixth.  We  commenced 
the  march  back  on  the  fourth.  I  have  been  trying  to  recall  whether  we 
were  two  days  or  three  days  in  making  our  march  back,  but  I  will  not  be 
"positive.  The  enemy,  at  the  same  time,  were  moving  on  a  different  road 
south  of  us  towards  Springfield.  I  commanded  the  rear  guard  of  six  com 
panies  the  day  of  our  starting  back,  and  I  could  see  the  dust  raised  by  the 
enemy's  troops  three  or  four  miles  on  our  left.  They  were  evidently  moving 
up  towards  Springfield  on  another  road.  I  think  it  was  the  morning  of  the 
fifth  that  we  reached  Springfield.  The  question  then  arose,  that  morning, 
whether  we  would  remain  at  Springfield  and  defend  ourselves  until  we  re 
ceived  re-enforcements,  or  whether  we  would  continue  our  retreat  right  on 
towards  Rolla  or  towards  Fort  Scott.  Arriving  at  Springfield  tolerably 
early — about  10  o'clock  in  the  morning — we  could  have  made  some  ten  or 
fifteen  miles  further  that  day.  General  Lyon  consulted  several  officers  in 
regard  to  that — among  the  number  was  myself.  Those  whom  he  had  known 
intimately  he  consulted.  There  were  a  great  many  prominent  citizens  of 
the  neighborhood  came  around  him,  good  Union  people,  urging  him  to  re 
main.  My  own  opinion  was  that  we  ought  to  remain  a  few  days.  We 
could  defend  ourselves;  or,  at  least,  we  did  not  anticipate  an  immediate 
attack,  probably  not  in  four  or  five  days.  But  my  opinion  was  that  we 
should  wait  at  least  two  or  three  days  for  re-enforcements.  He  stated  that 
he  had  repeatedly  written  for  re-enforcements  and  was  not  expecting  any. 
That  he  stated  in  the  first  council.  He  made  the  remark  to  me — on  one 
occasion  in  private  conversation — that  he  had  written  and  telegraphed  for 
re-enforcements;  that  he  was  aware  that  regiments  had  been  sent  out  of 
Missouri  after  he  had  applied  for  re-enforcements,  for  what  reason  he  did 
not  know.  And  he  did  not  know  why  he  had  not  received  any  re-enforce 
ments.  Whether  that  be  the  case  or  not,  I  cannot  say.  I  merely  state 
what  he  said  in  conversation  with  me. 

By  the  chairman: 

Question.  Did  he  say  where  they  had  been  sent  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir.  Only  they  had  been  sent  out  of  Missouri.  The  day  we 
returned  to  Springfield  our  troops  remained  under  arms,  and  waited  some 
three  or  four  hours  while  this  matter  was  being  considered.  After  the  con 
sultation  was  concluded  in  regard  to  our  movements,  General  Lyon  ordered 
the  troops  into  camp;  a  decision  which  I  believe  was  approved  by  all  the 
officers.  ,  We  lay  there  until  the  evening  of  the  9th,  making  one  or  two  lit- 
excursions  out  during  the  time  in  pursuit  of  detached  parties  of  the  enemy. 
I  think  about  that  time  we  received  a  few  wagon  loads  of  supplies  from 
Rolla,  which  gave  us  some  five  or  six  days  rations  On  the  afternoon  of 
the  9th  we  received  marching  orders. 

In  the  conversations  of  General  Lyou  with  his  officers  the  only  questions 
that  arose  were,  whether  we  should  intrench  ourselves  at  Springfield  and 
wait  for  re-enforcements,  or  retreat  upon  Rolla;  or  rather,  if  we  retreated, 
whether  we  would  retreat  upon  Rolla  or  upon  Fort  Scott,  the  distance  to 
each  place  being  about  the  same.  Fort  Scott  lay  just  on  the  other  side  of 
the  Missouri  line,  in  Kansas :  Rolla  was  at  the  end  of  a  railroad.  The  determi 
nation  to  fight  the  battle  of  Springfield  was  his  own — at  least  he  did  not 
consult  me.  I  do  not  know  whether  he  consulted  other  officers  or  not.  But 
I  would  remark  here,  that  I  was  afterwards  notified  that  General  Lyon 
adopted  the  wisest  course.  We  had  a  valuable  train,  estimated  at  over 
half  a  million  of  dollars.  There  w-as  aboard  that  train  between  $200,000 
arid  $250,000  in  specie.  Had  we  retreated  at  once  upon  Rolla  we  would 
probably  have  had  to  fight  every  day  on  our  retreat.  It  was  a  bad  road  of 
110  miles,  and  being  encumbered  with  a  very  large  train  our  retreat  might 


TESTIMONY.  27 

have  resulted  in  the  loss  of  a  large  portion  of  that  train.  To  have  intrench 
ed  ourselves  in  Springfield,  being  in  doubt  whether  or  not  we  should  get  any 
re-enforcements,  and  being  in  want  of  provisions,  was  a  matter  of  perhaps 
rather  doubtful  policy. 

On  the  afternoon  of  the  9th  of  August  we  marched  out  to  fight  the  enemy. 
I  do  not  think  that  General  Lyon  wag  aware  of  their  real  strength.  He  es 
timated  them  at  15,000  men.  Our  force  with  which  we  left  Springfield  was 
about  4,800  men.  We  had  about  5,500  men  there;  but  we  had  to  leave  a 
guard  for  the  train  in  town,  and  then  there  were  many  of  the  men  sick,  and 
on  extra  dut}7,  &c.,  which  reduced  our  marching  force  to  about  4,800.  Of 
that  number  General  Sigel  had  about  1,500:  the  two  German  regiments, 
one  battery  of  artillery,  and  a  squadron  of  cavalry.  And  in  the  considera 
tion  of  the  battle  itself,  General  Sigel's  force  should  be  thrown  out  entirety, 
because  his  whole  force  was  dispersed  and  his  battery  captured  within  a 
half  an  hour  after  the  fight  commenced.  So  that  the  battle  itself  was  fought 
with  about  from  3,300  to  3,500  men  against  23,000;  for  we  ascertained 
afterward  that  to  have  been  their  numbers.  Of  our  forces  there  were  seven 
companies  of  regular  infantry,  and  two  batteries  of  artillery — I  suppose 
altogether  not  over  600  regulars — and  the  rest  were  volunteers:  the  two 
Kansas  regiments,  the  1st  Missouri,  and  the  2d  Iowa,  whose  time  had  ex 
pired  at  that  time. 

I  have  but  little  more  to  say  in  regard  to  the  battle,  except  that  we 
whipped  them.  I  was  with  my  battalion  in  the  advance  that  morning;  we 
marched  out  the  night  before,  and  just  laid  down  in  the  bushes  about  12  or 
1  o'clock.  It  rained  upon  us,  and  we  had  nothing  to  eat  the  next  morning. 
I  think  very  few  of  us  had  anything  to  eat  that  day — at  least  I  did  not. 
The  battle  commenced  about  5  o'clock  in  the  morning.  It  was  a  complete 
surprise;  we  surprised  their  camps.  I  drove 'in  one  of  their  pickets  not 
more  than  a  half  a  mile  from  their  camp,  and  they  had  not  even  time  to  give 
the  alarm  in  the  camp  before  our  guns  opened  upon  them.  The  battle 
lasted  from  5  o'clock  until  about*  hal£past  11.  They  came  up  four  distinct 
times  to  attack  us,  bringing  up  fresh  troops  each  time. 

By  Mr.  Chandler: 

Question.  Each  time  in  force  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  each  time  in  force',  bringing  up  fresh  troops. 

By  the  chairman:       • 

Question.  Why  did  General  Lyon  pursue  Rains  when  you  first  started  if 
he  had  not  a  force  sufficient  ? 

Answer.  McCulloch  and  Rains  had  not  united,  and  the  object  was  to  pre 
vent  their  doing  so. 

By  Mr.  Chandler: 

Question.  Will  you  give  us  the  particulars  of  that  fight  ? 

Answer.  I  cannot  particularize  it.  I  was  on  the  left  myself,  and  carried 
forward  the  left  attack.  I  was  separated,  with  my  battalion,  from  the  main 
portion  of  the  army  by  a  creek.  I  was  a  quarter  or  a  half  a  mile  from  the 
main  portion  of  our  army.  I  fought,  for  upwards  of  an  hour,  with  250  regu 
lars,  over  2,000  of  the  enemy,  and  was  forced  to  retreat.  I  was  severely 
wounded,  and  in  the  course  of  an  hour  and  a  half  was  myself  in  an  ambu 
lance. 

Question.  You  did  not  see  the  latter  part  of  the  action  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir.  I  can  only  state  what  officers  have  told  me.  My  bat 
talion  was  saved  by  Dubois's  battery  on  that  occasion.  I  found  that  I  had 
overwhelming  forces  against  me,  and  that  my  left  flank  was  going  to  be 
turned.  I  had  a  creek  behind  me,  with  a  dense  chapparal  bordering  it  on 


28  TESTIMONY. 

both  sides,  which  was  almost  impenetrable  except  in  one  or  two  places.  I 
came  to  the  conclusion  to  fall  back.  I  lost  49  men,  in  the  course  of  an  hour, 
out  of  250. 

Question    Can  yon  state  the  casualties  in  our  army  ? 

Answer.  I  have  Major  Sturgis's  official  report.  The  casualties  I  can  state 
to  be  over  1,200 — I  think  over  1,300  killed  and  wounded.  There  were  not 
certainly  over  3,500  men  of  ours  in  action  in  the  first  place. 

Question.  Can  you  give  a  description  of  those  four  charges  of  the  enemy 
from  hearsay;  that  is,  from  the  accounts  of  the  officers  engaged;  partic 
ularly  the  last  one  ? 

Answer.  I  do  not  know  that  I  could  give  you  a  description  of  it.  I  have 
heard  officers  speak  of  it ;  but  in  ordinary  conversation  each  one  describes 
the  particular  part  of  the  field  where  he  was  himself;  and  it  requires  con 
siderable  reflection  to  put  those  different  things  together — to  connect  prop 
erly  the  different  incidents  in  the  different  parts  of  the  field. 

Question.  I  will  say  that  Major  Schofield  stated  to  me  that  after  the  last 
repulse  it  was  a  perfect  rout;  that  the  enemy  fled  in  the  wildest  confusion. 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  everybody  says  that. 

Question.  And  he  also  stated  that  in  attempting  to  ride  forward  to  recon 
noitre  and  see  where  the  enemy  were,  their  dead  was  piled  up  so  thick  that 
he  could  not  ride  over  them,  but  had  to  make  a  considerable  detour. 

Answer.  There  was  a  flag  of  truce  sent  out  after  our  return  to  Springfield, 
as  I  heard.  A  young  doctor  of  the  army  went  out  with  it,  with  a  few  men 
and  some  wagons,  to  obtain  the  body  of  General  Lyon,  and  to  look  for  our 
wounded  left  on  the  field.  He  told  me  that  General  McCulloch  remarked 
to  a  non-commissioned  officer — a  sergeant — who  attended  the  party,  "  Your 
loss  was  very  great,  but  ours  was  four  times  yours;"  and  I  think  it  but  a 
fair  estimate  to  put  their  loss  at  least  as  high  as  four  thousand  men  killed 
and  wounded. 

Question.  After  this  battle  you  retired  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Can  you  give  us  the  particulars  of  that  retreat  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir;  except  from  hearsay. 

Question.  It  was  conducted  in  good  order,  and  you  were  not  pursued  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  we  were  not  pursued.  The  fact  was  the  enemy  was 
completely  crippled.  We  gained  everything  that  General  Lyon  proposed 
to  gain. 

Question.  How  many  additional  troops,  in  jfour  estimation,  would  have 
given  you  a  victory  and  enabled  you  to  have  driven  the  enemy  out  of  Mis 
souri  ? 

Answer.  My  opinion  is  that  our  victory  would  have  been  perfect  and  com 
plete  with  two  additional  regiments.  They  were  running  at  the  time.  They 
burned  their  trains — we  saw  them  burning — so  that  they  should  not  fall 
into  our  hands.  They  did  not  burn  the  whole,  but  what  they  could  con 
veniently.  If  we  had  known  it,  we  could  have  held  the  field  as  it  was,  for 
afterwards  we  heard  that  they  were  out  of  ammunition;  that  is,  they  had 
but  a  few  rounds  left. 

By  the  chairman: 

Question.  How  long  did  General  Lyon  wait  at  Springfield  before  he  un 
dertook  his  expedition  against  Rains  ? 

Answer.  He  waited  from  the  loth  of  July  till  the  1st  of  August. 
Question.  Still  his  army  was  inferior  to  that  of  the  enemy  ? 
Answer.  Constantly  inferior. 
Question.  Vastly  inferior  ? 
Answer.  Yes,  sir;  vastly  inferior. 


TESTIMONY.  29 

Question.  Why  did  he  advance  upon  a  foe  so  much  his  superior  ? 

Answer.  The  object  of  his  advance  I  suppose  was  this:  he  had  whipped 
the  enemy  at  Boonville  and  pursued  Jackson.  Following  him  up,  he  was 
joined  by  the  force  at  Kansas  City  and  Leavenworth,  with  which  detach 
ment  I  was.  His  object  was  to  overtake  this  force,  whip  them,  and  capture 
them  or  crush  them  out.  But  they,  in  retreating  towards  the  Arkansas  line, 
were  constantly  being  re-enforced.  When  he  commenced  his  pursuit  they 
were  not  so  far  superior  to  his  forces  as  they  were  afterwards.  If  he  could 
have  overtaken  them  on  the  Osage  or  the  Grand  river,  he  could  have  whipped 
them  and  captured  them.  That  was  his  object.  The  reason  why  he  did  not 
do  that  was  on  account  of  the  high  water.  The  enemy  burned  the  bridges 
as  they  fled,  and  it  had  rained  incessantly  for  several  days,  and  the  whole 
country  was  flooded.  We  had  to  lay  by  two  or  three  days  at  a  time  to  get 
across  the  streams.  In  the  mean  time  the  enemy  was  re-enforced  with  Ar 
kansas,  Tennessee,  Mississippi,  Louisiana,  and  Texas  troops.  They  had 
troops  from  all  those  States. 

Question.  How  long  after  you  joined  him  at  Springfield  did  he  start  on 
this  expedition  ? 

Answer.  I  joined  him  about  a  week  before  we  reached  Springfield. 

Question.  If  I  understand  you,  at  the  time  he  started  upon  that  expedi 
tion  the  enemy's  force  was  not  so  much  superior  to  his  own  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir;  he  was  pursuing  the  same -force  that  he  whipped  at 
Boonville.  Then  there  was  a  force  that  lay  near  Kansas  City  that  joined 
Price  afterwards. 

Question.  Why  did  he  wait  so  long  for  re-enforcements  before  he  started 
on  this  expedition  ? 

Answer.  He  did  not  wait  for  re-enforcements  at  that  time.  He  was  de 
layed  some  three  or  four  days  getting  transportation  for  his  troops. 

Question.  He  was  not  waiting  for  re-enforcements  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir;  not  at  all.  He  only  waited  for  re-enforcements  after  he 
reached  Springfield,  and  found  out  what  their  strength  was.  Then,  instead 
of  advancing  upon  them,  he  waited  for  re-enforcements.  The  little  advance 
that  he  made  on  the  1st  of  August  was  because  he  had  an  idea  that  he  could 
divide  their  forces  and  whip  them  in  detail.  They  had  not  united  then. 
Rains  had  a  separate  column,  Price  had  another,  and  McCulloch  was  coming 
up  with  re-enforcements.  But  at  that  time  they  were  superior,  very  much 
superior,  to  our  forces.  I  mean  when  we  reached  Springfield. 

Question.  They  were  much  your  superior  then  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Then  why  did  he  pursue  from  Springfield  a  force  so  much  his 
superior  ? 

Answer.  He  pursued  there  to  attack  a  separate  column.  He  was  going 
to  adopt  the  idea  of  Napoleon  to  whip  his  enemy  in  detail,  thinking  he 
could  overtake  Rains  and  whip  his  forces,  and  thus  cripple  them.  But  they 
were  all  united  at  the  battle  of  Springfield — Rains,  Price,  and  McCulloch. 

Question.  Did  I  understand  you  that  he  did  not  wait  for  re-enforcements 
at  Springfield;  and  if  not,  where  did  he  wait  for  them  ? 

Answer.  He  waited  at  Springfield  for  them. 

Question.  I  asked  you,  first,  why,  when  the  enemy  had  a  superior  force, 
he  started  on  this  expedition,  for  I  understood  you  to  say,  just  before  that, 
that  the  force  of  the  enem}7  was  vastly  superior  to  that  of  General  Lyon.  I 
understood  you  to  say  that  the  force  was  not  so  much  superior  when  he 
started  on  the  expedition,  but  it  accumulated  on  the  way. 

Answer.  I  misunderstood  you.  When  you  referred  to  the  starting  of  the 
expedition,  I  thought  you  referred  to  his  starting  from  Boonville. 

Question.  I  was  trying  to  get  at  this.     He  had  been  waiting  for  re-en- 


30  TESTIMONY. 

forcements  at  Springfield  which  he  did  not  get.  I  wanted  to  know  why, 
with  an  inferior  force,  he  set  out  on  the  expedition  from  Springfield  against 
the  enemy  ? 

Answer.  I  will  explain  that  as  I  understand  it.  General  Lyon  was  aware 
that  the  combined  forces  of  the  enemy  were  vastly  superior  to  ours.  He 
stated  in  the  council  of  war  that  they  had  15,000  men — about  three  to  our 
one.  But  he  had  his  spies  out,  who  gave  him  an  idea  where  each  column  of 
the  enemy  was.  There  were  re-enforcements  for  the  enemy  coming  up  which 
were  within  striking  distance  of  there.  When  General  Lyon  marched  from 
Springfield  he  marched  out  in  pursuit  of  Rains  and  his  one  detachment  of 
the  enemy's  forces,  thinking  he  could  overtake  him  and  whip  him  before  the 
others  could  come  up.  But  Rains  retreated,  drawing  us  on,  arid  as  they 
were  pursuing  the  road  which  led  them  towards  Springfield,  we  fell  back 
upon  Springfield,  because  we  could  not  abandon  that  place  and  our  baggage 
trains  and  supplies.  I  am  speaking  now  of  the  expedition  from  Springfield 
of  the  1st  of  August.  We  returned,  I  think,  on  the  morning  of  the  5th  of 
August. 

Question.  How  far  is  Springfield  from  St.  Louis  ? 

Answer.  It  is  one  hundred  and  ten  miles  from  Rolla,  and  I  believe  Rolla 
is  about  the  same  distance  from  St.  Louis.  Springfield  is  about  two  hundred 
and  twenty  miles  from  St.  Louis. 

Question.  You  made  a  stand  at  Springfield.  Were  you  under  the  necessity 
of  fighting  a  battle  there,  or  could  you  have  retreated  still  further  from  the 
enemy  ?  You  say  your  forces  at  Springfield  were  vastly  inferior  to  those  of 
the  enemy. 

Answer.  I  will  give  you  what  I  believe  was  General  Lyon's  idea  at  the 
time. 

Question.  Could  he  retreat  before  them,  and  if  so  would  it  have  been  pru 
dent  to  have  done  it  ? 

Answer.  My  opinion  is  that  the  wisest  course  was  to  fight  in  the  way  he 
did  fight.  General  Lyon  was  mistaken  in  the  strength  of  the  enemy.  He 
did  not  think  they  were  over  15,000  men,  when  in  fact  they  were  over  20,000. 
But  the  attacking  force  always  has  the  advantage,  in  the  moral  effort  upon 
the  troops  and  in  everything.  If  you  move  forward  troops  even  a  hundred 
yards  in  time  of  action  it  gives  them  courage.  If  you  fall  back  that  distance 
it  intimidates  them.  General  Lyon's  idea  was  to  surprise  their  camp  as  we 
did;  to  make  a  bold  dash  on  them  when  our  men  were  full  of  courage  and 
animation,  and  whip  them  or  cripple  them,  which  in  fact  was  accomplished 
with  the  loss  of  his  own  life. 
By  Mr.  Chandler  : 

Question.  So  that  they  could  not  pursue  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  If  we  had  retreated  without  that  fight  our  forces  would 
have  been  intimidated,  and  we  would  have  had  to  fight  every  day,  and  per 
haps  lost  a  valuable  train. 

By  the  chirman  : 

Question.  You  say  that  General  Lyon  got  no  re-enforcements,  and  yet  re- 
enforcements  were  sent  out  of  the  State.  You  understood  General  Lyon  to 
say  so. 

Answer.  I  understood  General  Lyon  to  say  that  regiments  were  sent  out 
of  Missouri.     He  did  not  state  where,  and  1  do  not  know. 
By  Mr.  Chandler  : 

Question.  Do  you  know  what  forces  were  at  St.  Louis  at  that  time  ? 
Answer.  I  do  not. 

Question.  And  you  do  not  know  why  re-enforcements  were  not  sent  to 
General  Lyon  ? 


TESTIMONY.  31 

Answer.  No,  sir. 

Question.  Had  re-enforcements  been  sent  when  General  Lyon  first  called 
for  them  would  they  have  reached  him  in  time  for  this  battle  ? 

Answer.  Undoubtedly.  He  sent  for  them  three  or  four  weeks  before.  He 
arrived  at  Springfield  on  the  13th  of  July,  and  the  call  for  re  enforcements 
was  made  a  few  days  after.  The  battle  was  fought  on  the  10th  of  August. 
In  a  conversation  with  Colonel  Wyman,  he  made  the  statement  to  me  that 
one  regiment  was  ordered  forward  from  Holla,  and  the  colonel  refused  to 
march  for  want  of  transportation.  That  was  stated  to  me  by  Colonel 
Wyman. 

By  Mr.  Odell  : 

Question.  How  long  would  it  have  taken  troops  to  have  gone  from  St. 
Louis  to  Springfield  by  railroad  and  march  ? 

Answer.  Well,  sir,  in  ordinary  marching  through  the  country  it  would 
have  taken  seven  or  eight  days.  But  I  want  to  qualify  that  by  stating  that 
on  an  emergency,  forced  marches  could  have  been  made.  The  distance, 
allowing  one  day  from  St.  Louis  to  Holla,  on  the  railroad,  and  one  hundred 
and  ten  miles  of  marching  from  Rolla  to  Springfield,  could  have  been  easily 
made  in  four  days,  if  the  men  expected  a  battle.  But  if  they  did  not  expect 
anything  at  the  end  of  their  journey,  they  might  have  taken  six  or  seven 
days.  I  would  say  they  could  have  reached  Springfield  from  St.  Louis  in 
six  days  at  the  outside. 

By  Mr.  Gooch : 

Question.  You  do  not  know  whether  it  was  in  General  Fremont's  power 
to  have  re-enforced  General  Lyon  or  not  ? 
Answer.  I  did  not. 

By  Mr.  Covode : 

Question.  Did  General  Lyon  ever  tell  you  upon  whom  he  called  for  re 
enforcements  ? 

Answer.  It  is  my  impression  that  he  did  remark  to  me  that  he  had  tele 
graphed  to  Washington  for  re-enforcements  ;  that  he  not  only  had  written 
to  the  headquarters  of  the  department,  but  had  sent  telegraphic  despatches 
through  to  Washington. 

Question.  Did  he  not  tell  you  that  he  had  first  telegraphed  to  the  War 
Department,  and  afterwards  to  Colonel  Blair,  to  urge  them  to  send  on  re- 
enforcements  or  he  would  be  overpowered  ? 

Answer.  I  could  not  state  that.  He  may  have  said  so.  I  had  conversa 
tions  with  him  several  times.  He  was  a  classmate  of  mine,  and  I  had  rather 
frequent  conversations  with  him,  and  the  conversations  I  had  with  him  at 
different  times  left  the  impression  upon  my  mind  that  he  had  repeatedly 
written  and  telegraphed  to  St.  Louis  and  Washington. 

Question.  Did  he  not  tell  you  that  he  had  repeatedly  written  and  tele 
graphed  to  the  War  Department  and  got  no  reply,  and  then  he  telegraphed 
to  Colonel  Blair  to  urge  it  ? 

Answer.  The  last  part  of  your  remark  I  do  not  remember  about:  that  he 
had  telegraphed  to  the  War  Department  and  received  no  reply,  I  think  he 
did  say.  There  was  no  telegraph  in  operation  at  that  time  from  Springfield 
to  St.  Louis.  But  he  had  sent  telegraphic  despatches  through  to  be  sent 
over  the  wires  from  St.  Louis  or  the  first  telegraphic  station. 
By  Mr.  Chandler: 

Question.  Do  you  remember  at  what  time  General  Fremont  took  com 
mand  at  St.  Louis — on  what  day  he  arrived  ? 


32  TESTIMONY. 

Answer.  No,  sir;  I  cannot  recall  it. 

By  the  chairman: 

Question.  If  General  Lyon  had  not  pursued  the  enemy  at  Springfield,  but 
had  waited  there  and  intrenched  himself,  could  he  have  defended  himself  ? 

Answer.  That  is  a  matter  of  opinion.  In  my  opinion  it  would  have  been 
more  difficult  for  him  to  have  defended  himself  at  Springfield  against  the 
attacks  of  the  enemy,  than  it  was  to  whip  them  in  the  open  field. 

Question.  Then  you  do  not  believe  much  in  intrenchments  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir;  I  do  not. 

By  Mr.  Johnson: 
Question.  You  think  the  stand  you  made  was  more  effective  than  to  havfc 

waited  for  re-enforcements  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  a  thousand  times. 


WASHINGTON,  January  10,  1862. 
General  JOHN  C.  FREMONT  sworn  and  examined. 

By  the  chairman: 

Question.  What  is  your  rank,  and  what  was  your  position  in  the  army 
where  you  have  commanded  ? 

Answer.  My  rank  is  that  of  major  general  in  the  regular  army. 

Question.  What  department  did  you  command  ? 

Answer.  I  commanded  what  is  called  the  western  department. 

Question.  About  what  time  did  you  assume  the  command  ? 

Answer.  I  assumed  the  command  in  the  department  on  the  25th  day  of 
last  July. 

Question.  Please  give  a  narration  to  the  committee,  in  your  own  way,  of 
the  conduct  of  the  department  while  under  your  command  ? 

Answer.  I  have  prepared  no  statement  in  relation  to  that  subject.  I  have 
here  all  the  principal  orders,  communications,  letters  and  despatches  con 
cerning  the  most  important  events  and  acts  of  the  period  referred  to.  And  I 
am  ready  to  answer  any  questions  which  any  member  of  the  committee  may 
desire  to  ask  me. 

After  some  time  passed  in  consultation  by  the  committee, 

The  chairman:  I  perceive  that  you  have  a  large  number  of  documents 
here  which  it  will  take  some  time  to  examine.  The  committee  are  of  the 
opinion  that  the  better  way  would  be  for  you  to  prepare  a  statement,  as  brief  as 
may  be  practicable,  of  such  matters  as  you  may  deem  important,  connected 
with  your  administration  of  the  western  department,  and  submit  it  to  the 
committee.  If  they  should  then  desire  to  ask  you  any  further  questions 
relating  to  the  subject,  they  can  tlo  so 

The  witness:  I  will  do  so. 

[Examination  accordingly  suspended  for  the  present] 


TESTIMONY.  33 

WASHINGTON,  January  17,  1862. 
.  General  JOHN  C.  FREMONT — examination  resumed. 
The  ^Biess  proceeded  as  follows : 

AgreeSoly  to  a  suggestion  from  the  committee,  I  make  the  following  statement 
concerning  my  administration  of  the  western  department : 

Notwithstanding  my  unwillingness  to  engross  the  time  of  the  committee,  I 
shall  have  to  ask  that  they  will  take  the  trouble  to  look  over  the  documents 
which  I  have  appended  to  this  statement,  and  which  comprehend  the  most  im 
portant  letters,  orders,  and  telegraphic  communications,  concerning  some  of  the 
most  important  events  and  acts  of  the  period  referred  to.  The  magnitude  of 
the  department  and  its  interests,  the  amount  of  business  required  to  be  done, 
the  inadequacy  of  means,  and  the  short  space  into  which  many  events  were 
crowded,  together  with  the  many  accusations  and  the  strained  and  rigorous 
account  to  which  the  western  department  has  been  held,  make  it  quite  impossible 
to  present  the  subject  with  fairness  in  a  brief  paper.  , 

In  my  desire  not  to  cumber  this  statement,  and  having  respect  to  my  character 
of  witness  before  your  committee,  I  have  omitted  facts  and  considerations  in 
vindication  of  myself  on  points  where  I  have  been  attacked,  but  into  which  I 
shall  ask  the  committee  to  examine.  This  paper  is  only  directed  to  leading 
points,  leaving  their  details  and  what  is  more  directly  personal  to  myself  to  the 
testimony  of  witnesses  I  have  asked  to  have  summoned,  and*  to  the  accompany 
ing  papers. 

When,  in  July  last,  I  was  assigned  to  the  command  of  the  western  depart 
ment,  it  comprehended,  with  Illinois,  all  the  States  and  Territories  west  of  the 
Mississippi  river  to  the  Rocky  mountains,  including  New  Mexico. 

No  special  object  was  given  me  in  charge  to  do,  nor  was  I  furnished  with  any 
particular  plan  of  a  campaign.  The  general  discussions  at  Washington  resulted 
in  the  understanding  that  the  great  object  in  view  was  the  descent  of  the  Mis 
sissippi,  and  for  its  accomplishment  I  was  to  raise  and  organize  an  army,  and 
when  I  was  ready  to  descend  the  river  I  was  to  let  the  President  know.  My 
command  was  then  to  be  extended  over  Kentucky  and  down  the  left  bank  of 
the  Mississippi.  For  military  reasons  it  was  judged  inexpedient  to  do  so  in  the 
beginning. 

Full  discretionary  powers  of  the  amplest  kind  were  conferred  on  me.  Not  a 
line  of  written  instructions  was  given  me. 

This  leading  object  of  the  campaign  being  settled,  the  details  of  its  accom 
plishment  and  the  management  of  my  department  were  left  to  my  own  judgment. 

While  at  Washington  I  informed  myself  fully  of  the  unprepared  condition  of 
the  west,  and  its  want  of  arms,  from  the  governor  of  Illinois.  Of  the  Illinois 
contingent,  seven  thousand  men  were  unarmed.  Their  cavalry  was  without 
horses  or  sabres,  their  artillery  companies  had  hardly  any  guns,  and  were 
wholly  without  equipment.  Upon  this  information  I  procured  an  order  for  seven 
thousand  stands  of  arms,  which,  upon  my  arrival  in  New  York  two  days  after, 
I  found  had  been  countermanded.  Upon  my  complaint  to  Washington,  and 
upon  the  direct  interposition  of  the  President,  Major  Hagner  was  sent  to  aid  me 
in  procuring  what  I  judged  immediately  necessary  for  the  department.  With 
him  I  arranged  for  getting  together  from  various  arsenals,  and  forwarding  to  St. 
Louis,  arms  and  equipments  sufficient  for  the  complete  equipment  of  an  army 
corps  of  twenty-three  thousand  men. 

In  the  meantime  the  rebellion  in  the  west  was  daily  assuming  a  more  threat 
ening  aspect;  in  the  northwest  aggravated  disorders  had  broken  out;  General 
Pope  was  urgently  requesting  to  take  the  field  with  the  remainder  of  the  Illinois 
contingent ;  General  Harding  was  asking  reinforcements  for  Cairo  and  the  south 
east  ;  and  General  Lyon,  for  Springfield  and  the  southwest. 
Part  iii 3 


34  TESTIMONY. 

Urged  by  this  serious  condition  of  affairs,  I  applied  to  General  Scott  for  per 
mission  to  take  the  field  immediately,  with  any  instructions  he  might  have  to 
give  me.  Having  received  this  permission,  and  being  informed  there  were  no 
instructions  for  me,  I  left  New  York  on  the  day  following  the  battle  of  Manassas, 
and  reached  my  command,  at  St.  Louis,  on  the  25th  day  of  July. 

At  this  time  the  State  of  Missouri  was  throughout  rebellious.  A  rebel  faction 
in  every  county,  at  least  equal  to  the  loyal  population  in  numbers,  and  excelling 
it  in  vindictiveness  and  energy.  The  local  government  was  in  confusion  and 
unable  to  aid.  St.  Louis  itself  was  a  rebel  city,  and,  as  a  rule,  the  influential 
and  wealthy  citizens  were  friendly  to  secession. 

Of  the  new  levies  of  the  federal  troops  few  were  in  the  field — the  term  of 
enlistment  of  the  three  months  men  was  just  expiring — the  troops  in  service  had 
not  been  paid,  were  badly  equipped  and  badly  supplied,  and,  in  addition  to  the 
rebel  parties  which  swarmed  throughout  the  State,  a  confederate  army  of  nearly 
fifty  thousand  men  was  already  on  its  southern  frontier. 

General  Pope  was  in  North  Missouri  with  nearly  all  rny  disposable  force ; 
General  Lyon  was  at  Springfield,  with  about  seven  thousand  eight  hundred 
men;  and  General  Prentiss  was  holding  Cairo  with  seven  regiments.  General 
Lyon's  troops  was,  in  greater  part,  three  mouths  men,  whose  term  of  service 
was  ending,  and  all  of  General  Prentiss's  force  was  in  the  same  condition. 

The  arms  collected  for  me  in  New  York  had  been  diverted  to  Virginia,  and  I 
had  neither  money  nor  credit.  Want  of  arms  and  want  of  money  were  the  chief 
difficulties  to  be  met,  while  the  necessity  to  meet  the  enemy  on  three  sides  at 
once  was  urgent  and  imminent.  There  was  no  lack  of  men.  The  loyal  popu 
lation  of  the  west,  and  among  them  the  Germans,  with  a  noble  unanimity,  were 
willing  to  come  in  mass  to  the  standard  of  the  Union. 

The  saving  of  time,  demanded  by  these  most  urgent  circumstances,  made  me 
especially  anxious  to  retain  the  services  of  the  Home  Guard  regiments  and  three 
months  men,  whose  term  of  service  was  just  expiring.  These  were  themselves 
anxious  to  remain  in  service,  but  the  destitution  of  their  families,  made  so  by 
their  absence  and  failure  to  receive  the  pay  due  them,  rendered  this  impossible. 
In  this  necessity  I  directed  the  use  of  part  01*  an  unappropriated  sum  lying  in 
the  United  States  treasury,  and  reported  the  reason  and  fact  of  my  conduct  to 
the  President,  in  the  following  letter : 

[Unofficial.] 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

St.  Louis,  July  30,  1861. 

MY  DEAR  SIR  :  You  were  kind  enough  to  say  that  as  occasions  of  sufficient 
gravity  arose  I  might  send  you  a  private  note. 

I  have  found  this  command  in  .disorder,  nearly  every  county  in  an  insurrec 
tionary  condition,  and  the  enemy  advancing  in  force  by  different  points  of  the 
southern  frontier.  Within  a  circle  of  fifty  miles  around  General  Prentiss,  there  are 
about  12,000  of  the  confederate  forces,  and  5, 000  Tennesseeans  and  Arkansas  men, 
under  Hardee,  well  armed  with  rifles,  are  advancing  upon  Ironton.  Of  these, 
2,000  are  cavalry,  which  yesterday  morning  were  within  twenty -four  hours' 
march  of  Ironton.  Colonel  Blarfd,  who  had  been  seduced  from  this  post,  is  fall 
ing  back  upon  it.  I  have  already  re-enforced  it  with  one  regiment ;  sent  on 
another  this  morning  and  fortified  it.  I  am  holding  the  railroad  to  Ironton,  and 
that  to  Rolla,  so  securing  our  connexions  with  the  south.  Other  measures 
which  I  am  taking  I  will  not  trust  to  a  letter,  and  I  write  this  only  to  inform 
you  as  to  our  true  condition,  and  to  say  that  if  I  can  obtain  the  material  aid  I 
am  expecting,  you  may  feel  secure  that  the  enemy  will  be  driven  out  and  the 
State  reduced  to  order.  I  have  ordered  General  Pope  back  to  North  Missouri, 
of  which  he  is  now  in  command.  I  am  sorely  pressed  for  want  of  arms.  I 


TESTIMONY.  35 

.have  arranged  with  Adams  Express  Company  to  bring  me  everything  with 
speed,  and  will  buy  arms  to-day  in  New  York.  Our  troops  have  not  been  paid, 
and  some  regiments  are  in  a  state  of  mutiny,  and  the  men  whose  term  of  ser 
vice  is  expired  generally  refuse  to  enlist.  I  lost  a  fine  regiment  last  night  from 
inability -to  pay  them  a  portion  of  the  money  due.  This  regiment  had  been  in 
tended  to  move  011  a  critical  post  last  night.  The  Treasurer  of  the  United 
States  has  here  $'300,000  entirely  unappropriated.  I  applied  to  him  yesterday 
for  $100,000  for  my  paymaster,  General  Andrews,  but  was  refused.  We  have 
not  an  hour  for  delay.  There  'are  three  courses  open  to  me.  One,  to  let  the 
enemy  possess  himself  of  some  of  the  strongest  points  in  the  State,  and  threaten 
St.  Louis,  which  is  insurrectionary.  Second :  To  force  a  loan  from  secession 
banks  here.  Third  :  To  use  the  money  belonging  to  the  government,  which  is 
in  the  treasury  here.  Of  course,  I  will  neither  loose  the  State  nor  permit  the 
enemy  a  foot  of  advantage.  I  have  infused  energy  and  activity  into  the  de 
partment,  and  there  is  a  thorough  good  spirit  in  officers  and  men.  This  morn 
ing  I  will  order  the  treasurer  to  deliver  the  money  in  his  possession  to  General 
Andrews,  and  will  send  a  force  to  the  treasury  to  take  the  money,  and  will  di 
rect  such  payments  as  the  exigency  requires.  I  will  hazard  everything  for  the 
defence  of  the  department  you  have  confided  to  me,  and  I  trust  to  you  for 
support. 

With  respect  and  regard,  I  am  yours  truly, 

J.  C.  FREMONT, 
Major  General  Commanding. 
The  PRESIDENT  of  the  United  States. 

I  respectfully  ask  the  attention  of  your  committee  to  this  letter,  because  the 
investigating  committee,  in  their  report,  have  made  this  act  a  serious  charge 
against  me,  holding  me  up  to  the  reprobation  of  the  country,  as  having  acted 
in  a  manner  "  arbitrary  and  illegal,"  dangerous  to  "  constitutional  liberty,  and 
in  defiance  of  law  and  superior  authority." — (Pages  78  and  116.)  They  fur 
ther  say  that  this  act  was  "  alarming,  unjustifiable,  and  deserving  severest  cen 
sure,  especially  as  there  was  no  pretence  of  any  military  or  other  necessity  to 
justify  this  outrage." 

That  no  reply  was  made  to  the  above-quoted  letter,  or  objection  made  to  the 
act,  will  be  sufficient  to  satisfy  the  committee  that  I  was  expected  to  do  any  act 
which  in  my  judgment  the  public  service  might  •  require,  or,  to  use  the  words  of 
a  cabinet  minister  in  the  confidence  of  the  administration — 

WASHINGTON,  July  26,  1861. 

DEAR  GENERAL:  I  have  two  telegrams  from  you,  but  find  it  impossible  now 
to  get  any  attention  to  Missouri  or  western  matters  from  the  authorities  here. 
You  will  have  to  do  the  best  you  can,  and  take  all  needful  responsibility  to 
defend  and  protect  the  people  over  whom  you  are  specially  set. 

TT  #  jfc  #  ^  # 

Yours  truly,  and  in  haste, 

M.  BLAIR. 

I  ask  the  committee  to  couple  the  facts  set  out  in  these  letters,  and  the  dis 
tress  of  General  Lyon  for  want  of  money  with  which  to  retain  his  troops,  with 
the  censure  of  the  committee. 

With  what  has  been  said  concerning  the  situation  of  affairs  in  Missouri,  a 
glance  at  the  map  will  make  it  apparent  that  Cairo  was  the  point  which  first  de 
manded  immediate  attention.  The  force  under  General  Lyon  could  retreat,  'but 
the  position  at  Cairo  could  not  be  abandoned;  the  question  of  holding  Cairo  was 
one  which  involved  the  safety  of  the  whole  northwest.  Had  the  taking  of  St. 
Louis  followed  the  defeat  of  Manassas,  the  disaster  might  have  been  irretrievable, 


36  TESTIMONY. 

while  the  loss  of  Springfield,  should  our  army  be  compelled  to  fall  back  upon  Holla, 
would  only  carry  with  it  the  loss  of  a  part  of  Missouri — -a  loss  greatly  to  be 
regretted,  but  not  irretrievable. 

Having  re-enforced  Cape  Girardeau  and  Ironton,  by  the  utmost  exertions  I 
succeeded  in  getting  together  and  embarking  with  a  force  of  3,800  men  five 
days  after  my  arrival  in  St.  Louis. 

From  St.  Louis  to  Cairo  was  an  easy  day's  journey  by  water,  and  transporta 
tion  abundant.  To  Springfield  was  a  week's  march,  and  before  I  could  have 
reached  it  Cairo  would  have  been  taken,  and  with  it,  I  believe,  St.  Louis. 

On  my  arrival  at  Cairo  I  found  the  force  under  General  Prentiss  reduced  to 
1,200  men;  consisting  mainly  of  a  regiment  which  had  agreed  to  await  my 
arrival.  A  few  miles  below,  at  New  Madrid,  General  Pillow  had  landed  a  force 
estimated  at  20,000,  which  subsequent  events  showed  was  not  exaggerated 
Our  force,  greatly  increased  to  the  enemy  by  rumor,  drove  him  to  a  hasty 
retreat,  and  permanently  secured  the  position.  To  these  facts  the  accompany 
ing  papers,  and  the  testimony  of  General  Prentiss  and  other  officers,  are  offered 
to  the  committee. 

I  returned  to  St.  Louis  on  the  4th,  having,  in  the  meantime,  ordered  Colonel 
Stephenson's  regiment  from  Boonesville,  and  Colonel  Montgomery  from  Kansas, 
to  march  to  the  relief  of  General  Lyon. 

Immediately  upon  my  return  from  Cairo  I  set  myself  at  work,  amidst  incessant 
demands  upon  my  time  from  every  quarter,  principally  to  pfovide  re-enforce 
ments  for  General  Lyon. 

I  do  not  accept  Springfield  as  a  disaster  belonging  to  my  administration. 
Causes,  wholly  out  of  my  jurisdiction,  had  already  prepared  the  defeat  of  Gen 
eral  Lyon  before  my  arrival  at  St.  Louis.  His  letter  to  me  of  the  9th  August, 
with  other  papers  annexed,  will  show  that  I  was  already  in  communication  with 
him,  and  that  he  knew  his  wants  were  being  provided  for.  It  will  be  seen  that 
I  had  all  reasonable  expectations  of  being  able  to  relieve  him  in  time,  and  had 
he  been  able  to  adhere  to  the  course  indicated  in  this  letter,  a  very  short  time 
would  have  found  him  efficiently  sustained. 

SPRINGFIELD,  Missouri,  August  9,  1861. 

GENERAL:  I  have  just  received  your  note  of  the  6th  instant  by  special 
messenger. 

I  retired  to  this  place,  as  I  have  before  informed  you,  reaching  here  on  the 
5th.  The  enemy  followed  within  ten  miles  of  here.  He  has  taken  a  strong 
position,  arid  is  recruiting  his  supplies  of  horses,  mules,  and  provisions,  by 
forages  into  the  surrounding  country;  his  large  force  of  mounted  men  enabling 
him  to  do  this  without  much  annoyance  from  me. 

I  find  my  position  extremely  embarrassing,  and  am  at  present  unable  to  de 
termine  whether  I  shall  be  able  to  maintain  my  ground  or  forced  to  retire.  I 
can  resist  any  attack  from  the  front,  but  if  the  enemy  move  to  surround  me  I 
must  retire.  I  shall  hold  my  ground  as  long  as  possible,  though  I  may,  without 
knowing  how  far,  endanger  the  safety  of  my  entire  force  with  its  valuable  ma 
terial,  being  induced,  by  the  important  considerations  involved,  to  take  this 
step.  The  enemy  yesterday  made  a  show  of  force  about  five  miles  distant,  and 
has  doubtless  a  full  purpose  of  making  an  attack  upon  rue, 
Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

N.  LYON, 

Brigadier  General  of  Volunteers,  Commanding. 
Major  General  J.  C.  FREMONT, 

Commanding  Western  Department,  St.  Louis,  Missouri. 

Upon  the  I  Oth  of  August  General  Lyon  was  killed  in  battle. 


TESTIMONY.  37 

The  charge  that  General  Lyon  had  in  any  way  suffered  from  any  neglect 
was  a  surprise  upon  me.  I  heard  nothing  of  it  at  the  time,  and  believe  it  to 
have  been  an  after-thought.  Further  to  disprove  it,  in  connexion  with  what  has 
been  said  above,  I  refer  to  the  statements  of  Adjutants  General  Harding  and 
Keltou,  through  whose  hands  the  business  of  the  department  at  that  time  passed. 
Colonel  Harding  was  General  Lyon's  adjutant  general,  charged  with  the  manr 
agement  of  affairs  in  Missouri  during  his  absence.  In  the  letter  referred  to  he 
says  : 

General  Fremont  was  not  inattentive  to  the  situation  of  General  Lyon's 
column,  and  went  so  far  as  to  remove  the  garrison  of  Booneville,  in  order  to 
send  him  aid.  During  the  first  days  of  August  troops  arrived  in  the  city  in 
large  numbers.  Nearly  all  of  them  were  unarmed  ;  all  were  without  transporta 
tion.  Regiment  after  regiment  laid  for  days  in  the  city  without  any  equipments, 
for  the  reason  that  the  arsenal  was  exhausted,  and  arms  and  accoutrements  had 
to  be  brought  from  the  east.  From  these  men  General  Lyon  would  have  had 
re-enforcements,  although  they  were  wholly  unpracticed  in  the  use  of  the  musket 
and  knew  nothing  of  movements  in  the  field,  but  in  the  meantime  the  battle  of 
the  10th  of  August  was  fought. 

CHESTER  HARDING,  JR., 
Late  Assistant  Adjutant  General  uj>on  the 

Staff  of  Brigadier  General  Lyon. 

It  was  under  this  great  necessity — a  greater  than  which  is  not  likely  to  occur 
during  this  war — and  to  provide,  among  other  demands,  relief  for  General  Lyon, 
that  on  the  6th  of  August  I  made  the  purchase  of  Austrian  guns,  for  which  -I 
am  censured  by  a  committee  charged  to  "investigate  frauds." — (Page  40.) 

This  committee  will  be  enabled  to  judge  whether  the  purchase  of  these  arms 
at  this  time  can  be  appropriately  called  "a  manifest  improvidence." 

I  abstain  from  pursuing  this  subject  further  than  to  say  that,  although  the 
arm  itself  was  not  a  matter  of  choice,  as  this  telegram  will  show — 

ST.  Louis,  July  29,  1861. 

The  agent  of  Adams's  Express  Company  here  has  offered  to  bring  me,  by 
passenger  train,  any  arms  directed  to  me.  Send  everything  you  have  for  me  by 
passenger  trains,  for  which  the  express  company  will  provide.  Your  letter  of 
24th  received.  There  were  no  arms  at  the  arsenal  here  to  meet  the  order  given 
for  the  5,000.  We  must  have  arms — any  arms,  no  matter  what. 

J.  C.  FREMONT, 

Major  General  Commanding  Western  Department. 
Major  HAG\ER, 

Fifth  Avenue  Hotel,  New  York. 

it  was  still  a  good  arm.  Twelve  thousand  had  been  in  service ;  thirteen  thousand 
were  new.  They  were  percussion  muskets,  solid  and  strong ;  pronounced  by 
Austrian,  officers  to  be  considered  in  that  service  a  good  weapon ;  preferred  by 
General  Asboth  for  his  division  in  their  unaltered  condition,  and  were  in  the 
hands  of  some  of  my  best  regiments,  at  Springfield,  and  scattered  over  the 
country  in  various  corps,  although  the  committee  say  "they  were  not  in  use." 
I  think  it  due  to  myself  to  say  that  this  committee  came  to  St.  Louis  during  my 
absence  in  the  field,  and  no  notice  was  at  any  time  given  me  that  my  military 
acts  were  to  be  brought  under  examination,  nor  has  any  copy  of  the  testimony 
collected  during  their  proceedings  been  furnished  me,  of  which  I  might  avail 
myself  in  reply. 

On  the  13th  August  intelligence  of  the  battle  of  Wilson's  creek  reached  me 
at  St.  Louis.  In  expectation  of  an  immediate  advance  by  the  enemy,  I  in 
formed  the  President  and  governors  of  the  neighboring  States,  requesting  that 


38  TESTIMONY. 

all  the  disposable  force  that  could  be  spared  should  be  sent  at  once  to  Missouri. 
Fortunately,  dissension  in  the  camp  of  the  enemy  prevented  them  from  using 
their  success,  and  gave  time,  which  I  used  to  carry  on  as  rapidly  as  possible 
the  plan  I  had  adopted  for  the  defence  of  the  State.  This  was  to  fortify 
Girardeau,  Ironton,  Rolla,  and  Jefferson  City,  with  St.  Louis  as  a  base,  holding 
these  places  with  sufficient  garrisons,  and  leaving  the  army  free  for  operations 
in  the  field.  It  certainly  seems  superfluous  to  speak  of  the  importance  of  St. 
Louis ;  but  as  the  expediency  of  fortifying  it  has  been  questioned,  it  may  be 
well  to  remind  the  committee  that  it  was  the  first  military  position  in  the 
western  department.  Many  of  the  things  I  am  required  to  prove  are  as  self- 
evident  as  this.  St.  Louis,  then,  is  situated  on  the  great  highway  of  the  Mis 
sissippi  river,  at  a  point  where  it  is  crossed  by  all  the  principal  roads  from  the 
east,  having  itself  seven  different  lines  of  communication  to  the  interior  and  op 
posite  ends  of  the  State ;  that  it  is  the  great  centre  of  politics  and  trade,  and 
the  object  to  which  the  'efforts  of  the  enemy  were  constantly  directed  and  in 
vited  by  the  powerful  and  wealthy  rebel  portions  of  the  citizens.  It  was  cer 
tainly  prudent  to  render  permanently  secure,  beyond  the  reach  of  contingency, 
this  great  depot  for  supplies  and  reserves,  and  safe  retreat  for  an  army  in  the 
possible  event  of  a  disaster. 

The  importance  of  fortifying  St.  Louis  had  early  occupied  the  attention  of 
General  Lyou,  who  had  decided  upon  a  plan  much  the  same  as  that  now 
adopted,  and  under  the  advice  of  the  same  officer  by  whom  the  present  sites 
were  selected,  but  which  he  was  unable  to  carry  out. 

The  necessity  of  these  fortifications  was  concurred  in  by  officers  of  unim 
peachable  loyalty  and  capacity  ;  and  such,  also,  was  the  judgment  of  the  loyal 
inhabitants,  to  whom  they  gave,  for  the  first  time,  a  sense  of  protection  and 
security.  They  were  laid  out  with  a  view  to  command  the  city  itself,  as  well 
as  the  approaches  to  it.  The  defences  which  rest  upon  St.  Louis  constitute  the 
dike  which  separates  the  south  from  the  northwest.  It  is  easy,  after  a  precau 
tion  has  been  successful,  to  say  that  it  was  not  needed.  I  did  not 'choose  to 
expose  myself  to  the  chances  of  a  neglect,  either  at  St.  Louis  or  Paducah,  for 
both  of  which  I  have  been  censured,  and  with  equal  ignorance  in  either  case. 
The  unfairness  of  this  attack  consists  in  judging  what  was  necessary  for  St. 
Louis  then  by  its  condition  when  I  left  the  department. 

I  ask  the  committee  to  bear  in  mind  that  the  plan  for  the  defence  of  the 
State,  and  my  operations  generally,  were  all  conducted  in  reference  to  the 
descent  of  the  Mississippi,  to  which  all  preparations  tended.  To  complete  the 
defence  of  St.  Louis,  after  the  withdrawal  of  the  army,  five  regiments  of  in 
fantry,  with  one  battalion  of  cavalry,  and  two  batteries  of  field  artillery,  were 
considered  amply  sufficient. 

It  has  been  objected  that  I  did  not  employ  the  troops  under  my  command, 
instead  of  hired  labor  for  this  work.  I  did  this  in  the  exercise  of  my  judgment. 
I  did  not  consider  it  expedient  to  employ  the  volunteer  troops  in  a  work  of  this 
magnitude,  involving  so  much  labor  and  exposure.  The  hot  suns  and  heavy 
dews  of  the  unhealthy  months  of  August  and  September  need  to  be  avoided  in 
that  climate.  'The  troops  were  so  little  acquainted  with  amis  that  all  their 
time  was  needed  to  fit  them  for  the  field,  while,  on  the  other  hand,  the  employ 
ment  of  hired  labor  was  of  great  service  in  tranquilizing  the  city,  and  relieving 
the  wide-spread  distress  the  war  had  entailed  on  it,  and  which  private  charity 
had  exhausted  itself  in  endeavoring  to  relieve. 

Concerning  the  contract  for  this  work,  the  committee  of  investigation  say  that 
it  was  made  under  the  "  special  order  and  direction  of  General  Fremont;''  and 
concerning  the  payments,  that  they  were  made  upon  his  "  personal  order."  The 
following  extract  will  show  that  not  only  was  I  recognized  to  have  this  power, 
but  that  I  was,  so  late  as  the  3d  of  September,  counselled  to  exercise  it  by  the 
quartermaster  general,  General  Meigs  : 


TESTIMONY.  39 


[Extract  from  letter  of  Hon.  M.  Blair,  P.  M.  G  ] 

WASHINGTON,  September  3,  1861. 

Meigs  begged  me  this  afternoon  to  get  you  to  order  15-inch  guns  from  Pitts- 
burg  for  your  gunboats.  He  says  that  the  boats  can  empty  any  battery  the 
enemy  can  make  with  such  guns.  He  advises  that  you  contract  for  them  di 
rectly  yourself,  telling  the  contractor  you  will  direct  your  ordnance  officer  to 

pay  for  them. 

*"#  #  *  #  #  #  *  #  * 

Concerning  the  contractor,  the  committee  say  that  he  is  "a  Californian  who 
followed  Fremont  to  St.  Louis." 

I  left  California  for  Europe  on  the  1st  of  January.  On  the  1st  of  August, 
I  think,  Mr.  Beard  left  there,  coming  overland  to  St.  Louis.  I  never  wrote  to 
him,  or  in  any  way  communicated  with  him,  or  knew  of  his  intended  coming. 
His  arrival  was  equally  a  surprise  and  pleasure  to  me.  I  knew  him  to  be  a 
man  of  unusual  energy  and  capacity,  accustomed  to  the  management  of  men 
on  large  works,  and  immediately  applied  to  him  to  undertake  the  building  of 
the  fortifications.  I  sent  an  officer  with  him  to  make  his  examinations,  and  he 
began  his  work,  I  think,  on  the  second  day  after  his  arrival.  I  assigned  him 
one  of  my  ablest  officers  to  lay  out  and  superintend  the  work,  and  to  remain 
constantly  with  him,  gave  him  every  facility  he  asked,  and  drove  him  to  the 
extent  of  his  capacity.  Six  thousand  men  were  employed  upon  it,  working  night 
and  day,  and  it  was  finished  rapidly  in  a  workmanlike  and  durable  manner. 
Extra  pay  was  allowed  to  the  laborers,  forty  cents  per  day,  I  think,  and  extra 
expenses  incurred  under  the  pressure  authorized.  I  was  satisfied  with  him  and 
the  work  done  by  him.  I  asked  no  bonds  from  him,  because  he  was  a  stranger 
and  could  have  given  none.  He  began  his  work  before  the  contract  was  made, 
and  accident  delayed  its  execution  by  General  McKinstry.  When  the  prices 
for  his  work  were  under  discussion,  and  were  referred  to  me  by  General  McKin- 
stiy,  I  directed  this  officer  to  reduce  them  to  what  was  just  and  reasonable  to 
both  parties,  having  reference  to  the  circumstances  under  which  the  work  was 
done,  and  the  extra  prices  that  had  been  paid,  so  as  to  leave  the  contractor  what 
might  be  strictly  a  fair  profit  on  his  labor ;  and  his  decision,  whatever  it  was, 
was  approved  by  me.  For  costs  of  construction,  and  other  details  with  which 
I  am  not  acquainted,  I  respectfully  refer  the  committee  to  the  testimony  of  the 
quartermaster  and  the  contractor,  whom  I  have  asked  to  have  summoned. 

To  show  their  nature  and  value  the  report  and  testimony  of  the  engineers 
who  planned  and  were  superintending  the  work  will  be  furnished  the  committee. 
The  object  aimed  at  was  the  completion  of  the  city  defences  in  the  shortest 
possible  time.  The  works  were  thoroughly  and  well  built,  covering-  and  com 
prehending  the  city  itself  and  the  surrounding  country  on  a  length  of  about  ten 
miles,  and  the  total  cost  is,  I  think,  less  than  $300,000  ! 

In  my  judgment,  having  in  view  the  time  and  manner  in  which  they  were 
built,  the  money  was  well  applied,  and  as  a  measure  of  expediency  and  policy 
it  was  fully  worth  to  the  government  what  it  cost. 

And  while  examining  into  the  conduct  and  events  of  the  war,  I  think  it  right 
to  call  the  attention  of  your  committee  to  the  fact,  that  a  committee  charged  to 
"investigate  fraud"  came  into  a  department  which  was  under  martial  law,  in 
the  midst  of  civil  dissensions,  encouraging  insubordination,  discrediting  and 
weakening  the  authority  of  the  commanding  general  then  absent  in  the  field;  and 
I  offer  testimony  to  show  that  their  conduct,  whilst  at  St.  Louis,  created  a  public 
opinion  that  their  special  object  was  to  make  out  a  case  against  myself,  which 
should  justify  my  removal  from  that  department. — (See  page  79  of  their  report.) 
And  I  offer  testimony  to  show  that  they  avoided  and  declined  to  receive,  and 
have  suppressed,  testimony  which  militated  against  this  object,  and,  further,  to 


40  TESTIMONY. 

show  that  there  are  in  their  report  many  inaccuracies  and  perversions  and  some 
positire  falsehoods. 

The  labors  of  the  investigating  committee  appear  to  have  resulted  in  a  single 
resolution,  in  which  the  purchase  of  certain  arms  by  myself  is  made  a  promi 
nent  subject.  With  respect  to  the  sale  of  these  arms  by  the  government  I  have 
nothing  to  say.  They  were  new,  and  I  am  told  were  sold  without  being  con 
demned.  The  contract  price  at  which  they  Avere  bought  by  the  government 
was,  I  believe,  $17  50.  The  price  at  which  they  are  set  down  in  the  ordnance 
manual  is  $21.  After  they  had  been  rifled  and  otherwise  improved,  I  pur 
chased  them  at  $22.  Taking  into  consideration  the  advance  in  price  of  arms 
caused  by  the  war,  I  submit  that  the  purchase  is  not  deserving  of  special  cen 
sure. 

I  have  digressed  from  the  rule  laid  down  at  the  outset  in  this  paper,  but  as 
the  passage  of  the  resolution  which  is  soon  to  be  before  the  House  would  be  a 
vote  of  censure,  and  as  the  report  itself,  together  with  other  official  accusations, 
have  been  broadly  spread  over  the  country,  I  respectfully  ask  that  the  commit 
tee  will  cause  this  statement,  together  with  the  accompanying  documents,  to 
have  equal  and  immediate  publicity  given  to  them,  in  order  that  Congress  may 
act  understandingly,  and  the  censure  asked  for  go  where  it  properly  belongs. 

The  turbulent  condition  of  the  State  at  the  end  of  August  rendered  it,  in  my 
judgment,  necessary  to  issue  a  proclamation,  extending  martial  law  to  the  State 
of  Missouri,  and  enforcing  some  penalties  for  rebellion. 

As  explanatory  of  some "  of  the  difficulties  of  my  position,  and  of  my  ideas 
concerning  the  conduct  of  the  war  in  my  department,  I  refer  the  committee  to 
the  annexed  correspondence  with  the  President  in  this  connexion. 

So  late  as  the  6th  to  the  10th  September,  as  accompanying  papers  under  this 
date  show,  no  immediate  danger  was  apprehended  for  Jefferson  City  or  Lex 
ington. 

Price  was  still  on  the  upper  Osage,  and  I  was  organizing  as  rapidly  as  pos 
sible  a  force  to  march  from  Holla  and  from  Jefferson  City  upon  Springfield,  with 
the  intention  of  forcing  him  to  retreat,  or  cutting  off  his  communications  with 
Arkansas.  Want  of  transportation,  arms,  and  money  was  delaying  this  move 
ment.  We  had  just  effected  lodgments .  at  Paducah  and  Fort  Holt,  and  were 
occupied  in  contesting  with  the  rebels  western  Kentucky,  for  which  re-enforce 
ments  were  constantly  required.  The  condition  of  North  Missouri  required  a 
vigorous  effort  -to  suppress  rebellion  in  that  quarter,  and  an  expedition  which  oc 
cupied  a  considerable  part  of  our  real  force  was  sent  there  under  Generals  Pope 
and  Sturgis. 

These  three  points,  on  which  we  were  actively  engaged,  fully  taxed  our  re 
sources.  At  this  time  I  sent  for  General  Hunter,  to  give  him  command  of  the 
movement  upon  Springfield.  On  the  llth  it  will  be  seen  that  General  Pope, 
with  all  the  force  under  his  command,  was  fully  occupied  in  North  Missouri. 
On  the  same  day  I  received  the  rumor — and  only  as  a  rumor — of  General  Price's 
arrival  at  Clinton,  more  than  300  miles  from  St.  Louis.  Upon  the  12th  a  de 
spatch  from  General  Davis  informed  me  of  Colonel  Mulligan's  arrival  at  Lex 
ington.  Colonel  Mulligan  reports  a  portion  of  his  command,  Colonel  Marshall's 
regiment  of  cavalry,  as  scouring  the  country.  The  same  day  another  despatch 
from  him  informs  me  that  Price  is  reported  near  Warrensburg,  with  a  force  vari 
ously  estimated  at  from  5,000  to  15,000  men.  He  informs  me  measures  were 
being  taken  to  begin  fortifying  Lexington.  Finally,  it  appears  that  General 
Davis  was  giving  his  attention  vigilantly  to  that  section  of  the  country.  It  will 
be  seen  from  the  telegrams  of  this  day  that  Cairo  was  also  requiring  more  troops. 

On  the  13th  the  regiments  were  ordered  from  St.  Louis  to  Jefferson  City,  and 
two  others  from  Jefferson  City  to  the  relief  of  Lexington,  (Lexington  is  240 
miles  from  St.  Louis,  and  115  miles  from  Jefferson  City,)  if,  in  the  opinion  of 
General  Davis,  who  occupied  that  place,  it  was  deemed  expedient.  And  gen- 


TESTIMONY.  41 

erally  it  will  be  seen  that  all  possible  activity  and  promptitude  was  used  in  sendr 
ing-  forward  troops  to  the  points  threatened  along  the  Missouri  river,  and  *neet- 
iug  with  all  our  disposable  force  the  movements  of  General  Price.  It  will  be 
seen  that  up  to  the  13th  Boonesville,  and  not  Lexington,  was  considered  the 
threatened  point.  On  the  14th  General  Sturgis  was  directed  to  move  with  all 
practicable  speed  upon  Lexington.  General  Pope's  despatch  of  the  16th  gave  me 
every  reason  to  believe  as  he  did — that  a  re-enforcement  of  4,000  men,  with  ar 
tillery,  would  be  there  in  abundant  time;  and,  if  the  committee  wrill  take  the 
time  to  read  the  accompanying  papers,  it  will  be  seen  that  from  every  quarter 
where  there  were  disposable  troops  the  promptest  efforts  were  made  to  concen 
trate  them  on  Lexington,  but  chance  defeated  these  efforts.  Also  on  the  14th, 
in  the  midst  of  this  demand  for  troops,  I  was  ordered  by  the  Secretary  of  War 
and  General  Scott  to  "  send  5,000  well  armed  infantry  to  Washington  without 
a  moment's  delay." 

It  will  in  some  degree  explain  my  condition  to  insert  the  following  telegram : 

[Vol.  2,  page  96.] 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

St.  Louis,  September  15,  1861. 

Reliable  information  from  the  vicinity  of  Price's  column  shows  his  present 
force  to  be  11,000  at  Warrensburg  and  4,000  at  Georgetown,  with  pickets  ex 
tending  towards  Syracuse.  Green  is  making  for  Boonesville  with  probable 
force  of  3,000.  Withdrawal  of  force  from  this  part  of  the  Missouri  risks  the 
State;  from  Paducah,  loses  western  Kentucky.  At  the  best,  I  have  ordered 
two  regiments  from  this  city,  two  from  Kentucky,  and  will  make  up  the  re 
mainder  from  the  new  force  being  raised  by  the  governor  of  Illinois. 

J.  C.  FREMONT, 
Major  General  Commanding. 
Colonel  E.  D.  TOWNSEND, 

Ass't  Adft  Gen'l,  Headquarters  of  the  Army,  Washington,  D.  C. 

It  is  well  to  recall  the  fact  that  the  State  of  which  I  had  the  task  to  obtain 
possession,  and  which  was  in  active  rebellion,  contained  a  white  population  of 
over  a  million — equal  to  that  of  Virginia,  and  150,000  greater  than  that  of  Ken 
tucky — and  that  the  difficulties  were  increased  by  the  fact  that  the  several  im 
portant  points  needed  to  be  occupied  for  that  purpose  were  very  distant  from  the 
centre  of  operations  at  St.  Louis,  with  long  lines  of  communication  to  be  kept 
open,  in  the  midst  of  a  brave  and  enterprising  enemy. 

To  St.  Joseph,  330  miles ;  to  Sedalia,  189  miles ;  to  Jefferson  City,  125 
miles;  to  Rolla,  118  miles;  to  Ironton,  about  80  miles;  to  Cairo  and  Paducah, 
200  miles. 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

September  14,  1861. 
Subjoined  is  a  list  of  our  total  force,  with  its  distribution : 

St.  Louis,  (including  Home  Guard) 6,  899 

Under  Brigadier  General  Pope,  (including  Home  Guard) 5,  488 

Lexington,  (including  Home  Guard) 2,  400 

Jefferson  City,  (one  quarter  Home  Guard) 9,  677 

Rolla 4,  700 

Ironton 3,  057 

Cape  Girardeau 650 

Bird's  Point  and  Norfolk. 3,  510 

Cairo,  (including  McClernand's  brigade) 4,  826 


42  TESTIMONY. 

Fort  Holt,  opposite  Cairo,  Kentucky  shore 3,  595 

Paducah : 7,  791 

Under  General  Lane 2,  200 

Mound  City,  near  Cairo 900 

Total  of  present  and  absent  on  detaclied  duty 55,  693 

J.  C.  FREMONT, 
Major  General  Commanding. 
Hon.  SIMON  CAMERON, 

Secretary  of  War,  Washington,  D.  C. 

To  these  difficulties  began  now  to  be  added  the  loss  of  consideration  and 
credit,  which  the  apparent  withdrawal  of  the  confidence  of  the  government 
caused.  The  visit  of  high  officers  charged  with  inquiring  into  the  affairs  of  my 
department,  and  the  simultaneous  and  sustained  attacks  of  leading  journals, 
accumulated  obstructions  to  my  movements  until  I  was  openly  removed  from 
the  command  of  the  department.  Except  the  victory,  little  advantage  resulted 

/  to  Price  from  the  capture  of  Lexington,  exposed  and  resting  upon  a  broad  river, 
which  there  was*  no  chance  for  a  large  army  to  cross  in  case  of  defeat.  As  a 
military  position,  its  occupation  had  no  value  for  him.  On  the  contrary,  had  I 
possessed  the  means  of  transportation  to  move  forward  my  troops  rapidly,  I 
should  have  been  well  content  to  give  up  Lexington  for  the  certainty  of  being 
able  to  compel  Price  to  give  me  battle  on  the  north  side  of  the  Osage ;  as  he 
could  not  cross  the  Missouri  without  exposing  himself  to  certain  defeat,  no  other 
course  would  have  remained  open  to  him.  In  fact,  when  I  did  go  forward,  the 

v  appearance  of  my  advance  at  Sedalia  was  the  signal  for  his  precipitate  retreat. 
I  ask  the  attention  of  the  committee  to  the  unreasonableness  of  expecting  a 
general  to  be  always  successful.  Admitting  even  that  the  western  department 
had  been  thoroughly  well  supplied  with  men  and  arms,  it  could  scarcely  have 
been  expected  that  no  single  casualty  could  have  been  met  with  in  the  course 
of  the  campaign.  And  it  would  seem  more  reasonable  to  judge  of  the  capacity 
of  the  commander  by  the  general  results  of  his  operations.  From  this  state 
ment,  and  the  accompanying  papers,  the  committee  will  form  some  idea  of  the 
condition  of  the  department  when  I  assumed  command  at  the  end  of  July. 
At  the  end  of  October,  when  I  had  succeeded  in  organizing  and  equipping  an 
•army,  and  was  beginning  to  handle  it  in  the  field,  we  were  everywhere,  and 
uniformly  along  the  whole  extent  of  our  lines,  successful  against  the  enemy. 
At  Springfield  one  of  the  most  brilliant  actions,  and  at  Fredericktown  one  of 
the  most  admirably  conducted  battles  of  the  war  had  been  fought.  Isolated 
railroads  had  all  been  connected  at  St.  Louis,  and  were  in  full  and  continuous 
operation  over  their  whole  extent.  Additional  cars  had  been  provided,  and  at 
twenty-four  hours'  notice  10,000  men  could  be  moved  upon  them  from  any  one 
point  to  the  opposite  side  of  the  State.  All  our  posts,  so  far  as  the  railroad 
went,  had  been  fortified  and  connected  by  telegraphs,  which  were  everywhere 
in  full  operation,  and  the  daily  mails  were  running  to  Springfield,  from  which 
place  an  officer,  alone  and  in  uniform,  could  ride  through  with  safety  to  St. 
Louis.  Quiet  and  comparative  peace  had  been  restored  to  the  State,  and  the 
enemy  was  in  full  retreat  before  us  to  its  southern  boundary.  A  compact  had 
been  entered  into  with  him,  under  which  the  authority  of  the  State  and  federal 
courts  was  acknowledged,  liberty  of  opinion  and  security  of  person  were 
guarantied  to  both  sides,  all  guerilla  parties  suppressed,  and  the  war  strictly 
confined  to  responsible  officers  and  the  armies  in  the  field. 

The  State  was  in  reality  reclaimed,  and  in  condition  to  leave  the  army  free 
for  the  especial  object  of  descending  the  Mississippi.  The  rebels  already 


TESTIMONY.  43 

acknowledged  the  inutility  of  resistance  to  the  federal  authority  ;  the  doubtful 
came  to  the  side  of  power,  and  the  loyal  who  had  borne  the  brunt  of  war, 
when  to  stand  by  the  Union  involved  danger  and  losses,  were  everywhere 
encouraged  to  new  efforts,  and  rewarded  for  their  past  aid. 

The  fall  rains  were  over  ;  the  fine  weather  of  the  Indian  summer  had  come ; 
the  hay  was  gathered  and  corn  hardening,  and  we  were  about  to  carry  out  the 
great  object  of  our  campaign,  under  the  most  favorable  auspices,  with  fewer 
hardships  from  exposure,  and  impediments  from  transportation,  than  at  any 
other  season.  The  spirit  of  the  army  was  high.  It  was  mainly  composed  of 
western  men,  whose  interest  as  well  as  whose  patriotism  was  involved  in  the 
opening  of  the  Mississippi  river,  for  the  preparations  to  which  they  had  con 
tributed  every  possible  effort,  and  we  had  every  reason  to  believe  that  the 
campaign  would  open  with  a  signal  victory  in  the  defeat  or  dispersion  of  the 
rebel  army,  with  a  move  on  Memphis  as  the  immediate  result. 

These  were  the  circumstances  under  which,  without  reason  assigned,  I  was 
relieved  of  my  command. 

It  is  not  grateful  to  me  to  have  been  myself  compelled  to  set  out  the  merits 
of  my  administration  ;  but  it  was  necessary  in  order  to  bring  attention  to  points 
which  otherwise  might  not  have  been  presented,  and  which  are  necessary  to  a 
clear  understanding  of  the  subjects  inquired  into.  Many  acts  which  have  been 
censured  were,  I  think,  for  the  public  good.  I  know  they  were  with  that 
intention.  I  do  not  feel  that  in  any  case  I  overstepped  the  authority  intended 
to  be  confided  to  me.  Myself  and  the  officers  and  men  acting  with  me  were 
actuated  solely  by  a  desire  to  serve  the  country.  And  I  feel  assured  that  this 
is  realized  by  the  people  of  the  west,  among  whom  we  were  acting. 

After  consultation  by  the  committee  Mr.  Gooch  was  instructed  to  take  the 
statement  and  papers  submitted  by  General  Fremont  and  examine  them,  with  a 
view  to  determine  what  further  inquiries  it  might  be  deemed  necessary  to 
make. 

The  witness  was  informed  that  when  Mr.  Gooch  should  have  prepared  him 
self  for  the  further  examination  the  committee  would  call  him  before  them. 

The  witness :  I  shall  be  ready  at  any  time  to  answer  any  questions  the  com 
mittee  may  desire  to  propound  to  me. 

[Examination  consequently  suspended  for  the  present.] 


WASHINGTON,  January  30,  1862. 

General  JOHN  C.  FREMONT — examination  resumed. 
By  Mr.  Gooch : 

Question.  Will  you  state  concisely  what  powers  were  given  you  when  you 
were  assigned  to  the  command  of  the  western  department  ? 

Answer.  No  specific  powers  were  given  to  me.  But  no  restriction  whatever 
was  placed  upon  me  in  taking  command  of  the  department. 

Question.  Did  you  understand  that  you  had  the  right,  or  were  expected,  to 
exercise,  any  powers  other  than  those  which  you  held  by  virtue  of  your  com 
mission  as  major  general  ? 

Answer.  I  understood  and  expected  to  exercise  any  and  whatever  power  was 
necessary  to  carry  out  the  work  I  was  sent  to  accomplish. 

Question.  Whether  strictly  within  the  limits  of  the  power  conferred  by  your 
commission  or  not  1 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  From  whom  did  you  derive  your  power  in  that  respect  ? 

Answer.  From  the  President,  and  from  conversations  with  the  Secretary  of 


44  TESTIMONY. 

War  and  Mr.  Blair,  tlie  Postmaster  General ;  neither  of  whom  used  any  ex 
pression  which  implied  a  restriction  of  power.  On  the  contrary,  the  drift  of  the 
conversation  was  to  the  effect  that  I  should  exercise  any  power  required.  I 
have  heard  that  the  President  said  to  the  Illinois  delegation — to  Mr.  Trumbull, 
perhaps — that  he  had  given  me  more  power  than  he  had  himself.  I  would  like 
to  remark,  in  passing,  that  I  do  not  think  it  was  clearly  understood  what  was 
the  nature  of  the  power  which  a  general  commanding  a  department  had. 

By  the  chairman : 

Question.  All  the  powers  incident  and  necessary  to  carry  out  the  object  to  be 
obtained  were  given? 

Answer.  That  is  precisely  the  point. 

By  Mr.  Gooch : 

Question.  Did  you  appoint  military  officers  to  act  under  you  ;  and  if  so,  why, 
and  by  virtue  of  what  authority  ? 

Answer.  I  did  appoint  such  officers,  and  because  they  were  necessary  to  the 
proper  organization  of  the  army,  and  the  carrying  out  of  the  military  operations. 
I  did  it  under  the  authority  of  the  Secretary  of  War  and  of  the  President  of 
the  United  States,  and  under  the  general  authority  given  to  me. 

Question.  Do  I  understand  that  it  was  expected  that,  when  you  left  Wash 
ington  to  assume  the  command  of  your  department,  you  would  exercise  that 
power  ? 

Answer.  If  I  thought  of  it  at  all,  I  did.  The  governor  of  Missouri  hesitated 
to  appoint  officers  for  the  force  raised  in  Missouri.  A  despatch  was  sent  to  the 
President — or  through  a  cabinet  officer  to  the  President — asking  him  if  he 
would  confirm  the  officers  appointed  by  me ;  to  that  effect,  I  think.  At  all 
events,  the  President  replied  that  he  would  do  so.  And  in  all  cases  when  I  ap 
pointed  officers  they  were  appointed  subject  to  the  confirmation  of  the  Presi 
dent;  to  be  commissioned  by  him;  so  the  commissions  ran  that  I  gave  them. 
If  the  Presidenfjyypproved  the  appointments,  then  they  were  to  receive  their 
commissions.  Their  appointment  was  necessary  to  the  organization  of  the  force 
in  that  department.  We  had  to  take  officers  wherever  we  could  find  them 
throughout  the  country. 

Question.  When  you  left  Washington  for  your  department  you  knew,  of 
course,  that  you  would  find  a  great  deficiency  of  arms  in  the  department. 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  And  you  had  an  order  for  7,000  stand  of  arms  in  New  York  ? 

Answer.  I  had  procured  the  order  here. 

Question.  Will  you  state  the  facts  in  relation  to  that  order  ? 

Answer.  I  learned  from  the  governor  of  Illinois  that  7,000  of  the  Illinois 
contingent  were  unarmed.  I  went  to  the  War  Department  and  applied  for  arms 
for  them.  General  Thomas  went  with  me  to  Colonel  Ripley,  and  he  agreed  to 
let  me  have  7,000  out  of  the  number  on  hand,  which,  I  think,  was  25,000.  He 
was  to  send  them  to  three  different  points,  named  by  me,  on  the  Illinois  river. 
I  went  on  to  New  York,  and  the  second  day  after  reaching  there  I  received  a 
letter  from  Colonel  Ripley  to  the  effect  that  he  thought  the  governor  of 
Illinois  was  mistaken,  and  that  those  arms  were  not  required,  and,  therefore,  the 
order  had  not  been  issued  for  them.  I  sent  that  letter  to  Washington,  and  in 
reply  I  received  a  despatch  informing  me  that  the  President  would,  himself,  go  to 
the  War  Department  and  arrange  the  matter  for  me.  And  in  pursuance  of  that 
Major  Hagner  was  sent  to  New  York  to  endeavor  to  procure  arms  for  the  west 
ern  department.  I  subsequently  received  an  order  for  5,000  mnskets,  to  be 
delivered  to  me  from  the  St.  Louis  arsenal,  but  they  were  not  there.  I  think, 
when  I  got  to  St.  Louis,  the  arms  of  all  descriptions  in  the  arsenal  then  did  not 
exceed  1,200  or  1,300. 


TESTIMONY.  45 

Question.  What  force  did  y.ou  find  subject  to  your  control  upon  your  arrival 
at  St.  Louis  1 

Answer.  I  found  a  nominal  force  of  perhaps  25,000  men,  but  a  real  force  not 
exceeding  15,000  men;  what  I  mean  by  that  is,  that  of  the  three  months  men, 
whose  terms  of  sendee  were  just  expiring,  so  that  you  could'  not  count  upon 
them  at  all ;  there  were  about  10,000  men  ;  while  of  the  three  years'  men  who 
were  either  in  Missouri  or  going  to  it,  there  were,  perhaps,  15,000  men.  The 
two  would  make  about  25,000  men. 

Question.  How  was  the  force  armed  ? 

Answer.  It  was  armed  with  all  kinds  of  arms ;  some  with  rifled  guns,  and 
some  with  smooth  bores.  A  small  body  of  cavalry,  of  regular  cavalry,  I  think, 
were  armed  with  sabres. 

Question.  Was  the  whole  of  this  force  in  possession  of  arms  that  could  be 
used  in  the  field  ] 

Answer.  I  suppose  they  were,  all.  except  7,000,  for  which,  as  I  have  before 
stated,  I  had  no  arms  at  all. 

Question.  When  you  were  in  New  York  was  your  attention  called  to  what 
has  since  been  known  as  the  Austrian  muskets  ] 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Did  you  examine  them  ] 

Answer.  I  looked  at  them.     How  far  I  examined  them  I  do  not  recollect. 

Question.  Did  you  form  an  opinion  of  them  at  the  time  ] 

Answer.  I  probably  did. 

Question.  Can  you  state  what  that  opinion  was  1 

Answer.  I  cannot  state  the  opinion  from  recollection.  I  can  state  what  I 
suppose  the  opinion  must  have  been.  I  probably  did  not  take  the  muskets 
then,  because  they  differed  somewhat  from  the  arm  in  regular  use  in  our  service. 

Question.  Were  those  arms  subsequently  purchased  ] 

Answer.  Yes,  sir ;  probably  the  same  arms. 

Question.  Purchased  in  pursuance  of  your  order  ? 

Answer.  By  my  direct  order. 

Question.  To  whom  was  your  order  given  for  the  purchase  of  those  arms  ? 

Answer.  I  purchased  them  by  telegraph  from  St.  Louis,  addressed  to  a  firm 
in  New  York,  Kruse,  Drexel  &  Schmidt,  the  firm  that  held  them.  They 
offered  me  the  arms,  and  after  some  interchange  of  despatches  I  purchased 
them. 

Question.  What  was  the  price  agreed  to  be  paid  for  them? 

Answer.  I  think  it  was  $6  50. 

Question.  Will  you  state  the  reason  for  purchasing  those  arms  after  having 
seen  them  and  considering  that  there  were  some  objections  to  them  1 

Answer.  Because  I  was  in  very  pressing  need  of  arms.  We  had  no  arms  to 
furnish  the  regiments.  We  had  plenty  of  men,  but  no  arms.  We  were  en 
deavoring  to  send  re-enforcements  to  different  points  to  meet  the  enemy  in  the 
field.  We  wanted  arms  for  the  troops  to  send  to  General  Lyon,  and  for  all  our 
military  operations. 

Question.  There  were  25,000  of  those  arms  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.     13,000  new  and  12,000  that  had  been  in  service. 

Question.  Was  not  your  first  proposition  to  purchase  a  part  of  them  only  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  What  was  the  reason  that  that  was  not  done  ? 

Answer.  Because  they  would  not  sell  to  me  without  selling  the  whole  of  them ; 
and  I  was  afraid  to  wait  long,  because  I  supposed  they  would  go  to  some  other 
quarter  to  sell  them. 

Question.  At  that  time  was  there  not  a  great  competition  in  the  market  for 
arms  ] 

Answer.  There  was ;  at  least  I  could  get  none.  And  in  my  judgment  there 
could  not  have  been — probably  would  not  occur  during  the  war — a  greater  ne- 


46  TESTIMONY. 

cessity  for  arms  than  there  was  then.  "We  were  pressed  in  the  State  of  Mis 
souri,  and  about  there,  by  the  enemy.  We  had  men,  hut  no  arms  to  give  them. 
The  troops  sent  there  by  the  States  came  there  unarmed. 

Question.  What  proved  to  be  the  character  and  quality  of  these  anus,  as  you 
learned  after  receiving  them  ? 

Answer.  They  proved  to  he  a  good,  substantial  arm.  The  German  troops, 
a  number  of  whom  had  been  accustomed  to  use  that  particular  nvui,  preferred 
them — were  well  satisfied  with  them.  When  the  question  of  altering  them 
came  up,  General  Asboth  asked  me  to  let  him  have  them  unaltered  for  his  divi 
sion,  as  he  preferred  them  in  that  way.  They  were  strong ;  the  ban-els  were 
thick,  so  that  they  could  be  easily  rifled,  and  those  that  were  altered  were  ri 
fled.  The  only  difference  between  that  arm  and  our  arm  consisted  in  this  :  that 
instead  of  having  a  nipple  upon  which  to  put  a  percussion  cap,  there  was  a 
primer  to  be  put  in,  something  like  three-quarters  of  an  inch  long.  A  cover 
was  opened,  the  primer  put  in,  and  the  cover  shut  down,  precisely  as  in  the  old 
flint-lock  musket  you  threw  back  the  battery,  poured  in  the  powder  for  priming, 
and  shut  down  the  battery  or  pan  again.  1  have  seen  it  stated  that  the  ammu 
nition  was  different.  The  cartridge  was  exactly  the  same  as  for  our  musket. 
The  only  difference  was,  that  instead  of  putting  on  a  percussion  cap,  you  put 
in  a  primer  of  the  same  material  as  the  percussion  cap. 

Question.  Then  it  is  not  true  that  the  ammunition  used  must  be  different  I 

Answer.  Not  at  all,  except  in  using  a  primer  instead  of  a  cap. 

By  the  chairman : 

Question.  Which  could  be  handled  in  the  shortest  time,  our  gun  or  that  kind? 

Answer.  I  should  think  there  was  very  little  difference  between  them  in  that 
respect.  The  primer  was  long,  and  the  cap  is  short  and  small.  I  should  think 
that  when  a  man's  fingers  were  cold  he  could  more  readily  handle  the  primer, 
three-quarters  of  an  inch  long,  than  to  handle  the  cap.  There  were  no  more 
motions  to  go  through  with  in  the  one  case  than  in  the  other.  There  was  one 
advantage :  this  cover  shut  down  with  a  spring  over  the  primer,  so  that  it  pro 
tected  it  from  getting  wet. 

By  Mr.  Gooch  : 

Question.  So  that  after  the  primer  was  put  in,  it  remained  protected  and  fit 
for  use  for  almost  any  length  of  time  ? 
Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  And  the  hammer  struck  on  the  primer  cover  ? 
Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Chandler: 

Question.  The  hammer  came  down  upon  the  cover  of  the  primer  as  it  used  to 
strike  the  steel  in  the  old-fashioned  flint-lock  musket  ? 
Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Gooch : 

Question.  And  the  compression  ignited  the  powder,  as  in  the  case  of  the  per 
cussion  cap  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir ;  a  regular  percussion  hammer  came  right  square  down  on  the 
cover  of  the  primer.  I  had  with  me  an  excellent  officer,  Colonel  Albert,  who 
had  been  for  years  in  the  Austrian  service.  He  said  that  in  that  service  they 
considered  it  a  good  weapon.  I  think  he  used  a  stronger  expression  than  that, 
but  I  will  stop  with  that. 

Question.  Did  you  have  with  them  the  primer,  so  that  they  could  l?e  used  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  When  the  muskets  first  got  out  there  the  primers  did  not 
come  with  them.  Two  boxes  of  primers  were  sent  out  first,  but,  in  consequence 


TESTIMONY.  47 

of  careless  handling,  they  exploded  somewhere  near  Pittsburg,  and  killed  some 
two  or  three  men,  and  that  caused  some  delay. 

Question.  How  long  after  yon  received  the  gnus  before  yon  received  the 
primers  ? 

Answer.     I  do  not  know.     Perhaps  some  ten  days. 

Question.  Were  any  of  those  guns  put  in  nse  in  your  army  without  any  al 
teration  being  made  in  them  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  How  many  of  them  ? 

Answi/r.  I  think  it  was  so  arranged  that  probably  15,000  of  them  were  dis 
tributed  or  subject  to  distribution,  I  think,  were  distributed,  and  10,000  of  them 
were  set  aside  for  alteration.  The  understanding  was,  that  as  fast  as  they  were 
altered  they  should  be  distributed  to  the  troops,  and  those  that  were  unaltered 
recalled,  so  as  to  gradually  get  them  all  altered. 

Question.  Were  they  all  altered  ? 

Answer.  I  think  not.  I  think  the  house  in  Cincinnati  that  had  contracted  to 
alter  them  refused  to  alter  any  more  after  my  removal,  from  fear  they  would  not 
get  their  pay.  They  had  made  arrangements  to  alter  them  at  first  at  the  rate  of 
200  a  day,  and  then  to  increase  it  to  500  a"  day ;  and  I  was  informed  they  had 
reached  the  point  of  500  a  day  at  the  time  of  my  removal,  when  they  stopped 
work  upon  them. 

Question.  So  that,  previously  to  the  alteration,  you  considered  them  an  effi 
cient  arm  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  What  was  the  cost  of  the  alteration. 

Answer.  Between  four  and  five  dollars ;  four  dollars  and  a  half,  I  think. 

Question.  The  gun  having  been  altered,  and  having  then  cost  the  government 
eleven  dollars,  what  was  the  value  of  the  weapon  then  ? 

Answer.  It  would  cost  the  government  eleven  dollars. 

Question.  Would  it  be  a  good  arm  at  that  price  ? 

Answer.  I  should  call  it  a  thoroughly  good  arm  at  that  price.  It  became 
then  a"  rifled  percussion  musket  of  our  pattern. 

Question.  Do  you  know  the  previous  history  of  these  muskets  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir.  All  that  I  have  seen  about  that  is  in  the  published  report 
of  the  investigating  committee  of  the  House  of  Representatives.  In  respect  to 
these  muskets,  I  have  a  letter  here,  written  to  one  of  my  staff  from  St.  Lonis, 
under  date  of  January  21,  1862.  The  letter  is  written  by  Captain  Hoskin, 
and  this  is  what  he  says  about  these  muskets :  "  Apropos  of  the  long  stories 
concerning  the  Austrian  muskets,  &c.,  which  were  so  freely  circulated  in  the 
newspapers,  it  is  a  very  curious  commentary  on  their  alleged  want  of  value, 
that  I  was  last  week  ordered  to  go  to  Beuton  barracks,  on  the  suggestion  of 
Colonel  Callender,  to  prove  some  of  those  very  muskets,  which  had  been  issued 
to  the  troops.  I  need  not  say  to  you  that  the  trial  was  a  very  conclusive  one, 
and  that  two  regiments,  armed  with  them,  marched  next  day  for  Cairo.  The 
men  had  heard  enough  against  those  arms  to  make  them  feel  very  unwilling 
to  take  them ;  but,  after  the  proving  and  trial,  I  judge  they  were  very  much 
better  satisfied,  Indeed,  if  it  were  not  for  these  same  despised  weapons  many 
of  the  regiments  would  have  still  remained  unarmed ;  for  the  department  of 
Missouri  has  been  much  neglected  in  that  respect,  as  well  as  the  department  of 
the  west,  with  a  fair  opportunity  to  solve  the  old  task-work  riddle  of  making 
bricks  without  straw." 

By  Mr.  Odell : 

Question.  How  many  of  these  25,000  Austrian  muskets  are  now  in  use  ? 
Answer.  I  presume  all  of  them,  probably,  except  those  being  altered.     I 
tried  in  two  places,  Philadelphia  and  Cincinnati,  to  get  these  guns  rifled  and 


48  TESTIMONY 

the  locks  altered.  The  Philadelphia  house  estimated  the  cost  of  alteration  at 
something  over  five  dollars,  and  I  would  have  preferred  their  being  altered  as 
proposed  by  the  Philadelphia  house,  even  at  the  higher  price ;  but  I  submitted 
the  question  to  Captain  Callender,  the  ordnance  officer  having  charge  of  the 
arsenal  there,  and  his  judgment  was  that  it  would  make  a  very  good  gun  altered 
as  the  Cincinnati  house  proposed  to  alter  it,  and  as  they  proposed  to  do  it  for  a 
lower  price,  I  contracted  to  have  them  altered  there ;  but  I  think  it  would  have 
been  made  a  much  better  weapon  to  have  been  altered  in  Philadelphia,  even  at 
the  greater  price. 

By  Mr.  Gooch  : 

Question.  I  desire  now  to  call  your  attention  to  the  Hall  carbines,  as  they 
are  called.  Some  of  them  were  .purchased  in  New  York  in  pursuance  of  your 
order,  were  they  not  1 

Answer.  All  of  them,  I  think. 

Question.  Will  you  state  the  particulars  of  that  transaction  1 

Answer.  In  brief,  I  received  a  despatch  from  Mr.  Simon  Stevens  offering  me 
carbines,  and  I  purchased  them  at  once. 

Question.  Did  you  know  the  character  of  that  weapon  at  the  time  you  pur 
chased  it,  or  the  history  of  it  ? 

Answer.  I  supposed  it  to  be  the  usual  Hall  carbine  which  I  had  used  in  a 
journey  overland  on  one  occasion. 

Question.  You  were  familiar  with  it  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  What  was  the  price  paid  for  them  1 

Answer.  I  think  it  was  $22. 

Question.  How  did  the  gun  prove  itself — to  be  a  good  arm  ? 

Answer.  It  proved  to  be  a  good  arm.  It  was  proved  at  the  arsenal,  and  I 
think  they  had  Captain  Hoskin's  report  in  regard  to  it,  and  he  said  it  fired  with 
reasonable  accuracy.  It  proved  to  be,  I  supposed,  an  ordinarily  good  weapon. 
Further  than  that  I  do  not  know,  It  is  a  weapon  for  cavalry,  and  of  course  for 
close  quarters.  I  have  here  an  ordnance  manual  in  which  the  regulation  price 
is  stated. 

Question.  What  is  the  regulation  price  1 

Answer.  It  is  $21,  (turning  to  the  price  as  fixed  in  the  manual.) 

Question.  Is  that  the  price  of  the  weapon  after  it  was  altered,  or  the  original 
price  ? 

Answer.  The  original  price  is  $21.  The  alteration  cost  something  over  a  dol 
lar,  as  I  have  understood ;  I  do  not  know. 

Question.  Was  the  alteration  an  improvement  1 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  It  was  rifled,  so  far  as  you  may  consider  that  an  improve 
ment  of  a  short  arm  ;  and  I  think  there  was  some  contrivance  put  on  for  open 
ing  it  more  readily ;  and  then  the  chamber  was  enlarged. 

Question.  Were  you  in  need  of  these  arms  for  immediate  use  at  the  time  they 
were  purchased  ? 

Answer.  Very  much,  indeed.  I  had  cavalry  in  the  field,  and  no  arms  what 
ever  for  them. 

Question.  Was  Stevens  an  agent  of  the  government  at  that  time,  or  did  he 
hold  any  appointment  under  you  ? 

Answer.  Not  at  that  time. 

Question.  Not  at  the  time  of  the  purchase  1 

Answer.  No,  sir. 

Question.  Was  he  subsequently  an  aide-de-camp  to  you  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Did  he  make  any  purchase  in  behalf  of  the  government  after  he 
was  appointed  on  your  staff? 


TESTIMONY.  49 

Answer.  He  was  instructed  to  make  some  contracts — I  think  a  contract  with 
Mr.  Wiard  for  some  artillery.  But  I  am  not  clear  as  to  whether  he  made  any 
purchase  or  not  after  his  appointment. 

By  Mr.  Odell  : 

Question.  What  was  his  rank  on  your  staff  1 
Answer.  That  of  Major. 

By  Mr.  Gooch  : 

Question.  Do  you  know  anything  in  relation  to  the  sale  of  those  arms  by  the 
government — of  their  being  condemned  and  sold  1 

Answer.  Nothing  whatever. 

Question.  You  purchased  them  as  carbines  in  the  market  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  And,  of  course,  as  of  good  quality  1 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  I  supposed  they  were  about  what  such  arms  usually  are. 
I  am  not  very  familiar  with  them. 

Question.  They  proved  to  be  so  1 

Answer.  I  think  so. 

Question.  Did  you  confer  with  Major  Hagner  about  the  purchase  of  arms  in 
New  York  ? 

Answer.  After  I  had  been  some  little  time  in  the  west  I  did  not ;  first,  because 
he  permitted  the  arms  which  had  been  collected  by  him  for  me,  under  the  ar 
rangement  I  had  with  him,  to  be  diverted  to  Virginia,  the  greater  part  of  them — 
I  do  not  remember  that  all  were ;  secondly,  because  I  could  not  get  my  wants 
attended  to  by  him.  I  therefore  left  him  entirely  alone,  and  set  to  work  to  get 
what  I  wanted  myself.  I  was  entirely  unsatisfied  with  Major  Hagner's  conduct 
in  relation  to  my  needs  in  the  west,  and  on  that  account  ceased  to  employ  him, 
and  sent  him  a  message  to  that  effect.  This  fact  is  to  be  considered  in  connex 
ion  with  this  question  of  obtaining  arms.  We  had  very  few  of  them  indeed. 
When  I  came  to  Washington  and  got  the  order  for  7,000  muskets,  I  went  from 
General  Ripley  over  to  Mr.  Cameron,  and  said  to  him,  "You  have  only  25,000 
stand  of  arms  altogether  in  your  armories."  He  said,  "You  must  be  mistaken." 
I  told  him  I  was  not,  and  asked  him  to  send  for  General  Ripley.  He  sent  for 
General  Ripley,  and  asked  him  if  it  was  true  that  there  were  only  25,000  stand 
of  arms  in  the  government  armories.  General  Ripley  said  that  such  was  the 
case.  General  Cameron  then  turned  to  me  and  said,  "  I  have  learned  more  from 
you,  General  Fremont,  in  respect  to  our  arms  than  I  have  been  able  to  learn 
before  since  I  have  been  in  office  here." 

Question.  Will  you  state  the  reasons  which  led  you  to  erect  fortifications 
around  St.  Louis'? 

Answer.  The  necessity  for  them  consisted,  first,  in  the  fact  that  St.  Louis  was 
the  base  and  centre  of  my  department.  It  was  to  be  my  depot  for  supplies— 
the  place  for  my  reserves,  from  which  all  my  operations  were  to  be  made.  I 
wished  to  make  St.  Louis  secure  for  a  double  reason.  First,  I  considered  it  a 
rebel  city,  and  that  it  was  necessary  to  defend  it  from  rebels  inside  as  well  as 
from  attacks  from  without.  It  was  constantly  the  object  of  the  enemy  to  obtain 
possession  of  that  city.  For  these  reasons  it  was  necessary  to  make  it  secure. 
Such  was  my  opinion,  and  such  was  the  opinion  of  officers  whom  I  consulted 
in  regard  to  our  operations  there.  They  considered  it  as  a  necessity  about  which 
there  could  possibly  exist  no  doubt.  My  second  reason  was,  that  I  was  prepar 
ing  to  go  down  the  Mississippi  river,  in  which  case  I  should  take  with  me  all 
my  available  force.  My  plan  had  been  to  fortify  St.  Louis,  Cape  Girardeau, 
Ironton,  Rolla,  and  Jefferson  City,  provisioning  them  and  holding  them  by  gar 
risons  during  my  absence ;  of  course,  thereby  requiring  a  comparatively  small 
force  to  hold  the  State  tranquil  after  it  had  once  been  reduced  to  order.  The 
Part  iii 4 


50  TESTIMONY. 

fortification  of  St.  Louis  was  the  centre  of  the  whole  plan.  To  make  that  place 
strongly  secure  by  fortifications  was  a  necessity,  because  it  was  the  centre  of  all 
our  operations.  Really,  the  difficulty  under  which  I  seem  to  labor  in  many 
cases  like  that  is,  that  I  seem  to  be  required  to  prove  what  is  self-evident,  what 
was  merely  an  ordinary  measure  of  precaution.  The  cost,  in  the  first  place, 
being  in  fact  less  for  holding  St.  Louis  by  garrison  with  fortifications — very 
much  less — that  appeared  to  me  to  be  a  measure  of  ordinary  necessity.  The 
right  wing  of  our  entire  force  was  resting  on  that  point.  From  there  we  were 
going  down  the  Mississippi,  leaving  that  point  in  the  midst  of  a  State  so  actively 
rebellious  as  that  one  is.  The  plan  was  to  fortify  St.  Louis,  and  hold  it  with  a 
moderate  force,  and  fortify  some  of  the  other  positions  about  the  State,  and  gar 
rison  and  provision  them,  in  order  to  keep  the  State  secure.  Those  points  com 
manded  the  railroads,  occupied  and  defended  the  various  lines  of  communications 
in  the  State.  Just  before  I  left  the  State  I  had  succeeded  in  making  the  sys 
tem  of  communication  perfect.  I  had  so  arranged  it  that  each  railroad  and  each 
bridge  on  the  line  of  the  road  were  protected.  I  had  had  little  barracks  built 
at  each  important  bridge,  in  which  the  men  were  to  winter.  St.  Louis  was  the 
central  support,  the  base  upon  which  everything  rested;  not  only  St.  Louis,  but 
down  the  river. 

Question.  Was  there  the  same  necessity  for  fortifications  there  that  there 
would  be  in  any  rebel  territory  where  it  Avas  desirable  to  take  and  hold  important 
strategical  points  ? 

Answer.  Exactly  and  undoubtedly  so. 

Question.  Did  you  consult  with  any  officers  connected  with  the  engineer  de 
partment  of  the  government  in  relation  to  those  fortifications  ? 

Answer.  I  do  not  think  I  did.  I  doubt  if  there  were  any  in  the  department, 
and  I  had  full  confidence  in  those  officers  who  were  with  me.  I  had  with  me 
men  who  had  seen  many  years'  service  in  actual  field  operations ;  who  in  the  line 
as  well  as  in  the  capacity  of  engineers  had  done  work  with  armies  in  the  field. 
Therefore  if  I  had  had  engineers  of  the  regular  army  with  me  I  should,  probably, 
have  given  preference  to  these  experienced  officers. 

Question.  You  considered  them  more  competent  to  judge  ? 

Answer.  I  did  ;  because  they  had  had  the  benefit  of  experience  in  absolutely 
practical  operations. 

Question.  They  had  both  the  theory  and  the  practice,  instead  of  the  theory 
only? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  and  therefore  naturally  I  would  like  to  have  the  benefit  of 
their  experience. 

Question.  At  most  other  points — and  I  do  not  know  but  at  all — fortifications 
have  been  erected  Toy  the  soldiers  themselves.  Why  was  not  that  done  at  St. 
Louis  1 

Answer.  For  several  reasons.  One  was  that,  as  a  matter  of  judgment,  I  pre 
ferred  to  employ  hired  labor.  It  was  with  difficulty  that  the  men  could  be  in 
duced  to  labor  on  fortifications,  and  in  places  where  they  did  do  it  the  work  went 
on  very  slowly  indeed ;  and  my  judgment  was  that  it  was  better  to  employ  the 
men  in  what  they  considered  more  particularly  a  soldier's  duty,  in  preparing 
and  instructing  them  for  the  field,  rather  than  in  that  kind  of  hard  labor,  for 
which  many  of  them  considered  they  had  not  enlisted ;  and  I  wished  to  have 
the  good  will  of  the  army,  to  put  them  in  a  good  disposition  to  fight  the  enemy  ? 
that  they  should  go  into  the  field  with  all  the  feelings  of  patriotism  and  zeal 
with  which  they  had  enlisted.  Practically  that  was  one  of  the  principal  reasons. 
The  condition  of  my  department  was  such  that  the  men  were  wanted  as  imme 
diately  as  they  could  be  armed.  Another  reason  was,  that  it  was  much  better 
for  the  health  of  the  men  not  to  expose  them  to  the  heat  of  the  day  and  the  dew 
of  the  night  at  that  season  of  the  year.  And  another  reason  having  considerable 
force  with  me  at  the  time  was,  that  in  the  city  was  a  large  unemployed  popula- 


TESTIMONY.  5! 

tion  of  men  whose  families  were  in  great  want ;  and  by  the  employment  of  that 
hired  labor  I  conciliated  a  large  body  of  men  by  giving  them  occupation,  and,  I 
think,  produced  a  tone  of  feeling  very  favorable  to  the  government  in  a  class 
which  in  cities  are  generally  inclined  to  be  turbulent,  and  likely  to  be  the  first 
to  be  engaged  in  any  difficulty. 

Question.  Was  the  condition  of  things  in  St.  Louis  at  that  time  such  that  you 
felt  that  to  be  a  desirable  object  to  be  secured  on  the  part  of  the  government  1 

Answer.  Decidedly  so ;  and  in  that  opinion  I  know  I  have  the  concurrence  of 
the  most  respectable  citizens  of  St.  Louis. 

Question.  State  concisely  what  arrangements  you  made  for  the  construction*; 
of  the  forts.  I  do  not  mean  the  form  and  number  of  the  forts,  but  the  arrange 
ments  for  building  them. 

Answer.  When  the  work  was  first  commenced  it  was  placed  under  the  super 
intendence  and  direction  of  Colonel  Hassendenbel ;  subsequently  under  the  direc 
tion  of  Major  Kappner,  whose  operations,  I  think,  were  confined  to  the  five  south 
ern  forts.  Afterwards  Mr.  Beard — a  gentleman  whom  I  had  known  as  a  con 
tractor  of  large  experience,  and  a  man  of  uncommon  energy  and  activity — arrived 
at  St.  Louis  at  a  time  when  I  was  dissatisfied  with  the  progress  of  the  work, 
which  did  not  go  on  as  I  desired  it.  I  addressed  myself  to  him  to  take  charge 
of  the  fortifications  and  urge  them  forward  with  as  much  speed  as  was  in  any 
way  possible. 

By  Mr.  Julian : 

Question.  This  Mr.  Beard  was  from  Indiana,  was  he  not  1 
Answer.  Yes,  sir ;  he  had  been  a  contractor  on  the  Wabash  and  Erie  canal. 
He  has  been  on  quite  a  number  of  works.  He  is  really  very  remarkable  for  his 
ability  to  control  large  bodies  of  men  in  work  of  that  sort.  He  is  a  man  of  un 
usual  force  in  that  respect,  and  when  he  came  to  St.  Louis  I  regarded  it  as 
quite  a  favorable  accident  to  me,  and  put  him  on  these  works. 

By  Mr.  Gooch  : 

Question.  How  were  your  forts  designated — by  numbers  1,  2,  3,  &c.? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir,  I  think  so. 

Question.  The  first  five  were  built  by  Major  Kappner  ? 

Answer.  He  was  one  of  the  principal  engineers  on  them ;  the  latter  part  of 
the  time  he  superintended  them. 

Question.  Did  he  have  the  whole  direction  of  the  work,  the  hiring  of  the 
men,  &c.  ? 

Answer.  Entirely.  He  had  the  direction  of  the  work,  the  hiring  of  the  men, 
having  them  attended  to  and  paid,  so  that  I  know  nothing  of  the  building  of  the 
works  as  regards  details. 

Question.  How  did  the  five  forts  built  by  Major  Kappner  compare  in  size 
and  cost  of  construction  with  those  built  by  Mr.  Beard  ? 

Answer.  As  I  have  learned  the  forts  built  by  Beard  exceeded  very  much  in: 
price  those  built  by  Kappner.  That  would  be  the  natural  result  of  the  manner 
in  which  they  Avere  built.  Mr.  Beard  was  directed  to  finish  them  forthwith. 

Question.  Were  the  five  forts  built  by  Major  Kappner  as  large  and  extensive 
as  those  built  by  Mr.  Beard,  and  would  they  have  been  as  expensive  if  con 
structed  in  the  same  manner? 

Answer.  What  was  the  relation  of  the  different  forts  to  each  other,  as  to  size, 
I  am  not  certain.  They  were  built  of  different  sizes,  according  to  locality,  &c. 
I  have  asked  for  and  endeavored  to  get  a  report  on  here,  so  as  to  be  able  to 
show  the  committee  the  character  and  size  of  the  works,  but  I  have  not  yet 
received  it. 

Question.  Do  you  know  the  cost  of  the  five  forts  built  by  Major  Kappner? 


52  TESTIMONY. 

Answer.  I  have  seen  it  stated  at  about  $60,000  in  the  report  of  the  investi 
gating  committee. 

Question.  You  do  not  know  it  otherwise  ? 

Answer.  I  do  not.  I  had  no  report  made  to  me  about  the  cost  of  those  forts 
before  I  left  the  department. 

Question.  It  has  been  stated  that  the  forts  built  by  Mr.  Beard  were  no  better 
or  larger  than  those  built  by  Major  Kappner,  though  costing  four  or  five  times 
as  much. 

Answer.  That,  I  think,  is  not  true.  I  have  no  doubt  they  cost  a  great  deal 
more,  but  not  to  that  extent. 

Question.  Can  you  state  the  difference  in  their  cost? 

Answer.  I  cannot.  I  have  seen-a  statement  of  Major  Kappner,  in  which  he 
said  I  did  not  know,  and  could  not  have  known,  the  prices  he  was  paying,  for 
he  never  made  any  statement  or  report  to  me  in  connexion  with  the  matter; 
and  so  it  was  with  Mr.  Beard.  I  never  had  a  report  from  either  of  them  as  to 
the  cost  of  their  works.  I  will  state  the  difference  in  regard  to  the  manner  in 
which  those  forts  were  built.  Mr.  Beard  built  five  forts  and  seven  outworks. 
In  the  contract  with  him  I  caused  a  stipulation  to  be  inserted  that  each  fort 
should  be  finished  within  five  days  after  the  engineers  had  laid  it  out,  because 
it  was  a  great  point  with  me  to  have  the  city  garrisoned  when  I  should  leave. 
Finally,  when  I  was  about  to  take  the  field  at  the  head  of  the  army,  I  sent  for 
General  Asboth,  who  was  the  chief  of  my  staff,  and  told  him  that  those  forts 
must  be  finished;  that  I  would  give  Mr.  Beard  five  days  to  finish  his  forts,  and 
I  would  give  Major  Kappner  fifteen  days  to  finish  those  he  was  constructing. 
I  told  him  to  send  for  them  and  inform  them  what  I  had  determined  upon.  He 
sent  for  Mr.  Beard,  and  he  agreed  to  finish  the  forts  in  that  time.  They  were  to 
be  finished,  guns  mounted,  magazines  stored,  and  colors  flying,  in  five  days. 
Major  Kappner  informed  me  that  he  could  not  undertake  to  finish  his  works  in 
fifteen  days,  but  he  would  do  it  in  twenty  days.  I  then  directed  the  order  to 
be  made  out  to  him  to  that  effect ;  that  within  twenty  days  from  that  date  those 
five  forts  were  to  be  finished,  guns  mounted,  magazines  stored,  and  colors  flying. 
I  told  Major  Kappner  that  if  he  failed  to  comply  with  that  order  I  would  dis 
miss  him  from  the  service;  that  if  he  took  that  order,  he  took  it  subject  to  that 
condition.  He  agreed  to  take  it.  I  mention  this  to  show  the  different  manner 
in  which  these  forts  were  built.  I  did  not  wish  to  disturb  Major  Kappner  and 
the  engineers  on  the  works  he  had  in  charge,  and  I  gave  the  time  he  desired. 

Question.  Was  the  reason  for  the  difference  in  the  cost  of  the  forts  that  in 
the  one  case  the  forts  were  built  without  any  great  pressure  for  time,  and  in  the 
other  they  were  built  in  the  shortest  possible  time  ] 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  That  is  your  explanation  of  the  difference  of  cost,  so  far  as  there 
was  a  difference  of  cost,  in  the  building  of  those  forts  ? 

Answer.  That  is  all  the  explanation  I  know  of — that  of  hurry  and  press  of 
time — the  point  with  me  being  one  of  time,  and  the  cost  became  greater. 

Question.  Did  Mr.  Beard  commence  the  work  before  any  contract  was  made 
with  him  ? 

Answer.  He  commenced  it  before  any  contract  was  drawn  out.  I  put  him 
immediately  on  the  work,  as  soon  as  he  agreed  to  do  it,  and  left  the  contract  to 
be  made  afterwards  between  him  and  General  McKinstry,  supposing,  of  course, 
that  everything  would  be  done  correctly. 

Question.  And  that  contract  was  subsequently  made  out  and  signed  by  the 
parties  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  In  relation  to  the  payments,  can  you  state  in  what  sums,  and  at 
what  times,  the  money  was  paid  to  Beard  on  his  contract  1 

Answer.  I  cannot  from  memory.     I  can  give  a  general  statement  in  regard  to 


TESTIMONY.  53 

the  matter.  The  payments  were  made  something  in  this  way :  there  was  a 
great  scarcity  of  money,  and  each  contractor  and  each  man  to  whom  money  was 
due  endeavored  to  obtain  a  portion  for  himself  out  of  whatever  happened  to  be 
on  hand  :  and  in  Mr.  Beard's  case,  as  I  judge  from  what  I  have  seen  there,  mo 
ney  was  given  to  him  when  it  could  be  had,  in  order  that  he  might  have  some 
on  hand  to  meet  the  demands  upon  him  when  they  should  arise.  He  would  get 
an  order  for  the  money,  and  if  he  could  not  get  the  money  of  the  quartermaster 
he  would  go  and  negotiate  in  the  city  for  it.  General  McKinstry  might  obtain 
money  from  some  of  the  banks,  and  would  apportion  it  out  to  meet  the  demands 
for  it.  We  had  very  little  money,  and  what  we  could  get  we  divided  out  over 
the  whole  department.  Of  course  the  man  who  could  get  the  most  did  the  best 
for  himself.  In  Beard's  case,  having  a  large  number  of  men  employed,  his  point 
was  to  have  on  hand  as  much  money  as  he  could  for  his  men,  because  the  next 
time  he  applied  for  money  there  might  be  none  for  him.  For  a  long  time  all 
the  money  we  got  there  we  obtained  from  the  banks  by  borrowing,  taking  and 
using  their  currency,  such  as  it  was. 

Question.  Was  money  paid  to  Beard  in  advance  of  the  amount  due  him  ? 

Answer.  I  have  no  doubt  it  was,  in  order  that  he  might  have  a  provision 
made  to  meet  the  demands  on  him  when  they  should  arise.  I  have  seen  printed 
what  purported  to  be  orders  written  by  me  for  money  to  be  paid  to  Mr.  Beard. 
I  never  wrote  out  any  order.  Beard  would  come  with  a  statement  of  the  rea 
sons  why  he  wanted  the  money,  and  those  statements  were  probably  copied 
into  the  orders  made  out  for  him  which  I  signed.  For  myself,  when  I  ordered 
anything,  I  gave  no  reasons  why  I  wanted  it  to  any  of  my  subordinate  officers. 
But  I  can  easily  understand  how  some  of  these  orders  which  I  signed  came  to 
be  made  out  as  they  were.  Mr.  Beard  would  present  his  reasons  for  the  money, 
and  the  secretary  in  writing  out  the  order  would  transfer  the  reasons  into  the 
order  as  an  explanation  to  General  McKinstry  or  whoever  had  the  money  to 
give,  and  he  would  regard  it  as  a  reason  for  giving  more  than  he  otherwise 
would. 

Question.  You  did  not  write  the  order,  but  you  signed  it  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir ;  I  do  not  think  there  are  any  orders  in  my  own  hand 
writing. 

Question.  Before  those  payments  were  made,  were  there  any  estimates  made 
or  accounts  rendered  of  the  amount  of  work  done  by  Mr.  Beard  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir ;  I  do  not  think  I  ever  received  a  statement  of  the  amount 
of  work  done  by  Mr.  Beard ;  nothing  except  information  that  such  and  such 
a  fortification  was  in  such  a  condition,  when  he  would  ask  me  to  go  out  and  in 
spect  it,  which  I  did.  While  I  was  in  town  I  used  to  visit  the  fortifications,  and 
see  the  progress  of  the  works.  In  neither  case,  either  of  Major  Kappner  or 
Mr.  Beard,  was  a  statement  ever  made  to  me  of  that  nature  during  the  progress 
of  the  works. 

Question.  Were  you  at  any  time  ordered  to  discontinue  the  field-works 
around  the  city  of  St.  Louis  ?  * 

Answer.  I  was. 

Question.  And  not  to  pay  any  more  money  on  account  of  them  ? 

Answer.  I  was. 

Question.  From  whom  did  that  order  issue  ? 

Answer.  From  the  Secretary  of  War,  through  General  Thomas. 

Question.  Was  that  order  complied  with? 

Answer.  By  me,  no  sir.  Perhaps  I  better  state  the  circumstances  under 
which  I  received  that  order.  I  was  at  Warsaw,  at  the  head  of  my  army,  on 
the  way  to  Springfield,  when  I  learned  by  report,  somewhere,  I  suppose,  about 
the  16th  of  October — thereabouts,  I  will  not  be  certain  as  to  date — that  such 
an  order  had  been  issued.  I  wrote  to  Captain  McKeever,  my  adjutant  general, 
to  protest  against  such  an  order  as  that,  if  any  such  had  been  issued,  for  the 


54  TESTIMONY. 

i 

reason  that  St.  Louis,  as  I  have  already  stated,  was  the  base  of  all  my  opera 
tions,  upon  the  safety  of  which  might  depend  the  safety  of  my  entire  army, 
and  the  success  of  all  my  operations  in  the  department.  I  considered  the  issu 
ing  of  such  an  order  as  something  extraordinary,  unjustifiable,  and  not  sustain 
able,  as  regards  myself.  I  considered  that  the  Secretary  of  War  might  as  well 
have  come  to  me  in  the  field,  when  I  was  in  face  of  the  enemy  and  engaged  in 
battle,  and  order  me  to  discontinue  the  march  of  one  column  here,  and  an 
other  there,  as  to  have  made  that  order  while  I  was  in  the"  field,  as  it  struck  at 
the  base  of  my  operations.  Having  directed  my  adjutant  general  to  protest 
against  that  order,  and  to  state  to  him  that  I  would  do  so  formally  if  I  received 
any  such  written  order,  I  let  the  matter  stand.  I  think  that  on  or  about  the 
19th  or  20th  of  October  a  letter  came  to  me,  not  in  the  usual  form  or  manner, 
through  my  adjutant  general,  but  directly  to  me,  from  General  Thomas.  That 
letter  I  have  not  been  able  to  find.  It  was  directed,  I  think,  to  two  points — the 
discontinuance  of  the  fortifications,  and,  I  think,  the  payment  of  the  money. 
Having  already  stated  my  views  by  protesting  against  such  an  order,  I  simply 
neglected  the  matter,  and  let  it  stand  as  it  was.  1  acted,  I  thought,  in  my  right 
as  commanding  general  of  that  department,  carrying  on  military  operations.  I 
considered  the  stoppage  of  these  fortifications  as  inexpedient,  and  possibly  dan 
gerous  for  the  army  in  the  field,  and  all  my  other  positions ;  and  having  pro 
tested  against  it,  as  I  have  said,  I  let  the  matter  rest  there. 

Question.  You  say  you  received  a  letter.  Did  that  letter  contain  a  peremptory 
order  to  discontinue  those  works  ? 

Answer.  I  am  not  clear  as  to  the  form  of  the  letter,  whether  it  directed  me  to 
issue  an  order  discontinuing  those  operations,  or  whether  it  informed  me  that  the 
Secretary  of  War  had  issued  such  an  order.  At  all  events,  my  operations  had 
been  so  much  interfered  with  in  my  department ;  my  remaining  in  command  was 
so  doubtful  at  that  time ;  and  my  position  as  commanding  general  had  been  so 
much  discredited  and  weakened,  that  I  simply  neglected  acting  further  in  the 
matter,  arid  left  it  to  the  Secretary  who  had  issued  the  order  to  have  it  carried 
out,  if  he  saw  fit  to  do  so  after  my  protest. 

Question.  If  such  an  order  was  directed  to  you  from  the  Secretary,  would  it 
not  have  been  your  duty  to  have  promulgated  an  order  to  discontinue  those 
works  ? 

AnsAver.  Under  ordinary  circumstances  it  might.  But,  as  a  matter  of  judg 
ment,  I  am  doubtful  about  it  without  consultation. 

Question.  You  say  you  directed  your  adjutant  general  to  protest  against  the 
order  ? 

Answer.  I  wrote  him  a  letter  to  that  effect ;  but  in  what  form  I  am  not  now 
certain,  because  I  have  not  since  conversed  with  him  in  relation  to  it. 

Question.  Do  I  understand  that  you  directed  Captain  McKeever  to  notify  the 
Secretary  of  War  that  you  thought  it  not  advisable  ? 

Answer.  That  was  the  effect  of  my  letter,  in  which  case  I  should  have  been 
justifiable,  and,  in  any  case,  to  wait  until  I  heard  further  from  the  Secretary.  In 
tfie  same  way  as  General  Lyou,  being  at  Springfield,  protested  against  the  with 
drawal  from  him  by  the  Secretary  of  War  of  the  little  regular  force  which  he 
had  there,  telling  the  Secretary  that  it  was  dangerous  to  do  it,  and  until  he 
heard  further  from  him  he  would  not  obey  the  order,  but  would  retain  the 
troops. 

Question.  Did  you  receive  any  further  order  from  the  Secretary  of  War  1 

Answer.  Nothing  further. 

Question.  The  order  which  you  did  receive  is  said  to  have  directed  the  dis 
continuance  of  those  works,  and  also  to  abstain  from  any  further  payment  of 
money  on  account  of  those  works. 

Answer.  I  have  seen  it  stated  that  it  was  so.  I  do  not  clearly  recollect  the 
purport  of  the  letter  I  received.  On  the  contrary,  as  regards  the  impression 


TESTIMONY.  55 

upon  my  mind  of  the  purport  of  the  letter,  it  was  not  that  the  Secretary  of  War 
directed  me  to  order  the  discontinuance  of  the  work,  but  rather  it  informed  me 
that  the  Secretary  had  directed  it  to  be  discontinued.  I  have  been  trying  to 
find  that  letter  in  order  to  ascertain  what  was  the  character  of  it,  but  I  have 
not  been  able  to  do  it. 

Question.  Your  impression  is  that  the  communication  which  you  received  in 
formed  you  of  the  fact  that  the  Secretary  of  War  had  directed  the  discontinuance 
of  those  works  1 

Answer.  That  has  been  my  impression.  I  must  sayfit  is  not  so  clearly  my 
impression  now  as  it  has  been  up  to  the  time  when  I  saw  this  statement  in  re 
gard  to  it. 

Question.  How  could  he  direct  it  ?  Could  he  make  such  a  direction  to  any 
one  but  yourself? 

Answer.  Not  properly  to  any  one  else. 

Question.  Do  you  know  whether  any  money  was  paid  after  this  time  on  ac 
count  of  those  works  1 

Answer.  I  do  not  know  anything  about  that. 

Question.  It  has  been  stated  that  after  this  order  you  gave  a  peremptory 
order  to  Major  Allen  to  pay  over  $66,000  to  Mr.  Beard;  that  he  declined  to  do 
so,  and  communicated  the  fact  to  the  department  at  Washington,  and  was  told 
not  to  pay  the  money.  Do  you  know  whether  that  is  so  or  not? 

Answer.  I  do  not  know  anything  about  that. 

Question.  Did  you,  in  the  contract  made  with  Mr.  Beard,  fix  the  prices  that 
he  was  to  receive  ? 

Answer.  Not  in  detail.  It  was  arranged  and  the  price  was  determined  upon 
between  General  McKinstry  and  Mr.  Beard.  Further  than  that  I  do  not  know. 

Question.  Was  it  left  to  General  McKinstry  to  determine  what  would  be  a 
fair  price  for  doing  the  work  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  General  McKinstry  was  assistant  quartermaster  there,  was  he  not  ? 

Answer.  He  was  quartermaster,  at  the  head  of  the  quartermaster's  department, 
in  that  department. 

Question.  By  whom  appointed  ? 

Answer.  By  the  government.  He  was  a  quartermaster  in  the  regular  army, 
and  had  been  there  nearly  two  years  before  he  was  removed.  I  had  him  re 
moved  from  the  office.  I  applied  to  the  President — knowing  him  to  be  a  good 
soldier,  and  one  who  had  really  distinguished  himself  in  Mexico — I  applied  to 
the  President  to  give  him  a  commission  as  brigadier  general,  which  he  did.  I 
told  the  President  he  would  be  much  more  serviceable  in  the  field  at  the  head 
of  a  brigade  than  as  a  quartermaster. 

Question.  It  was  not  at  your  solicitation  that  he  was  appointed  quartermaster  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir ;  not  at  all.  I  found  him  there  as  quartermaster.  He  had 
been  there,  I  suppose,  eighteen  months  when  I  got  there. 

Question.  So  that  you  were  in  nowise  responsible  for  the  acts  which  he  did 
legitimately  within  his  jurisdiction  as  quartermaster  ? 

Answer.  Certainly  not.     He  was  responsible  to  the  government. 

Question.  He  fixed  the  prices  at  which  this  labor  was  to  be  done  ? 

Answrer.  Yes,  sir ;  and  I  approved  them. 

Question.  He  agreed  upon  the  price  ? 

Answer.  Yes  ;  so  I  understood  it. 

Question.  You  did  not  fix  the  price,  but  simply  approved  it  after  the  rest  had 
been  fixed  by  the  quartermaster  ? 

Answer.  General  McKinstry  was,  in  the  first  instance,  ordered  by  me  to  make 
the  contract  with  Mr.  Beard.  When  this  contract,  with  the  conditions  desired 
by  Mr.  Beard,  was  presented  to  him,  he  referred  the  question  of  prices  to  me. 
I  told  him  I  would  approve  whatever  he  determined  to  be  right,  and  I  did  so. 


56  TESTIMONY. 

He  told  me  the  prices  claimed  by  Mr.  Beard  had  been  too  high,  and  I  told  him 
to  put  them  at  what  he  thought  proper,  having  regard  to  the  nature  of  the  work 
and  the  peculiar  circumstances  under  which  it  was  done. 

Question.  Then  it  is  not  true  that  you  fixed  the  prices  between  the  quarter 
master  and  the  contractor  ? 

Answer.  Not  true  at  all. 

Question.  l]hey  were  approved  by  you  after  they  had  been  fixed  by  Quarter 
master  McKinstry  at  what  he  deemed  fair  rates  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir ;  so  I  understand.     That  is  my  recollection. 

Question.  Is  it  within  the  duties  of  the  quartermaster  to  make  contracts  for 
the  erection  of  fortifications  ? 

Answer.  Perhaps  not  strictly.  I  suppose  it  should  come  more  under  the 
direction  of  the  engineer  department,  if  there  were  such  there.  It  would  come 
under  the  direction  strictly  of  the  quartermaster's  department  to  build  barracks, 
and,  under  circumstances,  fortifications.  Certainly,  under  the  circumstances, 
then,  I  think  it  might  be  considered  that  he  was  the  proper  officer  to  do  that 
work.  I  am  not  familiar  enough  with  the  customs  of  our  service  to  say  who 
should  properly  attend  to  that  work.  Such  works  as  barracks — quarters  for 
the  troops,  of  any  kind — come  under  the  direction  of  the  quartermaster.  I  do 
not  know  but  that  strictly  the  whole  of  this  may  be  considered  to  be  within  his 
department. 

Question.  Did  you  regard  it  at  the  time  as  within  his  department  I 

Answer.  Yes,  entirely  so. 

Question.  Did  he  accept  the  service,  and  perform  the  duty  as  a  part  of  the 
duty  of  the  department  ? 

Answer.  I  have  no  recollection  of  his  having  made  any  opposition  to  under 
taking  the  work.  If  he  did  so  I  overruled  it,  certainly;  but  I  have  no  recollec 
tion  of  it.  I  do  not  think  he  would  have  made  any  after  having  been  directed 
by  me  to  attend  to  it.  I  gave  him  positive  orders  to  do  so,  and  left  him  without 
any  alternative. 

Question.  What  position  did  Captain  Turnley  hold  ? 

Answer.  He  was  a  quartermaster  under  General  McKinstry,  and  succeeded 
him  upon  his  appointment  as  brigadier  general.  He  ranked  next  to  General 
McKinstry,  I  think. 

Question.  In  relation  to  the  fund  from  which  the  money  was  to  be  taken  to 
pay  for  these  fortifications  :  from  what  source  did  you  understand  that  that 
money  was  to  be  obtained  ? 

Answer.  From  any  source  that  it  could  be  obtained  from,  whether  quarter 
master,  or  commissary,  or  anything  else. 

Question.  You  deemed  you  had  the  right  to  take  money  from  the  quartermas 
ter's  department  to  pay  for  the  construction  of  these  fortifications  1 

Answer.  Certainly ;  and  in  that  connexion  I  want  to  call  the  attention  of  the 
committee  to  the  fact  which  renders  that  suggestion  of  no  force,  as  it  might  have 
if  the  different  departments  had  been  supplied  with  money  by  the  government ;. 
but,  on  the  contrary,  we  ourselves  a  greater  part  of  the  time  had  to  provide  money 
by  borrowing  it,  and  then  I  directed  it  to  be  delivered  to  the  quartermaster,  the 
commissary,  or  other  officer  who  most  needed  it.  The  money  came  from  a 
general  source,  that  is,  from  our  credit  and  ability  to  borrow  it.  The  govern 
ment  supplied  us  with  very  little  money,  in  no  way  adequate  to  our  necessities ; 
all  distinctions  were  lost;  none  existed,  none  were  regarded.  The  money, 
wherever  it  was,  was  taken  by  me  to  pay  any  and  the  most  pressing  demands 
in  any  branch  of  the  service,  where  I  thought  it  was  necessary. 

Question.  And  obtaining  the  money  as  you  did,  you  did  not  feel  under  obli 
gations  to  confine  it  to  the  expenses  of  any  particular  department? 

Answer.  Not  the  slightest ? 


TESTIMONY.  57 

Question.  In  relation  to  the  purchase  of  horses  and  mules  for  your  depart 
ment  :  by  whom  were  those  purchases  made  ? 

Answer.  Made  mainly  by  the  quartermaster — some  under  special  contracts  ; 
some  were  bought  in  Ohio,  I  think, under  special  contracts;  some  were  intended 
to  have  been  bought  in  Canada,  or  wherever  they  could  be  had.  The  quarter 
master's  business  is  to  provide  the  horses. 

Question.  Did  you  have  any  immediate  personal  knowledge  of  those  contracts  1 

Answer.  Some  of  them  not  much  personal  knowledge,  but  some  knowledge. 
Of  some  I  had  direct  personal  knowledge.  ' 

Question.  Please  state  in  regard  to  those  contracts  of  which  you  had  knowl- 


Answer.  That  of  which  I  had  the  most  particular  knowledge  is  a  contract 
with  a  man  named  Gustavus  A.  Sacchi,  of  New  York.  With  the  others  I  had 
so  little  to  do,  I  do  not  think  I  had  any  information  that  would  be  of  service 
to  you. 

Question.  Did  you  order  the  purchase  of  a  thousand  Canadian  cavalry  horses 
by  Augustus  A.  Sacchi,  of  New  York ;  and  if  so,  will  you  state  the  particulars 
of  that  transaction  ? 

Answer.  I  did.  Mr.  Sacchi  came  to  St.  Louis  and  procured  an  interview 
with  me  for  the  purpose  of  offering  to  make  that  contract.  It  struck  me  as  a 
good  thing  to  be  done.  I  knew  that  Canadian  horses  were  valuable,  for  I  had 
used  them  in  the  field.  I  knew  them  to  be  an  unusually  tough  horse,  easy  to 
be  got  along  with  on  the  prairie  where  food  was  scarce ;  and  I  directed  a  con 
tract  to  be  made  with  him  for  the  purchase  of  a  thousand  of  them. 

Question.  Do  you  remember  the  price  ] 

Answer.  It  was  $120,  I  think. 

Question.  Were  those  horses  delivered  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir ;  I  think  two  were. 

Question.  Only  two  ? 

Answer.  That  was  all,  I  think.  More  were  offered  but  only  two  were  ac 
cepted. 

Question.  Are  there  any  further  particulars  in  relation  to  that  transaction 
that  you  desire  to  state  ? 

Answer.  It  has  been  stated  that  Mr.  Woods  intervened  between  the  contractor 
and  myself.  I  will  state  in  regard  to  that  that  Mr.  Woods  had  no  power  of 
intervention  any  further  than  this  :  after  Mr.  Sacchi  had  come  to  see  me,  which 
he  did  through  another  person — I  think  he  was  introduced  to  me  by  General 
Asboth — I  sent  for  Mr.  Woods,  after  the  contract  was  decided  upon,  and  told 
him  to  send  for  Captain  Turnley  and  to  say  that  that  contract  had  been  made. 
That  was  all  that  Captain  Woods  had  to  do  with  the  matter  in  any  connexion. 
It  is  also  stated  that  Mr.  Sacchi  had  difficulty  in  speaking  English,  so  much  so 
that  Captain  Turnley  had  to  speak  with  him  in  Spanish.  The  fact  is,  that  Mr. 
Saechi  speaks  English  correctly,  and  about  as  fluently  as  foreigners  get  to  speak 
our  language,  and,  as  I  am  informed,  he  cannot  speak  Spanish  at  all,  and  knows 
very  little  about  it.  I  spoke  English  with  him  without  the  least  difficulty 
whatever. 

Question.  Did  this  Mr.  Sacchi  ever  receive  an  appointment  upon  your  staff  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir ;  he  never  was  on  my  staff.  There  was  a  Captain  Sacchi 
on  my  staff  at  Springfield,  who  came  from  Italy  for  the  purpose  of  serving  with 
us.  He  was  an  officer  who  had  been  distinguished  under  Garibaldi,  and  deco 
rated  for  gallantry ;  but  he  was  not  the  man  with  whom  I  made  the  contract 
for  horses. 

Question.  Did  you  have  any  reason  to  suppose  that  there  was  any  collusion 
between  Colonel  Woods,  of  your  staff,  and  Mr.  Sacchi  ? 

Answer.  Not  the  slightest  at  all.  I  do  not  think  there  ever  was  the  slightest. 
I  have  here  a  statement  from  Mr.  Sacchi,  who  had  seen  those  statements,  and 


58  TESTIMONY. 

if  the  committee  will  examine  they  will  perceive  that  they  are  without  the 
slightest  foundation  whatever. 

(Statement  handed  to  the  committee.) 

Question.  Did  you  order  Colonel  T.  P.  Andrews  to  make  a  payment  to  Cap 
tain  Schwartz? 

Annswer.  I  did. 

Question.  Please  state  the  circumstances  and  the  reasons  for  requiring  Col 
onel  Andrews  to  make  that  payment  ? 

Answer.  I  had  directed  Captain  Schwartz  to  recruit  men  for  a  battery,  of 
which  he  was  to  have  the  command.  I  will  state  in  this  connexion  that  he 
was  an  artillery  officer  who  had  seen  service.  He  is  mentioned  with  distinc 
tion  on  account  of  his  behavior  at  the  battle  of  Belmont.  I  had  directed  him  to 
recruit  men  for  his  battery.  He  brought  me  in  a  bill  which  he  required  to  be  paid 
of  something  over  $200;  I  do  not  remember  now  how  much  it  was.  I  sent  him 
to  the  paymaster  whom  I  directed  to  pay  it,  following  out  my  general  course  of 
ordering  money  to  be  paid  wherever  it  could  be  found.  The  paymaster  sent 
back  the  paper  with  an  indorsement  on  the  back  of  it,  that  he  had  been  in 
the  service  forty  years  and  had  never  received  such  an  order  before,  and  refused 
to  pay  it.  Before  that  came  to  me  Captain  Schwartz  had  left  the  house.  I  sent 
for  him,  and  the  next  day  sent  him  with  another  order  to  the  paymaster  direct 
ing  him  to  pay  that  money;  and  I  sent  Captain  Zagoni  with  a  file  of  men,  and 
gave  him  written  instructions  to  the  effect  that  if  Colonel  Andrews  did  not  obey 
that  order  to  arrest  him  and  place  him  in  confinement ;  to  deliver  him  to  Colonel 
McKinley,  and  have  him  confined  in  the  town  hall — that  is  to  say,  at  the  city 
garrison.  Captain  Zagoni  went  with  Captain  Schwartz  ;  the  order  was  pre 
sented,  and  Colonel  Andrews  again  refused  to  pay  it,  and  Captain  Zagoni 
arrested  him.  After  being  arrested  in  that  way  Colonel  Andrews  paid  the  order. 

Question.  Was  the  money  in  Colonel  Andrews's  hands  at  that  time  money 
that  had  been  obtained  by  you  in  the  same  manner  as  the  sums  to  which  you 
have  before  referred1? 

Answer.  I  do  not  know.  I  intended  the  order  to  be  against  any  money  he 
might  have  on  hand,  from  whatever  source  it  might  have  been  obtained. 

Question.  Intending  to  be  governed  in  your  department  according  to  the 
necessities  of  the  case,  without  regard  to  restrictions  ? 

Answer.  Exactly. 

Question.  Did  you  at  any  time  order  or  demand  money  of  the  assistant 
treasurer  of  the  United  States  at  St.  Louis  ? 

Answer.  I  did. 

Question.  Under  what  circumstances,  and  for  what  reasons  1 

Answer.  Shortly  after  I  went  to  the  department,  there  being  no  money  at  all, 
the  troops  being  about  to  disband  and  refusing  to  re-enlist  because  they  were 
not  paid,  and  there  being  an  immediate  demand  for  troops,  I  applied  to  the 
treasurer,  who  I  understood  to  have  about  $300,000  then  on  hand,  for  $100,000. 
He  declined  to  do  so.  I  sent  for  him  and  had  a  conversation  with  him,  in  which 
I  urged  upon  him  the  expediency  and  necessity  of  using  that  money,  or  a  por 
tion  of  it,  in  that  way.  He,  however,  after  reflection,  decided  that  he  could  not 
do  it.  I  then  ordered  my  adjutant  general  to  take  with  him  as  much  force  as 
might  be  necessary  and  go  and  take  the  money,  and  deliver  it  to  the  paymaster, 
to  be  used  as  circumstances  might  require.  I  did  that  in  the  exercise  of  the 
power  I  understood  myself  to  have,  and  which  I  believed  I  did  have.  I  in 
formed  the  President  that  I  was  about  to  do  it,  and  should  do  it. 

Question.  Did  you  ever  receive  any  reply  in  answer  to  that  communication? 

Answer.  No,  sir. 

Question.  In  relation  to  orders  for  ice  to  be  sent  from  St.  Louis  to  Jefferson 
City.  Will  you  state  what  order  was  given  in  relation  to  that  matter,  the  neces 
sity  for  the  order,  and  what  was  done  in  pursuance  of  it? 


TESTIMONY  59 

Answer.  A  requisition  was  made  upon  me  for  ice  by  Doctor  Tellekamp,  who 
was  my  first  medical  officer,  and  I  approved  the  requisition,  of  course,  in  the 
confidence  that  his  judgment  was  correct  as  to  the  quantity  of  ice  that  would 
probably  be  required  in  the  events  that  were  then  expected  to  take  place.  He 
made  the  requisition  in  anticipation  of  a  battle  between  Sedalia  and  Lexington, 
in  which  70,000  men  would  be  engaged — that  being  about  the  number  to  which 
the  forces  on  both  sides  amounted.  In  that  event,  there  would  be  many  killed 
and  wounded,  and  that  would  necessitate  the  use  of  a  large  quantity  of  ice ;  and 
in  order  to  be  certain  to  have  enough,  he  made  a  requisition  for  500  tons  so  as 
to  secure  it  at  St.  Louis.  I  believe  that  only  a  small  quantity  of  ice  was  sent 
up,  and  only  what  the  service  actually  required.  I  have  no  doubt  myself  that 
the  order,  though  a  large  one,  was  a  reasonable  requisition  on  his  part  under  the 
circumstances.  At  all  events,  I  was  guided  by  the  opinion  of  the  medical  offi 
cer  who  made  the  requisition.  I  think  it  is  clear,  however,  that  when  70,000 
men  are  engaged  in  battle,  as  was  his  expectation  would  be  the  case,  there  will 
be  some  use  for  ice  on  such  an  occasion.  It  is  hardly  necessary  for  me  to  say 
that  that  was  the  purpose  for  which  it  was  ordered,  and  the  only  purpose  for 
which  it  was  ordered — for  the  use  of  the  wounded  and  sick. 

Question.  Did  Mr.  Lanion,  sometimes  called  General  Lamon,  make  any  appli 
cation  to  you  for  any  force  to  be  sent  under  him  into  Western  Virginia  at  any 
time  during  your  administration  of  the  western  department  ? 

Answer.  He  did. 

Question.  Will  you  state  the  circumstances  in  relation  to  that  ? 

Answer.  General  Lamon  overtook  me  on  horseback  on  the  road  somewhere 
south  of  Warsaw.  He  brought  with  him  a  letter  from  the  governor  of  Illinois, 
informing  me  of  the  purpose  for  which  he  came,  which  was  to  get  the  Yates 
Phalanx,  a  regiment  which  had  recently  come  to  St.  Louis  from  Illinois.  As 
nearly  as  I  can  now  recollect  the  letter,  it  was  an  urgent  one  from  Governor 
Yates,  requesting  me  to  let  General  Lamon  have  that  regiment,  stating  that  it 
would  please  him ;  would  please  the  regiment,  and  would  also  please  the 
President.  The  governor  of  Illinois  had  furnished  a  large  body  of  troops  for 
Missouri,  and  had  always  been  very  solicitous  to  aid  our  operations  there  in 
every  way.  And  it  did  not  occur  to  me  to  hesitate  to  agree  at  once  to  his 
request,  and  order  the  regiment  to  be  turned  over  to  General  Lamon.  It  may 
be  as  well  for  me  to  remark  here  in  this  connexion,  also,  that  at  that  time  I  was 
in  expectation  of  being  removed  from  the  department ;  and,  as  you  may  have 
noticed,  things  were  done  a  little  loosely ;  I  mean,  referring  in  all  cases  to 
myself,  not  done  with  all  the  strictness  that  generally  pervades  a  department 
like  that.  And  I,  probably,  acceded  to  a  request  of  that  kind  the  more  readily, 
and  without  as  much  formality  as  if  I  had  been  expecting  to  remain  in  com 
mand.  At  all  events,  I  looked  upon  the  presence  of  General  Lamon  there, 
with  the  letter  from  Governor  Yates,  much  the  same  as  a  request  from  the 
President;  knowing,  as  I  did,  the  relations  General  Lamon  bore  to  the 
President. 

Question.  Do  I  understand  you  that  you  considered  the  request  of  General 
Lamon,  knowing  the  relations  between  him  and  the  President,  as  having  the 
sanction  of  the  President  ? 

Answer.  I  did. 

Question.  And  that  was  the  reason  you  complied  with  it  1 

Answer.  That  was  one  of  the  reasons,  though  General  Lamon  did  not  say 
anything  about  his  relations  with  the  President. 

By  Mr.  Odell : 

Question.  What  was  Lamon's  rank  at  that  time  1 

Answer.  I  supposed  his  rank  to  be  a  brigadier  general.     He  had  on  the 


60  TESTIMONY. 

uniform  of  a  brigadier  general.  I  understood  from  the  governor's  etter  that 
he  was  to  command  a  brigade. 

Question.  Do  you  know  what  became  of  that  regiment  ? 

Answer,  I  do  not  know.  When  I  reached  St.  Louis  again  I  was  not  in 
command,  and  it  did  not  occur  to  me  to  inquire. 

Question.  At  that  time  did  you  have  an  excess  of  troops,  so  that  you  could 
well  spare  this  regiment  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir.  There  never  was  an  occasion  when  I  could  spare  any 
troops.  I  remarked  to  General  Lamon  at  the  time  that  of  course  he  could 
have  the  regiment,  but  that  I  need  not  say  to  him  that  it  was  not  an  agreeable 
thing  to  me  to  let  any  of  my  regiments  go. 

Question.  Was  there  not  a  military,  necessity  why  you  should  not  have  let 
that  regiment  go  ? 

Answer.  Not  strictly,  I  think.  If  there  was  not  a  military  necessity  for  con 
tinuing  the  fortifications  at  St.  Louis,  there  was  not  certainly  a  military  necessity 
to  keep  one  regiment,  more  or  less,  there. 

Question.  That  regiment  was  at  St.  Louis  at  that  time. 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  There  were  other  regiments  to  replace  them.  Very  prob 
ably  the  governor  suggested  in  his  letter  that  other  regiments  would  replace 
that  one. 

By  Mr.  Gooch: 

Question.  In  complying  with  that  request,  did  you  feel  that  you  took  the 
responsibility  of  ordering  that  regiment  from  St.  Louis  to  Western  Virginia  ? 

An|wer.  No,  sir,  I  did  not.  The  question  of  responsibility  did  not  occur  to 
me.  I  supposed,  from  the  manner  in  which  the  thing  was  presented  to  me,  that 
I  was  doing  a  thing  of  course.  Business  in  our  service  is  not  done  with  the 
strictness  which  that  would  imply.  If  you  remember,  there  was  a  great  deal 
done  in  the  western  department  which  was  not  consistent  with  strict  military 
propriety  ;  a  great  deal.  And  in  my  condition,  then,  going  south  with  my  army, 
and  not  expecting  to  be  retained  in  command  long,  it  was  not  a  matter  to  me  of 
very  great  importance  whether  that  regiment  was  retained  or  not,  if  others 
thought  it  best  to  send  it  somewhere  else.  So  far  as  I  can  now  recollect,  I 
thought,  when  General  Lamon  overtook  me  and  brought  me  that  letter,  that  it 
was  a  thing  I  was  expected  to  do,  and  I  did  it.  And  to  take  the  opposite  view 
of  it,  it  would  not  have  been  very  agreeable  to  me  to  refuse  to  do  what  I  had 
reason  to  suppose  would  be  agreeable  to  the  President,  and  which  the  governor 
of  Illinois  told  me  would  be  agreeable  to  the  President. 

By  Mr.  Odell : 

Question.  It  could  not  be  done  without  a  great  expenditure  of  money,  could  it  ? 

Answer.  That  was  not  for  me  to  consider  at  all.  If  it  was  agreeable  to  the 
President,  and  pleased  him,  that  was  all  that  concerned  me.  I  knew  that  a 
fine  regiment  had  been  ordered  from  me  at  St.  Louis  a  short  time  before  that  to 
go  to  Washington.  And  consequently  that  would  not  probably  have  been  con 
sidered  by  me  to  be  a  matter  of  importance. 

By  Mr.  Gooch  : 

Question.  As  you  have  alluded  to  those  five  regiments,  will  you  state  what 
became  of  them  ?  Did  they  come  through  to  Washington  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir.  On  their  way  from  the  point  where  they  had  been  station 
ed — which  was  Fort  Holt,  in  Kentucky,  on  the  Mississippi  river — before  they 
reached  Cincinnati,  a  bridge  gave  way,  and  there  were  some  140,  more  or  less, 
of  the  men  belonging  to  those  regiments  killed  and  wounded.  They  then  went 
on  to  Camp  Dennison  and  stopped  there.  I,  in  the  meantime,  had  applied  to 
the  government,  and  urged  the  government  not  to  take  those  regiments  ;  not  to 


TESTIMONY.  61 

take  any  more ;  and  suggested  that  they  should  take  two  regiments  of  cavalry, 
which  I  could  not  arm,  and  leave  me  the  other  regiments.  And,  upon  my  rep 
resentations,  the  result  finally  was  that  the  government  did  not  press  for  the 
five  regiments,  and  permitted  these  regiments  to  remain.  And  seeing  that  Gen 
eral  Anderson  had  need  at  the  time  of  forces  in  Kentucky,  as  they  had  gone 
that  far,  I  ordered  them  to  join  General  Anderson. 

Question.  Did  the  five  regiments  leave  you  at  that  time  ? 

Answer.  Only  these  two. 

Question.  Was  that  at  a  time  when  you  could  spare  the  troops  ? 

Answer.  Not  at  all. 

By  Mr.  Odell: 

Question.  From  whom  did  you  receive  the  order  to  send  those  five  regiments 
on  here  ? 

Answer.  From  General  Scott,  and  from  the  Secretary  of  War,  both. 

By  Mr.  Gooch : 

Question.  You  constructed  railroads  and  equipped  them,  purchased  cars,  &c. 
Will  you  state  to  the  committee  the  reasons  which  led  you  to  construct  those 
railroads,  and  whether  or  not  any  advantages  were  derived  from  that  work  ? 

Answer.  I  ordered  our  superintendent  of  roads  to  examine  the  rolling  stock 
of  all  the  railroads,  and  ascertain  what  amount  there  was,  in  order  to  know 
what  force  could  be  moved  at  any  time  upon  those  roads.  His  report  showed 
that  the  quantity  of  rolling  stock  was  not  at  all  equal  to  what  our  requirements 
demanded.  I  applied  to  the  president  of  the  Pacific  railroad  to  ascertain  if 
any,  and  what,  arrangements  could  be  made  to  provide  more  stock.  It  was 
found  upon  examination  that  it  could  not  well  be  done  through  him,  mainly  be 
cause  we  had  no  money  to  give  him  to  enable  him  to  provide  additional  stock, 
even  if  that  would  have  answered  the  purpose.  I  therefore  had  the  matter 
further  inquired  into,  and  after  some  examination  I  ordered  a  contract  for  cars 
to  be  made,  which  was  given  to  a  Mr.  Murray,  of  Cincinnati,  who  had  fbunderies 
both  at  Cincinnati  and  St.  Louis.  And  growing  out  of  the  same  investigation, 
I  suppose,  it  became  apparent  that  great  advantages  would  be  derived  if  all 
those  roads  could  be  connected.  At  the  extremities  of  the  roads  were  our  posts. 
The  roads  led  through  portions  of  country,  or  to  points,  which  we  supposed  to 
be  threatened  by  the  enemy  at  any  time,  and  a  junction  of  the  roads,  with  a 
sufficient  quantity  of  rolling  stock,  would  enable  us  to  throw  from  any  one  or 
more  points  to  any  other  point  a  force  to  meet  any  emergency.  I  therefore 
ordered  a  junction  to  be  made  which  connected  the  road  running  from  Irouton 
to  St.  Louis,  the  Pacific  road,  the  road  that  runs  to  Rolla,  and  the  road  that 
runs  through  the  northern  part  of  the  State,  so  that  all  the  roads  were  con 
nected  ;  and  the  result  of  the  whole  arrangement  was  that  with  twenty -four 
hours'  notice  20,000  troops  could  be  moved  from  St.  Louis  to  any  point  which 
might  be  threatened.  It  had  this  further  advantage,  the  railroad  was  brought 
right  along  the  river  bank  at  St.  Louis,  so  that  upon  the  arrival  of  troops  from 
Illinois,  or  any  other  State  east,  they  could  be  brought  over  in  the  steamer 
always  kept  in  readiness  there  and  transferred  directly  to  the  railroad — they 
and  their  equipments  and  their  supplies — and  sent  off  immediately  to  any  one 
of  our  posts,  or  to  the  interior  of  the  State.  Formerly  the  quartermaster's  de 
partment  had  to  hire  wagons,  sometimes  hauling  equipments  and  supplies  two 
and  two  and  a  half  miles  through  the  city  to  the  different  depots,  and  troops 
arriving  there  had  to  move  from  one  point  to  another  with  all  their  supplies.  In 
this  case,  as  we  often  had  occasion  to  employ  it,  a  regiment  embarked  at  Iron- 
ton,  for  instance,  and  passed  right  through  St.  Louis,  with  all  their  equipments, 
&c.,  and  proceeded  directly  to  Jefferson  City,  or  any  other  point  where  they 
were  needed;  or  a  regiment  from  any  one  of  the  posts  would  come  to  St.  Louis 


62  TESTIMONY. 

and  pass  right  through  on  the  cars,  without  stopping  at  all  in  the  city,  and  go 
to  any  other  place  where  they  were  needed.  And  so  with  regiments  arriving 
by  the  river  boats. 

By  Mr.  Covode  : 

Question.  Where  did  you  connect  these  roads  ? 

Answer.  In  the  city  of  St.  Louis.  They  were  all  brought  to  a  common  land 
ing  place  on  the  river.  As  an  instance  in  point :  the  rebels  tore  up  about  100 
miles  of  track,  more  or  less,  on  the  North  Missouri  railroad,  which  runs  to  St. 
Joseph.  Probably  a  part  of  the  rolling  stock  of  that  road  was  on  one  side  of 
that  break  and  a  part  on  the  other.  The  military  authorities  went  to  the  Pacific 
railroad  and  took  35  of  these  very  cars  which  I  had  made  as  the  best  cars  to  be 
used,  and  transferred  them  to  the  North  Missouri  road,  and  no  doubt  that  single 
operation  was  worth  more  to  the  government  than  the  entire  cost  of  all  those 
cars. 

Question.  By  this  connexion  you  made  the  stock  on  all  the  roads  available 
for  any  one  road  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  I  first  sent  across  the  river,  before  I  ordered  any  cars  to 
be  made,  to  see  if  stock  could  be  secured  from  the  Illinois  roads.  But  I  found 
they  would  not  answer,  as  the  gauge  was  different,  and  I  was  obliged  to  have 
cars  constructed.  It  gives  this  advantage  to  Missouri :  that  at  any  time,  with 
24  hours'  notice,  you  can  transport  as  large  a  body  of  troops  as  20,000  men 
from  one  part  of  the  State  to  any  other  part. 

By  Mr.  Gooch: 

Question.  You  say  the  government  has  availed  itself,  and  is  still  availing 
itself,  of  the  advantages  of  this  connexion  ? 

Answer.  Unquestionably  it  is.  It  is  an  important  advantage  to  the  entire 
State  and  to  the  government  in  its  operations  there.  It  is  but  recently  that  the 
instance  occurred  to  which  I  have  referred,  when  35  cars  were  taken  from  the 
Pacific  road  and  used  on  another  road. 

Question.  How  many  cars  did  you  order  to  be  made  ? 

Answer.  Fifty,  I  think. 

By  Mr.  Odell: 

Question.  Do  you  remember  the  price  1 

Answer.  I  think  somewhere  near  $800  a  car.  But  I  do  not  know  exactly. 
I  would  not  like  to  be  positive. 

By  Mr.  Gooch : 

Question.  Can  you  tell  me  how  many  regiments  were  stationed  in  Northern 
Missouri,  under  General  Pope,  at  the  time  you  took  charge  of  the  western  de 
partment  ? 

Answer.  Not  exactly;  probably  from  five  to  seven  regiments.  I  do  not  now 
remember  the  number.  I  had  just  reached  the  State  then.  The  disposable 
force,  whatever  it  was — all  our  Illinois  disposable  force — was  ordered  into  North 
ern  Missouri  at  General  Pope's  request. 

Question.  Do  you  know  where  those  troops  were  stationed — at  what  points  ? 

Answer.  Along  the  line  of  the  Hannibal  and  St.  Joseph  railroad,  north  of 
the  road — scattered  about  the  interior  there. 

Question.  How  many  troops  did  you  find  at  St.  Louis  at  that  time  ? 

Answer.  Few,  if  any ;  a  regiment  or  two,  possibly,  and  some  home  guard 
regiments. 

Question.  On  what  day  did  you  arrive  at  St.  Louis  and  take^command  ? 

Answer.  On  the  25th  of  July. 

Question.  And  the  battle  of  Wilson's  Creek  was  on  the  10th  of  August  1 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 


TESTIMONY.  63 

Question.  When  did  you  first  learn  that  General  Lyon  was  threatened  by  a 
superior  force  of  the  enemy  1 

Answer.  While  in  New  York  city,  I  think. 

Question.  In  what  manner  1 

Answer.  By  a  telegraphic  despatch  to  the  effect  that  he  needed  re-enforce 
ments.  That,  I  think,  was  about  the  18th  of  July.  A  large  part  of  the  dispo 
sable  force  was  then  with  him. 

Question.  Was  it  in  your  power  at  that  time  to  have  ordered  any  troops  to- 
the  assistance  of  General  Lyon  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir ;  not  under  the  circumstances. 

Question.  Did  you  at  any  time  order  any  troops  to  his  assistance  ? 

Answer.  About  the  3d  of  August,  I  think,  I  ordered  the  regiment  under  Col 
onel  Stephenson — one  of  our  best  regiments — and  Colonel  Montgomery,  with 
his  mounted  command,  from  Kansas,  both  to  march  to  the  relief  of  General 
Lyon.  And  on  my  arrival  at  St.  Louis  I  also  ordered  Colonel  Wyman  to  march 
with  his  regiment  from  Holla.  Colonel  Stephenson,  who  was  at  Boonville,  got 
as  far  as  Rolla  on  his  way  to  General  Lyon ;  and  there  were  three  regiments 
under  marching  orders  to  join  General  Lyon  when  he  was  defeated. 

Question.  Did  those  regiments  have  sufficient  means  of  transportation  to  en 
able  them  to  go  to  the  relief  of  General  Lyon  ? 

Answer.  That  depends  upon  what  would  be  considered  sufficient.  Colonel 
Stephenson  did  move  from  Boonville  to  Rolla.  I  received  a  letter  from  him  in 
forming  me  that  he  did  not  consider  the  transportation  at  Rolla  sufficient ;  that 
he  thought  it  inexpedient,  or  dangerous,  to  march  from  that  point  to  the  relief 
of  General  Lyon,  because  of  the  force  of  the  enemy  which  he  apprehended 
would  be  between  him  and  the  Mississippi  river,  and  which  would  expose  his 
force  to  great  danger ;  and  he  and  Colonel  Wyman  did  not  march  from  Rolla. 
I  ordered  Colonel  Stephenson  from  Rolla  to  St.  Louis,  upon  receiving  his  letter 
stating  the  reasons  for  his  not  having  marched  to  the  relief  of  General  Lyonr 
intending  to  place  him  under  arrest ;  but  I  admitted  his  reasons  so  far  as  not  to 
do  that.  Colonel  Wyman  was  already  at  Rolla  with  his  regiment ;  and  after 
Colonel  Stephenson's  regiment  had  arrived  there,  there  were  two  regiments  at 
that  point  which  I  had  ordered  to  go  to  General  Lyon. 

Question.  Was  there  sufficient  transportation  at  Rolla,  or  transportation  with 
which  it  would  have  been  possible  for  those  two  regiments  to  have  moved  to- 
the  relief  of  General  Lyon  ? 

Answer.  I  should  certainly  consider  it  possible  for  those  two  regiments  to 
have  moved ;  that  is  to  say,  I  would  have  moved  those  two  regiments  myself, 
if  I  had  been  there.  I  consider  it  would  have  been  possible — not  convenient 
probably.  The  men  would  have  been  exposed  to  some  suffering,  no  doubt.  But 
that  is  a  matter  for  the  judgment  of  the  officer  there. 

By  Mr.  Odell : 

Question.  What  is  the  distance  from  Rolla  to  Springfield  ? 
Answer.  1  think  it  is  118  miles. 

By  Mr.  Gooch : 

Question.  There  is  no  railroad  from  Rolla  to  Springfield  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir. 

Question.  Had  any  of  the  transportation  been  ordered  from  Rolla  to  St.  Louis- 
prior  to  that  time  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir.  The  difficulty  about  transportation  there  was  in  this,  as  I 
remember  it :  General  Lyon  had  retained  the  transportation  at  Springfield — had 
not  sent  back  the  supply  train  to  Rolla.  With  that  supply  train  there  would 
have  been  abundant  transportation,  because  the  transportation  afterwards  gath 
ered  there  amounted  probably  to  between  three  hundred  and  four  hundred 


64  TESTIMONY. 

wagons,  large  and  small.     There  was  abundant  transportation  if  they  could 
have  had  it  there  at  that  time. 

Question.  The  transportation  was  with  General  Lyon  at  Springfield  instead 
of  at  Holla  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  And  no  transportation  was  ordered  from  Holla  to  St.  Louis  ? 

Answer.  I  have  no  recollection  of  any  such  thing,  and  know  no  reason  why 
any  should  have  been  so  ordered. 

Question.  Either  from  Rolla  or  from  any  other  point  from  which  it  might 
have  gone  to  Rolla  to  have  aided  those  two  regiments  to  have  moved  to  the 
support  of  General  Lyon  1 

Answer.  I  have  no  recollection  of  that.  Bear  in  mind  the  transportation  was 
very  deficient  at  that  time.  We  had  very  little  in  the  department  compared 
with  our  requirements. 

Question.  Were  you  fully  advised  in  relation  to  the  situation  of  General  Lyon 
for  some  days  prior  to  the  battle  of  Wilson's  Creek  ? 

Answer.  I  was  advised  as  to  his  condition,  I  think ;  perhaps  fully — I  cannot 
say  how  fully.  I  knew  generally  of  his  condition ;  and  you  will  see  from  his 
letter  of  the  9th  of  August  what  his  condition  was.  And  I  had  understood  his 
condition  to  be  about  as  he  states  it  there.  I  knew  he  was  in  need  of  supplies 
and  in  need  of  re-enforcements,  and  we  were  doing  everything  it  was  possible 
to  do  to  send  him  both.  Bear  in  mind,  in  going  along  over  this  subject,  that 
the  first  necessity  had  been  to  re-enforce  Cairo.  In  the  interim  between  arriving 
at  St.  Louis  and  the  defeat  of  General  Lyon  I  had  gathered  a  force  and  taken 
it  to  Cairo  to  relieve  General  Prentiss. 

Question.  Did  you  deem  it  more  advisable  that  Cairo  should  be  strengthened 
than  that  General  Lyon  should  be  re-enforced  ? 

Answer.  Clearly  so. 

Question.  State  your  reasons  for  that. 

Answer.  Cairo,  as  you  are  aware,  is  a  permanent  post,  necessary  to  be  held 
for  the  safety  of  St.  Louis.  It  was  occupied  by  General  Prentiss  with  a  force 
that  was  being  disbanded,  and  was  threatened  by  a  largely  superior  force  of  the 
enemy.  The  danger  to  Cairo,  therefore,  was  exceedingly  imminent.  General 
Lyon  had  something  near  7,000  men  with  him,  as  I  then  estimated  his  force ; 
and  it  was  supposed  that  in  case  of  extreme  difficulty  he  would  fall  back.  The 
whole  point,  in  my  mind,  was  whether  General  Lyon  would  choose  to  remain  at 
Springfield  or  to  retreat.  General  Prentiss  could  not  retreat,  and  therefore  I 
took  the  first  relief  to  Cairo  ;  went  down  with  it  myself.  General  Prentiss  told 
me  I  was  just  in  time.  He  said  he  had  felled  trees  and  barricaded  the  roads, 
and  was  hourly  expecting  an  attack.  In  fact  he  said,  I  remember,  that  General 
Pillow  was  just  forty-eight  hours  too  late.  Why  he  used  the  expression  "forty- 
eight  hours"  I  do  not  know.  That  was  the  expression  he  and  his  officers  used. 
At  all  events,  he  had  but  1,200  men  under  arms  there,  and  informed  me  then, 
and  has  since  told  me,  that  the  place  would  have  been  taken  if  I  had  not  arrived 
in  time.  I  considered  the  first  necessity  was  to  re-enforce  Cairo.  That  was 
done,  although  with  a  very  inadequate  force.  Still  it  was  sufficient,  as  it 
proved.  About  3,000  men  was  all  I  could  take  there. 

By  Mr.  Odell : 

Question.  At  what  time  did  you  re-enforce  General  Prentiss  1 
Answer.  I  left  St.  Louis  on  the  1st  day  of  August,  and  was  back  again  on 
the  4th  of  August,  having  before  I  got  back  sent  orders  to  re-enforce  General 
Lyon  with  the  two  regiments  of  Stephenson  and  Montgomery.  As  soon  as  I 
reached  St.  Louis  I  went  to  work  to  get  what  force  I  could  in  order  to  send  it 
to  General  Lyon.  I  think  it  is  very  clear  that  if  General  Lyon  had  decided  to 


TESTIMONY.  65 

fall  back  upon  Rolla,  instead  of  engaging  the  enemy,  there  would  have  been  no 
disaster,  except  losing  that  part  of  the  State. 

By  Mr.  Goocli: 

Question.  You  considered  it  in  the  power  of  General  Lyon  to  have  fallen  back 
to  Rolla? 

Answer.  General  Lyon  so  says  in  his  letter  of  August  9.  It  is  always  sup- 
posable  that  an  officer  will  not  allow  himself,  if  he  can  avoid  it,  to  get  in  a  situ 
ation  where  he  cannot  fall  back. 

Question.  Did  you  receive  any  despatch  or  communication,  or  intelligence  in 
any  way,  that  led  you  to  suppose  that  it  was  not  in  General  Lyon's  power  to 
fall  back  upon  Rolla? 

Answer.  No,  sir:  on  the  contrary,  our  information  was  to  the  effect  that  Gen 
eral  Lyon  had  had  a  successful  skirmish  with*  the  enemy.  General  Lyon  un 
doubtedly  acted  as  he  judged  was  best  under  the  circumstances. 

Question.  Did  you  send  any  men  to  Cape  Girardeau  1 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  I  re-enforced  Cape  Girardeau  at  that  time. 

Question.  Do  you  recollect  how  many  men  you  sent  there? 

Answer.  A  regiment,  I  think.  I  am  not  clear,  however,  when  I  re-enforced 
that  place. 

Question.  You  say  you  regarded  the  obstacles  in  the  way  of  Colonel  Stephen- 
son  were  so  great  as  to  excuse  him  in  not  going  to  the  relief  of  General  Lyon, 
although  you  think  if  you  had  been  in  command  yourself  there  you  would  have 
pursued  a  different  course  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir ;  I  think  I  might  have  done  so. 

By  Mr.  Odell: 

Question.  Does  that  apply  to  both  regiments  at  Rolla? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  to  the  entire  force  there. 

Question.  The  regiments  were  not  both  from  the  same  point? 

Answer.  Xo,  sir;  Stephenson's  and  Wyman's  regiments  were  at  Rolla;  that 
is,  after  Stephenson  had  arrived  there  from  Boouville,  Wyman  had  for  some 
time  previously  been  at  Rolla,  and  I  ordered  him  to  go  to  General  Lyon  after 
I  reached  St.  Louis.  Colonel  Montgomery  I  had  previously  ordered  from 
Kansas. 

Question.  You  only  refer  to  Colonel  Stephenson  as  disobeying  orders? 

Answer.  Colonel  Wyman  joined  with  Colonel  Stephenson  in  that  matter. 

Question.  How  about  Colonel  Montgomery? 

Answer.  Colonel  Montgomery  did  not  succeed  in  getting  to  General  Lyon. 

Question.  Was  he  on  hig  way  there? 

Question.  I  suppose  so.  The  order  was  directed  to  be  communicated  to  him. 
But  the  distance  was  considerable  between  St.  Louis  and  Montgomery's  position 
in  Kansas ;  and  the  10th  of  August  came  very  quickly.  I  think  you  will  find 
in  the  documents  I  have  submitted  all  the  circumstances  under  which  Cape 
Girardeau  was  re-enforced.  It  seemed  to  be  especially  the  object  of  attack  of 
Jeff.  Thompson,  who  was  near  there  with  5',000  men,  and  Hardee  was  between 
there  and  Cairo  with  7,000  or  8,000  men.  You  will  see  by  that  the  exigency 
under  which  Prentiss  and  Marsh,  commanding  at  Girardeau,  supposed  them 
selves  to  be.  You  will  find  all  these  matters  fully  set  forth  in  the  papers  I 
have  submitted. 

By  Mr.  Gooch  : 

Question.  Did  you  re-enforce  Pilot  Knob  about  this  time — the  1st  of  August 
Answer.  Yes,  sir. 
Question.  With  what  force  ? 
Answer.  I  think  with  a  regiment. 
Part  iii /> 


66         .  TESTIMONY. 

Question.  Will  you  state  your  reasons  for  strengthening  Girardeau  and  Pilot 
Knob  at  that  time  ? 

Answer.  They  were  the  outposts  of  St.  Louis.  Cape  Girardeau  was  one  of 
the  few  high  lands  on  the  river — one  of  the  points  considered  necessary  to  be 
held.  It  was  a  point  which  the  enemy  had  endeavored  to  gain  possession  of; 
they  directed  their  special  attention  to  that  object.  And  if  the  enemy  had  ob 
tained  the  possession  of  that  point  upon  the  river  they  could  have  interrupted 
communication,  by  river,  between  St.  Louis  and  Cairo. 

Question.  Did  you  send  re-enforcements  to  Holla,  after  the  news  of  Lyon's 
defeat  reached  you  I 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  How  soon? 

Answer.  As  soon  as  I  could  get  them  there. 

Question.  Could  that  force  -have  been  sent  before  and  in  season  to  have  re- 
enforced  General  Lyon  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir ;  we  had  sent  before  all  we  could. 

Question.  Did  you  order  Colonel  Mulligan  to  occupy  and  hold  Lexington;  if 
not,  what  order  did  you  give  him  in  relation  to  his  movements  I 

Answer.  It  is  difficult  for  me  to  recollect  the  orders  I  did  give,  without  my 
order-book,  which  has  been  retained  by  General  Halleck  at  St.  Louis,  contrary 
to  my  request. 

Question.  Those  orders  will  not  appear  in  the  documents  you  have  submitted 
to  the  committee?  • 

xVnswer.  No,  sir.  If  any  order  of  that  kind  was  given  to  Colonel  Mulligan — 
which  I  cannot  now  recollect — it  will  be  in  my  order-book.  Colonel  Mulligan 
was  more  especially  under  the  command  of  General  Davis,  who  was  acting  briga 
dier  general,  and  holding  Jefferson  City  with  a  large  body  of  our  force,  and  con 
trolling  that  part  of  the  State.  Colonel  Mulligan  was  subject  to  the  command 
of  General  Davis,  and  the  command  of  General  Pope.  The  county  in  which 
Lexington  lies  belonged  to  General  Pope's  command.  General  Pope  had  been 
assigned  to  the  command  of  North  Missouri,  including  the  counties  on  both  sides 
of  the  Missouri  river,  except  St.  Louis.  General  Davis  had  been  sent  to  Jeffer 
son  City  with  a  considerable  body  of  troops,  increased  to  9,000  men,  when 
Lexington  fell.  Colonel  Mulligan  would  be  more  immediately  under  his  order. 
General  Davis  was  also  in  direct  communication  with  him,  General  Pope  being 
actively  employed  in  the  northwestern  part  of  the  State.  That  Avas  the  condi 
tion  of  affairs  when  Colonel  Mulligan  was  at  Lexington.  Colonel  Mulligan  had 
been  sent,  I  think,  to  some  of  the  Osage  towns  to  take  the  money  from  the 
banks  at  those  places,  to  prevent  it  falling  into  the  hands  of  the  secessionists,  and 
he  was  then  returning  from  that  expedition,  when  Price  followed  him  up  so 
closely  and  so  rapidly  that  I  think  he  reached  Lexington  nearly  as  quickly  as 
Mulligan  did — not  much  difference  of  time  between  them. 

Question.  Then  you  cannot  state  now,  from  recollection,  Avhether  you  gave 
any  order,  either  through  General  Davis  or  General  Pope,  or  directly  to  Colonel 
Mulligan,  for  Colonel  Mulligan  to  take  and  hold  Lexington  until  he  should  re 
ceive  re-enforcements  1 

AnsAver.  Not  any  more  clearly  than  you  will  see  set  forth  in  the  telegraphic 
despatches  and  communications  which  I  have  laid  before  you.  They  comprise 
all  the  orders  and  all  the  despatches  relating  to  that  subject  Avhich  I  have  in  my 
possession.  Whatever  others  there  may  be  will  be  found  in  the  order-book 
Avhich  General  Halleck  has.  I  think  you  Avill  find  these  despatches  here  Avill 
carry  on  the  account  very  connectedly  and  very  clearly. 

Question.  Can  you  state  how  many  troops  you  had  under  your  command, 
and  Avhere  they  Avere  stationed  at  the  time  that  Colonel  Mulligan  was  at  Lex 
ington  ? 


TESTIMONY.  67 

Answer.  No  further  than  I  have  already  given  it  in  the  statement  I  have 
submitted  to  the  committee. 

Question.  Have  you  in  that  statement  given  the  reasons  for  not  re-enforcing 
Colonel  Mulligan  ? 

Answer.  I  have  stated  there  that  Davis  was  supporting  him,  and  that  re-en 
forcements  were  sent  to  him,  but  part  of  them  failed  to  reach  him. 

Question.  You  have  stated  there  all  that  was  done  towards  re-enforcing 
Colonel  Mulligan,  and  that  the  re-enforments  sent  failed  to  reach  him  ] 

Answer.  I  have  stated  the  efforts  made  to  re-enforce  him,  and  what  the  re 
sult  was. 

Question.    Were  all  the  efforts  made  that  could  be  made  ? 

Answer.    Yes,  sir;  all  that  were  deemed  necessary  to  make  were  made. 

Question.  Had  you  made  any  preparations  at  the  time  Price  was  at  Lexing 
ton  to  cut  off  his  retreat  ? 

Answer.  I  was  organizing  a  force  to  move  south  with  the  intention  of  occu 
pying  Springfield,  and  at  the  same  time  cutting  off  his  line  of  retreat,  when  his 
sudden  advance  upon  Lexington  rendered  different  arrangements  necessary.  As 
I  have  said  we  were  there  in  a  state  of  preparation  all  the  time.  The  case 
would  have  been  vastly  different  if  I  had  had  a  disposable  force  there.  If  I 
could  have  found  on  my  arrival  there  a  disposable  force  of  30,000,  there  would 
have  been  a  very  different  account  rendered  of  the  condition  of  affairs  there. 
When  I  reached  St.  Louis,  30,000  men  would  have  enabled  me  to  re-enforce 
Lyon,  sustained  Prentiss,  and  taken  New  Madrid  and  Memphis.  But  the  whole 
difficulty  consisted  in  the  fact  that  while  we  were  talking  about  re-enforcing  we 
had  nothing  to  do  it  with.  It  was  impossible  to  do  anything  more  towards  re- 
enforcing  General  Lyoii  than  was  done.  I  do  not  think  it  was  possible,  except 
by  means  that  I  did  not  then  see,  and  which  nobody  there  saw,  to  re-enforce 
Lyon,  sustain  Cairo,  or  assist  Mulligan.  A  great  deal  must  depend  upan  the 
officer  himself  who  is  to  be  re-enforced.  When  an  officer  is  two  hundred  miles 
in  advance  of  his  supports,  he  must  do  a  great  deal  for  himself.  Fully  as  much 
depends  upon  his  judgment  and  upon  his  action  as  upon  those  who  are  to  re-en 
force  him.  That  was  our  case.  Had  General  Lyon  been  able  to  retire — had 
Colonel  Mulligan  been  able  to  preserve  his  boats,  we  could,  of  course,  have  re- 
enf breed  him.  Had  Colonel  Mulligan  retired  towards  Sedalia  instead  of  entering 
Lexington,  we  could  have  re-enforced  him.  But  nothing  could  possibly  have 
enabled  re-enforcements  to  have  reached  him  any  sooner  under  the  circumstances 
than  they  did,  from  the  time  it  was  known  to  us  that  that  was  the  point  of  at 
tack,  and  that  that  was  the  place  to  be  re-enforced.  General  Davis  telegraphed 
to  me  several  points  that  he  said  were  threatened.  And  up  to  a  very  late  hour, 
I  think,  several  days  after  Price's  march  down  towards  Lexington,  General 
Davis  telegraphed  to  me  that  Boonvillc  appeared  to  be  the  point  threatened,  and 
not  Lexington.  And  he  was  a  great  deal  nearer  than  I  was. 

Question.  Was  Colonel  Mulligan  acting  under  any  instructions  from  you  that 
rendered  it  imperative  upon  him  to  take  and  hold  Lexington  ? 

Answer.  He  may  have  been.  I  do  not  bear  in  mind  whether  he  was  or  not. 
I  have  not  seen  my  order-book  since  that  date. 

Question.  Was  any  order  given  by  you  at  any  time  to  General  Lane  to  foil 
back  from  Kansas  City  to  Leavenworth  and  destroy  his  baggage  trains, 
stores,  &c.  ? 

Answer.    Destroy  his  baggagge  trains  ?    No,  sir. 

Question.    Or  to  destroy  his  stores  1 

Answer.  No,  sir ;  I  perceive  to  what  transaction  your  inquiry  refers.  It  be 
came  at  one  time  a  matter  of  expediency,  so  it  was  thought,  to  retire  our  force, 
which  was  cut  off  from  our  main  body,  and  throw  it  around  to  St.  Joseph,  and 
on  the  railroad  to  Chillicothe,  which  formed  a  part  of  our  line.  I  wished  to 
withdraw  the  force  at  Kansas  City  and  throw  it  on  the  north  side  of  the  Mis- 


€8  TESTIMONY. 

souri  river,  on  the  line  of  the  railroad  to  Chillicothe,  where  it  could  be  connected 
Avith  our  army.  Our  army  was  stretching,  and  intended  to  stretch,  at  that  time 
from  the  Osage  river  across  the  State  to  Chillicothe.  We  were  occupying  a  sort 
of  crescent-shaped  line,  intended  to  enclose  General  Price ;  and  we  were  sep 
arated  from  these  small  forces  by  the  Missouri  river.  Such  as  General  Sturgis's 
command.  The  intention  was  to  throw  General  Sturgis  and  his  force  from  his 
position  at  Kansas  City  around  to  Chillicothe,  and  bring  him  upon  the  extreme 
right  of  our  line,  and  connected  with  the  rest  of  our  force,  so  that  there  might 
be  no  more  of  these  surrenders  of  small  detached  bodies  of  troops.  It  was 
doubtful  whether  or  not  they  had  any  stores  at  Kansas  City ;  the  result  of  the 
best  inquiries  we  could  make  was  that  there  were  none  ;  but  in  directing  Gen 
eral  Sturgis  to  fall  back  and  come  around  to  Chillicothe  I  directed  him,  if  he  had 
any  stores  there  to  destroy  them,  rather  than  have  them  fall  into  the  hands  of 
the  enemy.  It  was  considered  better,  after  a  great  deal  of  deliberation,  to  throw 
General  Sturgis  around,  and  have  him  in  connexion  with  us,  than  to  leave  him 
there.  General  Lane  I  did  not  succeed  in  having  much  communication  with. 
He  was  very  difficult  to  communicate  with.  I  never  gave  him  any  orders  to  de 
stroy  his  baggage  or  provisions  ;  and  I  think  I  gave  none  to  him  in  regard  to 
Kansas  City. 

By  Mr.  Odell : 

Question.  You  do  not  remember  to  have  authorized  him  to  destroy  the  city  ? 

Answer.  To  destroy  the  city  !  no,  sir ;  I  do  not  think  I  communicated  with 
him,  for  General  Sturgis  was  his  superior  officer.  No  order  was  given  to  de 
stroy  the  city,  but  only  any  stores  which  might  belong  to  us  which  were  there. 
As  I  have  already  stated,  it  was  very  doubtful  whether  there  were  any  stores  there, 
but  if  there  were  any  such  General  Sturgis  was  directed  to  destroy  them  rather 
than  they  should  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy.  The  order  was  not  obeyed, 
however,  because  it  did  not  reach  General  Sturgis.  Our  force  was  so  scattered 
at  that  time  that  I  frequently  took  the  trouble  and  precaution  to  duplicate,  and 
even  triplicate  the  orders,  to  send  different  despatches,  as  they  were  very  fre 
quently  intercepted  by  the  enemy.  Sometimes  despatches  reached  General  Lane, 
and  sometimes  they  did  not. 

By  Mr.  Gooch  : 

Question.  Were  these  orders  given  to  destroy  stores  at  any  other  point,  or  to 
burn  any  place  on  the  retirement  of  our  troops  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir.  It  was  after  a  great  deal  of  discussion  that  this  order  to 
General  Sturgis  was  determined  upon.  It  was  one  of  those  cases  in  regard  to 
which  doubt  existed.  It  was  doubtful  whether  we  should  risk  General  Sturgis 
there,  instead  of  ordering  him  to  move  around  to  the  other  position.  But  finally, 
as  one  disaster,  as  it  was  considered,  had  been  suffered,  it  was  decided  to  move 
him  around. 

Question.  In  regard  to  the  suppression  of  newspapers  in  your  department, 
will  you  state  to  the  committee  what  was  done  in  that  respect  ? 

Answer.  I  think  there  were  three  or  four  suppressions. 

Question.  For  what  reasons  1 

Answer.  Because  they  were  considered  detrimental  to  the  service  there.  We 
had  but  little  of  that  to  do.  'The  most  of  that  that  was  done  was  upon  the 
declaration  of  martial  law.  It  was  generally  acceded  to,  generally  considered 
to  be  right.  We  gained  over  some  papers.  We  treated  the  St.  Louis  Republi 
can,  having  a  large  circulation,  with  a  great  deal  of  consideration,  and  it  finally 
became,  earnestly  and  emphatically,  one  of  the  supporters  of  the  administra 
tion.  I  have  always  considered  that  one  of  the  most  important  papers  in  Mis 
souri.  It  was  a  hostile  paper  when  I  got  there,  but  afterwards  became  a 
friendly  paper. 


TESTIMONY.  6# 

Question.  That  paper  was  not  suppressed  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir.  The  object  was  to  make  it  a  friendly  paper.  Although 
it  had  been  an  opposing  paper,  it  had  never  used  violent  language,  or  done  any 
thing  with  an  obvious  design  and  purpose  to  stir  up  the  people  against  us.  It 
had  always  taken  a  fair  political  stand.  During  the  latter  part  of  my  adminis 
tration  there  was  nothing  of  the  kind  done  there. 

Question.  There  have  been  frequent  rumors  and  statements  that  persons  who 
came  to  you  as  messengers  from  officers  in  the  field,  and  other  persons  having 
important  communications  relative  to  the  conduct  of  the  war  in  the  western  de 
partment,  found  it  impossible  to  gain  access  to  you  while  you  were  in  command 
there.  f 

Answer.  I  do  not  believe  that  such  was  the  case  at  all.  I  think  that  all  offi 
cers  having  reason  to  see  me,  having  business  with  me,  could  readily  find  access 
to  me,  taking  their  turn.  I  always  occupied  from  very  early  in  the  morning 
until  very  late  at  night  with  those  things  which  were  most  pressing  and  neces- 
to  be  attended  to. 


By  Mr.  Odell  : 

Question.  When  you  say,  "  taking  their  turn,"  do  you  mean  that  we  should 
infer  that  it  was  a  matter  of  two  or  three  days  for  a  man  to  get  to  see  you  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir  ;  not  any  one  having  business  in  reference  to  the  department, 
when  I  knew  of  it.  I  dare  say  there  were  men  who  waited  two  or  three  days,  or 
even  a  week,  to  see  me  there  ;  that  may  have  been.  But  there  was  a  standing  order 
that  an  officer  coming  to  see  me,  no  matter  what  his  business  was,  should  come 
up  without  any  hindrance.  The  business  pertaining  to  the  department  I 
attended  to  first,  and  all  other  business  as  I  could  find  time  to  dispose  of  it. 
The  orders  issued  to  the  commanding  officer  of  the  guard  were  of  such  a  nature 
that  they  could  be  easily  ascertained  by  applying  to  him  at  any  time. 

By  Mr.  Gooch  : 

Question.  It  has  been  stated  that  the  house  occupied  as  your  headquarter8 
was  unnecessarily  expensive  to  the  government.  Will  you  state  the  facts  in 
relation  to  that  ? 

Answer.  I  do  not  think  the  quarters  occupied  were  unusually  expensive. 
They  were  comfortable  and  commodious,  but  I  do  not  think  that  the  resulting 
expense  to  the  government  was  greater  than  would  have  been  for  any  number  of 
smaller  houses  which  the  department  might  have  required.  It  was  pretty  well 
occupied  by  officers.  The  fact  of  that  particular  house  having  been  taken 
happened  in  this  way  :  On  our  arrival  at  St.  Louis,  and  even  before  our  arrival 
there,  we  were  invited  by  Mrs.  Brandt,  who  Avas  Mrs.  Fremont's  cousin,  to  oc 
cupy  her  house.  It  was  then  vacant,  she  being  absent  from  the  city,  and  about 
to  start  for  Europe.  We  occupied  the  house  for  some  time  without  paying  any 
rent,  and  then  decided  that  it  was  so  commodious  and  so  suitable  for  headquar 
ters  that  it  should  be  hired.  And  it  accordingly  was  hired.  How  the  price 
paid  for  it  would  compare  with  other  houses  in  other  parts  of  the  town  I  do 
not  know. 

By  Mr.  Odell  : 

Question.  Do  you  remember  the  price  paid  ? 

Answer.  It  was  $6,000.  In  it  were  accommodated  all  my  working  staff 
officers  with  myself;  quite  a  number  of  them.  It  was  made  the  central  head 
quarters.  The  telegraph  wires  were  brought  there  ;  and  it  was  about  such  a 
house,  and  had  about  such  accommodations,  as  a  department  of  that  size  would 
require.  At  all  events,  it  never  occurred  to  me  that  we  were  incurring  any  un 
usual  expense  until  I  saw  it  afterwards  questioned. 


70  TESTIMONY. 

By  Mr.  Goocli : 

Question.  Will  you  sftite  to  the  committee  the  reasons  which  induced  you  to 
make  the  proclamation  which  has  been  so  much  talked  of  since,  and  all  the 
facts  connected  with  that  proclamation,  so  far  as  you  remember  them  ? 

Answer.  I  judged  it  expedient  to  make  the  proclamation  because  I  began  to 
find  myself  pressed  to  meet  what  I  considered  serious  dangers.  Our  means 
there  were  all  the  time  very  inadequate,  and  I  thought  that  the  time  had  come 
when  it  was  necessary  to  strike  some  decided  blow  against  the  enemy,  and  I 
judged  that  the  measures  proposed  by  the  proclamation  were  such  as  would 
give  us  a  great  and  important  advantage  over  our  enenw.  Without  going  into 
detail,  I  judged  that  the  condition  of  the  country,  the  activity  and  the  uni 
versality  of  the  rebellion,  and  the  strength  of  the  force  against  us,  rendered  it 
necessary  that  I  should  take  the  best  measures  I  could  to  suppress  the  rebellion 
there. 

By  the  chairman : 

Question.  How  did  it  operate  while  it  was  in  force  ? 

Answer.  It  operated  admirably  while  it  was  in  force.  The  effect  it  produced 
fully  satisfied  me  that  it  was  a  good  measure. 

By  JVIr.  Julian : 

Question.  What  was  the  effect  of  the  modification  of  it  1 

Answer.  It  was,  in  my  judgment,  injurious,  so  far  as  my  observation  Avent. 
I  made  the  proclamation  as  a  war  measure,  judging  that  its  effect  would  be  im 
mediate  and  beneficial ;  and  it  proved  so,  so  far  as  I  had  an  opportunity  to 
judge ;  and,  except  in  one  of  the  clauses,  I  think  the  terms  of  that  proclamation 
have  been  carried  out  since  I  left  the  department.  The  reasons  for  issuing  that 
proclamation  may  be  generally  embraced  in  the  statement  that  I  then  thought 
the  condition  of  the  department  had  become  critical,  and  that  decided  measures 
and  effective,  such  as  I  judged  those  to  be,  which  would  strike  home,  ought  to 
be  adopted  at  once.  I  came  to  the  determination  of  issuing  that  proclamation, 
and  immediately  notified  the  President  of  the  United  States  of  its  issue.  For 
his  answer,  and  the  terms  in  which  he  modified  that  proclamation,  I  refer  to 
the  papers  accompanying  my  statement.  It  will  be  there  seen  that  the  President 
modified  the  proclamation  in  two  particulars  :  first,  as  regards  freeing  the  slaves 
of  rebels ;  and,  secondly,  as  regards  shooting  rebels  who  should  be  taken  in 
arms  within  our  lines.  His  letter  to  that  effect,  and  mine  in  answer,  are  among 
the  papers  I  have  submitted.  That  was  the  first  act  which  met  the  disappro 
bation  of  the  Executive  in  any  way ;  and  the  President  himself,  in  his  letter 
suggesting  or  directing  modifications,  states  that  he  does  not  imply  any  censure. 
About  that  time,  however,  as  these  papers  will  show,  the  confidence  of  the 
administration  was  withdrawn.  The  first  committee  of  investigation  came  to 
my  department  shortly  afterwards.  I  believe  the  committee — Mr.  Blair  and 
General  Meigs — left  Washington  about  the  6th  of  September.  Up  to  that  time 
I  had  the  confidence  of  the  administration,  so  far  as  indications  were  given  to 
me.  At  least  there  was  nothing  to  lead  me  to  suppose  that  there  had  been  any 
withdrawal  of  the  confidence  of  the  administration. 

By  Mr.  Julian : 

Answer  You  never  heard  of  any  dissatisfaction  until  the  publication  of  that 
proclamation  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir;  and  I  think  the  papers  I  have  submitted  to  the  committee 
will  show  that  up  to  that  time  no  dissatisfaction  on  the  part  of  the  administra 
tion  had  been  shown,  and  between  the  publication  of  that  proclamation  and  the 
arrival  of  the  first  committee  of  investigation  there  had  been  no  act  of  any 
marked  importance  in  the  department  to  call  for  any  expression  of  opinion. 


TESTIMONY.  71 

Colonel  Blair's  letter  was  dated  the  first  day  of  September.  The  third  day  of 
September  Montgomery  Blair  wrote  me  the  letter  which  I  have  submitted.  It 
was  through  him  that  I  usually  communicated  with  the  administration  here. 
Consequently,  up  to  the  third  day  of  September,  there  would  appear  to  have 
been  nothing  against  my  administration  of  affairs  there. 

Question.  When  the  congressional  committee  came  out  there,  had  you  any 
knowledge  of  its  coming,  or  any  opportunity  to  present  facts  before  it  1 

Answer.  I  had  no  knowledge  whatever  of  its  coming,  and  no  opportunity  was 
afforded  to  me  to  present  anything  before  it. 

Question.  You  were  in  the  field  at  that  time  ? 

Answer.  I  was  in  the  field  then.  I  never  had  any  communication  whatever 
of  any  kind  with  the  committee.  As  to  the  proclamation  I  will  remark  that  I 
issued  it,  having  consideration  to  the  exigencies  of  the  department  at  that  time, 
and  considering  it  within  the  powers  of  a  general  commanding. 

By  the  chairman  : 

Question.  It  is  said  that  you  organized  a  body  guard  that  was  in  some  mili 
tary  sense  objectionable  or  unusual.  Will  you  explain  that  ? 

Answer.  It  is  altogether  wrong  to  say  that  it  was  unusual,  because  every 
general  has  a  body  guard,  or  may  have  it,  and  ought  to  have  it  .in  the  field,  and 
this  was  organized  as  something  necessary  to  a  general.  At  first  it  consisted  of 
one  company  only,  and  in  nowise  differing  from  ordinary  body  guard's  assigned 
to  generals,  that  I  am  aware  of.  There  was  nothing  unusual  in  the  manner  of 
their  enlistment.  They  were  enlisted  like  other  troops  for  three  years,  and  in 
precisely  the  same  way.  It  has  been  said  that  their  uniforms  were  something 
extraordinary,  showy,  and  magnificent.  Their  uniform  was  as  modest  a  one 
and  as  plain  as  well  could  be.  As  to  their  duties,  they  were  important  and  ar 
duous.  They  were  liable  to  be  called  out  at  any  hour  of  the  day  or  night  for 
any  service.  One  among  other  reasons  for  forming  this  body  guard  was  that 
we  wished  to  have -cavalry  officers  instructed,  and  this  guard  was  considered  a 
good  school  for  cavalry  officers.  They  were  regularly  instructed  in  all  the  duties 
of  cavalry  officers.  Gradually,  when  we  found  that  it  was  a  success,  it  was 
increased  to  four  companies.  But  the  captain  commanding  the  corps  did  not 
obtain  the  appointment  of  major  until  Ave  were  going  to  take  the  field.  We 
never  had,  as  has  been  stated,  a  greater  number  of  officers  for  that  corps  than 
such  a  body  of  men  were  entitled  to.  There  was  a  smaller  number  of  officers, 
in  fact.  Results  have  shown  how  good  a  body  of  men  they  were;  how  success 
ful  they  were  in  the  field. 

Question.  It  proved  to  be  a*  success,  did  it  ? 

Answer.  It  proved  to  be  a  thorough  success.  It  was  held  by  all  officers, 
volunteers  and  regulars,  that  it  was  the  best  cavalry  in  the  service.  That  was 
the  opinion  of  Colonel  Eaton,  and  other  officers  there,  who  resisted  its  being 
disbanded,  and  endeavored  to  have  it  retained  in  the  service  after  the  order  for 
disbanding  it  had  been  issued.  To  show  the  class  of  men  of  which  it  was  com 
posed,  a  sergeant  of  that  cavalry  is  now  a  lieutenant  colonel,  and  other  men  are 
captains,  scattered  around  the  country. 

By  Mr.  Odell : 

Question.  Made  captains  by  your  creation? 
Answer.  No,  sir;  have  become  so  since  I  left. 

By  the  chairman : 

Question.  How  came  it  that  such  a  body  of  men,  who  had  so  distinguished 
themselves,  was  disbanded  ? 

Answer.  They  werA  disbanded,  as  I  was  informed  by  General  McClellan, 
because  they  had  expressed  sentiments  at  Springfield  which  made  it  of  doubt. 


72  TESTIMONY. 

ful  expediency  whether  or  not  they  should  be  retained  in  the  service.  Although 
I  had  been  removed  from  that  department,  I  expected,  of  course,  to  go  into  the 
service  again.  I  applied  to  General  McClellan  to  allow  me  to  retain  that  guard. 
I  knew  that  a  better  body  of  men  than  that  I  could  not  find ;  and  that  in  the 
field  it  is  very  important  to  have  a  body  of  men  who  would  do  Avhat  they  were 
told  to  do,  and  do  it  thoroughly.  In  reply  to  my  request  he  gave  me  that 
answer,  and  asked  me  to  reply  to  it.  I  replied  to  him,  and  stated  that  I  was 
not  informed  of  any  expression  used  by  the  guard  at  Springfield  which  made  it 
of  doubtful  expediency  whether  or  not  they  should  be  retained  in  the  service 
of  the  country;  but,  on  the  contrary,-  that  the  gallantry  of  their  conduct  at 
Springfield  had  entitled  them  to  the  favorable  consideration  of  the  government; 
and  I  asked  him,  if  any  harsh  measures  had  been  directed  against  them,  that 
he  would  reconsider  the  case,  in  view  of  these  facts.  To  that  the  general  never 
returned  any  answer,  and  they  were  disbanded.  I  am  told  that  General  Sturgis, 
when  he  went  out  to  disband  them,  after  the  order  had  been  issued,  and  they 
had  been  paraded  for  that  purpose,  when  he  saw  them  drawn  up  before  him 
said  that  he  would  not  disband  them,  but  would  go  back  to  General  Halleck 
and  endeavor  to  get  the  order  rescinded.  He  did  go  to  him,  but  the  order  was 
carried  out.  It  must  be  said  that  the  men  by  that  time  had  got  into  a  very  dis 
organized  condition.  They  considered  that  they  had  been  insulted  arid  degraded. 
When  they  got  back  to  St.  Louis  they  could  obtain  no  pay,  and  were  allowed 
no  food  for  their  horses  or  rations  for  themselves.  It  was  a  severe  shock  to 
them.  They  had  thought  that  on  account  of  their  conduct  they  had  a  right  to 
be  well  considered.  They  thought,  probably,  that  they  would  be  promoted,  or 
rewarded  in  some  way ;  and  when  they  met  the  order  to  disband,  as  though  they 
had  done  something  injurious  to  the  country,  they  naturally  were  angry,  and 
they  refused  to  stay  any  longer.  Those  men  were  enlisted  for  three  years,  and 
enlisted  regularly.  They  and  their  officers  were  mustered  into  the  service  by 
an  officer  of  the  regular  army.  They  certainly  did  their  duty.  No  application 
was  ever  made  to  me  to  know  whether  they  had  done  their  duty,  or  whether 
they  had  been  guilty  of  any  misconduct. 

By  Mr.  Chandler : 

Question.  How  many  of  those  men  made  that  charge  at  Springfield ;  three 
companies  1 

Answer.  There  were  three  companies  of  cavalry  there  belonging  to  what  was 
called  "  the  prairie  scouts,"  Irish  dragoons.  They  went  with  this  guard  down 
the  lane.  There  were  149  or  150  of  the  guard,  and  then  three  companies  of 
the  others.  At  the  head  of  the  lane,  where  they  emerged  from  the  wood,  they 
met  so  heavy  a  fire  that  it  disorganized  the  three  companies,  but  a  portion  of 
one  of  the  three  companies  continued  on  with  the  guard ;  and  some  of  the 
officers  of  one  of  those  three  companies  jumped  their  horses  over  a  very  high 
fence  that  was  there.  I  think  some  eight  or  ten  men  fell  at  that  place.  The 
three  companies  wheeled  and  took  the  road  around  another  way.  But  the 
guards,  when  they  failed  to  get  through  the  fence — Major  Zagoni  found  it  was 
too  severe  there — charged  .down  the  lane  some  150  or  200  yards,  took  the  fence 
down,  formed  inside,  and  charged  up  the  hill  where  the  enemy  was  drawn  up 
in  line.  About  149  of  the  guard  made  that  charge,  and  there  the  principal 
fight  took  place.  The  enemy  had  some  500  cavalry,  and  the  rest  were  foot. 

By  the  chairman : 

Question.  And  they  routed  the  whole  of  them  ] 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  they  broke  them  up  and  dispersed  them;  they  drove 
them  into  the  woods,  and  charged  upon  them  and  fought  them  there ;  they 
drove  them  into  the  town,  and  charged  upon  them  there  and  fought  them  through 
the  town. 


TESTIMONY.  73 

Question.  Were  you  informed  what  those  expressions  were  for  which  they 
were  disbanded  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir ;  I  never  have  been  informed.  The  correspondence  between 
General  McClellan  and  myself  terminated  at  that  point.  He  telegraphed  to  me 
to  this  effect :  "I  am  officially  informed  that  the  body  of  cavalry  known  as 
your  body  guard  expressed  sentiments  at  Springfield  which  renders  it  of  doubt 
ful  expediency  whether  or  not  they  should  be  retained  in  the  service.  In  con 
sequence  of  that,  I  had,  before  receiving  your  request,  already  directed  that 
they  should  be  dismissed  the  public  service."  I  think  that  is  the  substance  of 
his  communication.  I  telegraphed  back,  and  informed  him  that  I  had  not  been 
informed  of  the  expression  of  any  sentiments  by  my  guard  at  Springfield  which 
would  make  it  of  doubtful  expediency  whether  or  not  they  should  be  retained 
in  the  service.  But  I  stated  that,  on  the  contrary,  I  thought  the  gallantry  of 
their  conduct  at  Springfield  entitled  them  to  the  favorable  consideration  of  the 
government. 

Question.  To  which  he  made  no  reply  ? 

Answer.  He  made  no  reply  at  all.  I  asked  him  to  reconsider  the  case,  leav- 
it  open  to  him,  if  he  should  reconsider  it,  to  apply  to  me,  as  they  were  my 
guard,  under  my  command,  to  learn  what  they  had  done  to  justify  measures  so 
harsh.  I  asked  him,  in  view  of  these  facts,  to  reconsider  the  case,  in  the  event 
of  any  harsh  measures  having  been  directed  against  them. 

By  Mr.  Odell: 

Question.  Where  were  these  men  from  ? 

Answer.  From  Kentucky,  mainly  ;  some  were  from  Ohio,  and  some  from 
Missouri.  There  were  LOO  picked  men  from  Kentucky,  who  came  in  a  body. 
They  certainly  were  as  fine  looking  a  body  of  men  as  you  could  meet  any 
where.  They  were  really  a  remarkable  body  of  men. 

By  the  chairman : 

Question.  Were  they  offered  any  court-martial,  or  court  of  inquiry,  to  ascer 
tain  what  they  had  done  to  merit  this  treatment  ? 
Answer.  Nothing  more  than  I  have  told  you. 

By  Mr.  Julian : 

Question.  Did  they  know  anything  about  what  they  were  charged  with  ? 

Answer.  Nothing ;  nobody  knows  more  than  I  have  told  you  now.  Major 
Zagoni  is  really  a  soldier,  and  a  thorough  one.  For  a  man  of  his  age  he  is 
really  distinguished.  He  rose  in  the  Hungarian  army  from  a  lieutenant  to  a 
captain ;  lae  fought  his  way  up,  and  did  good  service  there.  He  was  an  officer 
in  a  corps  about  the  size  of  this  guard,  of  about  300  or  400  men,  and  when  Bern 
was  surrounded  they  cut  their  way  through  two  Austrian  regiments  that  blocked 
up  the  road  and  carried  Bern  off.  They  lost  nearly  all  their  command,  but  they 
succeeded  in  carrying  him  off. 

By  the  chairman : 

Question.  I  want  to  inquire  of  you  how  far  you  had  advanced  with  your 
army,  what  you  expected  to  accomplish,  and  where  was  the  enemy  when  you 
were  superseded  by  General  Hunter  ? 

Answer.  I  was  at  Springfield  when  the  order  superseding  me  reached  me  on 
the  2d  day  of  November.  I  was  within  nine  miles  of  General  Price's  advance 
guard. 

Question.  What  was  the  strength  and  condition  of  your  army  at  that  time  ? 

Answer.  It  was  in  good  fighting  condition — in  thoroughly  good  fighting  con 
dition.  I  should  have  gone  into  action  on  the  morning  of  the  4th  with  21,000 


74  TESTIMONY. 

effective  men.  The  other  division,  which  had  not  then  got  up,  would  not  have 
joined  in  that  action.  General  Hunter  would  not  have  been  in  that  action. 

Question.  What  was  the  strength  of  the  enemy,  so  far  as  you  understood,  at 
that  time  ? 

Answer.  The  reports  sent  in  to  me  by  General  Sigel  and  General  Asboth  011 
the  afternoon  of  the  3d  stated  the  enemy  to  be  40,000  men,  according  to  their 
best  information.  The  report  of  General  Asboth,  late  in  the  afternoon  of  the 
3d,  was  that  the  enemy  had  advanced  7,000  men  to  Wilson's  creek,  which  was 
nine  miles  from  Springfield,  and  that  all  the  roads  and  paths  were  filled  with 
moving  troops,  and  the  whole  number  of  the  enemy  was  estimated  at  40,000 
men.  I  had  turned  over  my  command  then ;  but  the  generals  of  division  wrote 
me  a  letter,  which  I  have,  asking  me  not  to  give  up  the  command  of  the  army 
until  after  the  battle  should  have  been  fought,  but  to  hold  command  of  the  army 
and  go  on  and  fight  the  battle.  In  consequence  of  their  address  to  me,  and  the 
request  of  many  officers,  I  told  them  that  if  General  Hunter  did  not  arrive  before 
the  next  morning  I  would  take  the  army  to  battle.  Accordingly,  that  evening 
I  called  a  council  of  generals  of  divisions  and  brigades,  and  some  of  the  colonels, 
at  my  headquarters,  and  we  there  decided  upon  the  plan  of  the  action  to  take 
place  the  next  morning.  General  Sigel  was  to  march  at  6  o'clock ;  General 
McKinstry  was  to  march  at  6  o'clock  ;  General  Asboth  was  to  march  at  7  or  7J 
o'clock,  I  forget  now  which,  and  General  Pope  was  to  have  command  of  the 
reserve.  The  positions  to  which  they  were  to  march  were  assigned  to  them — 
the  positions  they  were  to  occupy  at  Wilson's  creek,  where  we  supposed  the 
enemy's  whole  force  would  be  when  we  arrived.  Eleven  o'clock  the  next  morn 
ing  was  designated  as  the  hour  at  which  that  action  was  expected  to  take  place. 

About  10  o'clock  that  night  General  Hunter  came  into  my  headquarters.  The 
officers  were  all  present.  I  handed  him  the  order  to  march  and  the  plan  drawn 
up  for  the  battle  of  the  next  day,  gave  him  all  the  information  I  could,  and  left 
the  matter  in  his  hands.  Most  of  the  officers  supposed  that,  in  the  condition  of 
things,  General  Hunter  would  not  take  the  command  at  that  time,  but  leave  it 
to  me  until  after  the  battle  had  been  fought.  He  did  take  the  command,  and  I 
left  the  next  day. 

At  12  o'clock  General  Hunter  called  a  council  of  war,  on  which  occasion  he 
read  a  letter  from  the  President  suggesting  the  expediency  of  retiring  and  falling 
back  upon  St.  Louis ';  but  the  President  went  on  to  say  that  at  that  distance  he 
could  not  tell  what  ought  to  be  done.  General  Hunter  proposed  to  the  officers 
to  say  whether  they  would  retire  or  go  forward  and  fight.  They  unanimously 
expressed  themselves  in  favor  of  going  forward.  They  knew  the  army  was  in 
good  condition  to  fight ;  that  it  was  in  sufficient  force ;  and  that  they  would,  in 
all  probability,  gain  a  signal  victory.  The  council  separated,  all  the  officers  under 
the  impression  that  the  battle  would  take  place ;  but  the  next  morning  they  had 
orders  to  retire. 

Question.  Was  there  any  doubt  about  your  coming  up  with  the  enemy  and 
having  a  fight  the  next  day  1 

Answer.  I  do  not  think  there  was  any. 

Question.  Were  your  troops  in  high  spirits  1 

Answer.  They  were  in  admirable  spirits,  and  had  been  all  the  way  along. 
A  battle  had  been  fought  at  Fredericktown  with  great  success ;  an  action  had 
taken  place  at  Wet  Glaze,  in  which  sixty  of  the  enemy  had  been  killed ;  Lex 
ington  had  been  entered  by  Major  White,  and  the  prisoners  there  liberated;  and 
the  brilliant  action  of  Major  Zagoni  at  Springfield  had  been  fought,  all  in  the 
same  week.  The  troops  were  all  in  high  spirits,  and  desirous  of  emulating  what 
had  already  been  done.  To  show  the  spirit  of  the  troops,  the  officers  of  three 
or  four  regiments  came  to  me  and  said  that  their  men  did  not  want  to  go  into 
action  with  more  than  three  or  four  rounds  of  ammunition ;  they  preferred  to  use 
the  bayonet.  I  do  not  think  Price  could  have  stood  against  them  a  half  an  hour. 


TESTIMONY.  75 

Question-  What  was  your  intention .  if  you  had  fought  that  battle  aiid  gained 
a  victory  ? 

Answer.  It  was  understood  that  if  Price  was  defeated  he  would  probably  go 
oft'  down  into  Arkansas  with  the  remainder  of  his  force.  Price  and  myself  had 
just  then  made  an  agreement  by  which  we  each  agreed  that  the  fighting  should 
be  confined  to  the  armies  in  the  field ;  that  is,  that  all  guerilla  parties  should  be 
suppressed ;  and  both  he  and  I  agreed  to  lend  our  aid  to  suppress  them.  He  and 
I  invited  the  people  to  return  to  their  homes,  under  our  joint  guarantee  that  no 
man  should  be  arrested  or  considered  subject  to  arrest  for  mere  political  opinions, 
or  the  private  expression  of  political  opinions,  but  should  be  left  to  the  ordinary 
course  of  the  legal  tribunals  if  he  did  anything  wrong.  I  think  that  was  con 
sidered  to  be  preparatory  to  his  leaving  the  State.  It  was  understood  that  the 
15,000  Missourians  he  had  with  him  would  return  home. 

I  had  directed  Commodore  Foote  to  prepare  for  an  attack  upon  Columbus, 
Belmont,  and  New  Madrid.  I  was  to  move,  after  the  battle  which  we  expected, 
according  to  instructions  to  be  then  .forwarded  to  them,  so  as  to  effect  a  junc 
tion  with  them  at  Bird's  Point,  and  together  attack  those  positions  going  on 
down  to  Memphis,  or  they  Avere  to  go  on  and  make  the  attack  while  the  army 
under  me  proceeded  directly  to  Memphis.  General  Prentiss  had  come  to  my 
camp  by  my  order,  after  I  had  started  on  the  road  to  Springfield,  and  it  was 
arranged  that  he  should  go  back  and  raise  a  brigade  to  replace  his  own  troops 
at  Cairo,  and  to  have  that  much  additional  strength  to  make  this  movement. 
The  movement  was  in  that  way  a  concerted  one,  to  attack  and  carry  Belmont, 
New  Madrid,  and  Columbus,  and  go  on  to  Memphis.  And  it  was  the  opinion 
of  all  of  us  that  that  could  be  done. 

Question.  In  the  course  of  your  command  did  you  meet  with  any  particular 
check  or  reverse  1 

Answer.  I  never  met  with  one  myself.  The  reverses  at  Springfield  and  Lex 
ington  I  considered  as  accidents,  coming  up  in  the  combination  of  which  I  had 
not  then  fully  obtained  the  control.  There  was  never  anything  which  stopped 
the  onward  movement  which  we  had  c.ommenced. 

Question.  Do  you  know  why  you  were  superseded,  and  your  army  placed 
under  the  command  of  another  just  on  the  eve  of  battle? 

Answer.  I  am  not  clear  in  my  own  mind  as  to  the  reasons.  I  think  that 
several  causes  operated  to  bring  that  about.  I  believe  the  excuse  or  reason,  by 
means  of  which  the  movement  against  me  was  originated,  was  in  the  sugges 
tions  from  Colonel  Blair.  I  believe  the  dissatisfaction  with  me  commenced 
there. 

Question.  About  what? 

Answer.  Well  sir,  in  brief,  I  believe  I  never  should  have  had  any  difficulty 
in  that  quarter,  if  I  had  been  willing  to  have  allowed  the  moneyed  and  po 
litical  power  of  the  department  to  be  used  for  individual  benefit.  That  I  re 
fused  to  do.  I  believe  the  first  split  came  up  on  a  contract  for  the  supply  of 
40,000  men,  which  two  gentlemen,  introduced  to  me  by  Colonel  Blair,  de 
manded  to  have.  I  discussed  that  with  them  for  a  couple  of  days,  refused  to 
give  them  the  contract  in  full,  but  finally  consented  to  allow  a  contract  to  be 
made  for  one-third  that  number  of  men,  provided  one-half  of  the  work  should 
be  done  in  St.  Louis.  The  restriction  to  one-third  was  made  on  the  estimate  of 
supplies  to  be  furnished,  on  its  margin.  I  agreed  to  that  extent  to  indorse  the 
contract  over  to  General  McKinstry,  to  whom  I  referred  it,  and  recommended 
that  such  a  contract  be  made.  General  McKinstry  refused,  and  thereupon  the 
contest  began. 

By  Mr.  Odell: 

Question.  What  was  the  contract  for? 

Answer.  They  asked  for  a  contract  to  furnish  equipments,  clothing,  &c.,  for 
40,000  men.  Though  I  expected  to  need  that  much  in  time,  I  did  not  like  to 


76  TESTIMONY. 

order  so  large  an  amount  at  that  time,  and  of  any  one  party.  And  then,  proba 
bly  following  that,  the  proclamation  was  brought  up  as  a  reason  why  I  should 
be  removed.  But  as  a  matter  simply  of  judgment  and  belief,  I  think  that 
would  not  have  been  used  but  for  suggestions  growing  out  of  the  contract  move 
ment.  In  other  words,  I  think  if  I  had  been  willing  to  have  made  the  con 
tracts  asked  I  should  have  had  no  difficulty.  That  is  as  near  a  statement  of 
the  reasons  as  they  appear  to  my  own  mind  as  I  am  now  able  to  give. 

By  the  chairman : 

Question.  You  agreed  that  they  might  have  a  contract  for  furnishing  one- 
third  of  40,000  men  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  And  you  say  that  General  McKinstry  vetoed  that  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Was  it  within  his  province  to  supersede  you  in  a  matter  of  that 
kind? 

Answer.  No,  sir,  not  if  I  had  made  the  order.  I  recommended  it  to  him, 
and  I  think  that  in  addition  to  other  reasons  that  he  may  have  had  for  his  ac 
tion,  he  felt  that  I  had  been  annoyed  by  the  pressure  upon  me  for  this  contract, 
and  thought  that  if  he  refused  it  would  not  be  disagreeable  to  me.  And  I 
judge  too,  that  General  McKinstry  supposed  that  if  he  had  more  time  in  which 
to  make  contracts  they  could  be  made  to  better  advantage.  We  already  had 
contracts  out  for  a  certain  number  of  men.  I  recollect  that  was  one  of  the  ob 
jections  I  urged  to  making  such  a  contract  as  that  asked  for;  that  a  contract 
once  ordered  was  a  committal  to  that  extent  for  that  amount.  I  wished  to  have, 
and  probably  General  McKinstry  had  that  idea  also,  the  power  to  buy  in  smaller 
quantities. 

By  Mr.  Odell: 

Question.  Then  you  refused  the  contract,  and  used  McKinstry  to  do  it  with  ? 

Answer.  I  certainly  did  not  contemplate  that. 

Question.  It  seems  to  me  that  that  will  be  the  inference  drawn  from  your 
statement  of  the  transaction  ? 

Answer.  I  certainly  do  not  want  any  such  inference  as  that  to  be  drawn  from 
anything  I  have  said. 

The  chairman  :  It  seems  to  me  that  the  statement  made  by  GeneralFremont 
will  not  bear  any  such  construction  as  that. 

Mr.  Odell  called  for  the  reading  of  what  had  been  stated  in  reference  to  the 
matter. 

It  was  accordingly  read. 

Mr.  Odell :  It  is  a  matter  with  General  Fremont  entirely.  If  he  is  willing  to 
have  such  a  statement  upon  record,  I  shall  not  object.  I  thought  it  but  right 
to  call  his  attention  to  it,  for  I  certainly  should  not  like,  if  I  was  in  his  place, 
to  make  up  such  a  record  as  that  against  myself. 

The  witness  :  I  am  much  obliged  to  you  for  calling  my  attention  to  the  mat 
ter.  If  any  member  of  the  committee  thinks  that  any  such  construction  can  be 
or  will  be  placed  by  any  one  upon  what  I  have  said,  I  certainly  do  not  want  it 
to  stand.  I  was  willing  to  let  them  have  a  contract  for  that  amount.  There 
was  no  positive  order  for  the  contract;  I  only  made  a  recommendation  to  Gen 
eral  McKinstry  to  make  it.  There  is  a  great  deal  of  difference  between  a  posi 
tive  order  to  him  to  make  the  contract,  and  merely  recommending  him  to  make 
it,  leaving  it  to  his  discretion  to  make  it  or  not,  as  he  pleased.  So  far  as  I  was 
myself  concerned,  I  was  willing  to  consent  to  a  contract  for  one-third  of  the 
amount  they  asked,  for  I  knew  we  were  then  requiring,  or  would  soon  require, 
supplies  to  an  amount  which  might  render  such  a  contract  to  some  extent  expe 
dient.  I  did  not  give  a  positive  order  to  General  McKinstry  to  make  the  con- 


TESTIMONY.  77 

tract,  but  so  far  as  I  was  concerned,  I  recommended  a  contract  to  be  made  for 
one-third  the  amount  originally  asked.  It  was  then  General  McKinstry's  pro 
vince  to  refuse  it  or  make  it,  as  he  considered  best.  If  he  had  considered  that 
I  had  given  an  imperative  order,  he  would  no  doubt  have  made  the  contract ; 
but  I  gave  no  order. 

By  the  chairman : 

Question.  You  speak  of  General  McKinstry.  We  have  heard  that  he  has 
been  imprisoned  for  a  long  time.  Do  you  know  the  cause  of  his  imprisonment, 
or  anything  about  it? 

Answer.  I  do  not  know  the  reason.  No  reason  for  his  arrest  has  been  com 
municated  to  me.  1  have  not  heard  from  any  source  entitled  to  credit  why  he 
was  arrested.  I  have,  of  course,  heard  many  surmises,  but  I  know  of  no  reason 
for  his  arrest;  certainly  none  in  his  conduct  there,  so  far  as  I  am  acquainted 
with  it. 

By  Mr.  Odell: 

Question.  How  came  General  McKinstry  to  know  it  would  be  agreeable  to 
you  if  he  would  refuse  this  contract  ? 

Answer.  I  suppose  he  had  heard  me  say,  while  we  were  arguing  it  for  those 
two  days,  that  I  did  not  want  to  make  that  contract.  He  knew,  of  course,  that 
it  had  been  pressed  upon  me  for  two  days,  before  I  consented  to  it. 

Question.  After  you  had  consented  that  this  contract  should  be  made  for  one- 
third  of  the  amount  asked,  did  you  have  any  communication  with  General  Mc 
Kinstry  upon  the  subject,  before  he  decided  the  matter? 

Answer.  None  at  all ;  they  went  directly  to  him. 

Question.  You  mean  to  say  that  the  contract  for  the  one-third  was  not  declined 
by  General  McKinstry  at  your  instance  ? 

Answer.  Certainly;  I  said  nothing  to  him  about  it. 

By  Mr.  Covode : 

Question.  Would  Mr.  Blair's  friends,  in  your  opinion,  have  been  satisfied  with 
the  one-third  contract,  or  did  they  want  the  whole  ? 

Answer.  I  think  they  wanted  the  whole.  They  wanted,  I  think,  an  uninter 
rupted  dictation  in  the  matter  of  contracts. 

Question.  Was  there  any  interference  with  you  here,  on  the  part  of  Mr.  Mont 
gomery  Blair,  previous  to  the  failure  to  get  this  contract  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir.  Up  to  the  3d  of  September,  the  date  of  the  last  letter  from 
Mr.  Montgomery  Blair,  our  relations  were  of  the  friendliest  kind. 

Question.  Can  you  explain  so  sudden  a  change  in  the  correspondence  between 
you  and  Mr.  Blair  ?  Was  it  produced  altogether  by  the  failure  to  get  that  con 
tract? 

Answer.  That  was  one  of  the  reasons,  I  think. 

By  Mr.  Odell: 

Question.  Who  were  the  parties  who  came  to  you  with  Colonel  Frank  Blair 
for  the  contract  ? 

Answer.  I  think  they  were  Mr.  Gumey  and  Mr.  Howe. 

Question.  Were  they  practical  mechanics  in  St.  Louis  ? 

Answer.  I  think  Mr.  Howe  resided  in  St.  Louis  and  Mr.  Gurney  in  Chicago. 

Question.  Had  they  the  means  of  complying  with  what  they  proposed  to  do  ? 

Answer.  I  think  so,  fully — I  presume  so. 

Question.  And  so  far  as  you  know,  they  were  all  proper  and  right  in  their 
prices  ? 

Answer.  So  far  as  I  know.  I  estimated  that  one-third  of  40,000  men  was 
about  what  it  would  be  expedient  to  make  a  contract  for  at  that  time. 


78  TESTIMONY. 

The  following  telegrams,  military  reports,  and  despatches,  letters,  orders 
arid  other  authentic  papers  are  submitted  by  General  Fremont,  in  connexion 
with  his  testimony,  as  explanatory  of  the  conduct -of  affairs  in  the  depart 
ment  of  the  west  while  under  his  command. 

[By  telegraph  from  Cairo,  June  13,  1861.] 

ST.  Louis  ARSENAL,  June  13,  1861. 

If  you  wish  more  troops  from  Illinois  inform  me  at  Cincinnati.  Don't 
telegraph  direct  to  any  of  my  subordinates  unless  danger  is  imminent. 

G.  B.  McCLELLAN,  Major  General  U.  S.  Army. 
Brigadier  General  N.  LYON. 

[By  telegraph  from  Cincinnati,  June  17,  1861.] 

ST.  Louis  ARSENAL,  June  It,  1861. 

Colonel  B.  F.  Smith,  now  at  Quincy,  has  beenordered  to  re-enforce  Colonel 
Curtis,  on  the  Hannibal  and  St.  Joseph  railroad,  with  the  companies  of  his 
regiment  now  at  Quincy.  No  other  assistance  can  be  offered  by  me  at 
present. 

GEO.  B.  McCLELLAN, 
Major  General  Commanding. 
Captain  CHESTER  HARDING, 

Assistant  Adjutant  General. 

HEADQUARTERS  ON  WALNUT  STREET, 

St.  Louis,  June  17,  1861. 

DEAR  SIR  :  I  enclose  you  despatch  from  Colonel  Brown,  which  he  sent  me 
this  morning.  We  should  have  tents  enough  to  keep  our  guns  dry  at  least, 
and  utensils  for  cooking  for  the  men.  It  is  impossible  to  inarch  any  great 
distance  without.  Our  men  are  in  fine  spirits  and  anxious  for  duty.  There 
is  a  memorandum  on  the  back  of  the  despatch  of  the  items  needed.  Colonel 
Sigel  moved  on  this  morning. 

Very  respectfully,  yours, 

J.  B.  SHAW, 

Major  4th  Regiment  U.  S.  Reserve  Corps. 
Brigadier  General  SWEENY. 

[Colonel  Brown's  report,  enclosed.] 

HEADQUARTERS  4TH  REGIMENT  U.  S.  RESERVE  CORPS,  AT  ROLLA. 
SIR  :  I  have  to  report  that,  in  obedience  to  orders,  I  marched  with  ten 
companies  of  my  regiment,  (825  men  and  officers,)  leaving  St.  Louis  at  2 
o'clock,  and  reaching  this  place  at  12  o'clock  at  night.     I  find  here  neither 
provisions,  water,  tents,  cartridge-boxes,  nor  any  other  material.     It  will  be 
absolutely  necessary  that  they  be  provided  for,  and  I  send  back  one  of  my 
officers  to  try  and  urge  forward  the  necessary  supplies. 
I  remain,  sir,  yours,  respectfully, 

B.  GRATZ  BROWN, 
Colonel  tth  Regiment  U.  S.  Reserve  Corps. 
Brigadier  General  T.  W.  SWEENY, 

Commanding  U.  S.  Reserve  Corps. 

Tents  and  cooking  utensils;  cartridge-boxes,  belts,  and  bayonet  scabbards; 
500  blankets;  50  canteens,  to  replace  others  that  leak;  ropes  and  forage  for 
five  horses. 


TESTIMONY.  79 


BOONVILLE,  MISSOURI,  June  18,  1862. 

DR.  HARDING  :  You  have  heard  of  us  and  our  leaving  Jefferson  City*  on 
the  16th.  We  debarked  next  morning  a  little  above  Rockport,  and  had  not 
proceeded  more  than  two  miles  before  we  met  their  advanced  pickets,  and 
soon  after  their  whole  force.  At  first  the  secessionists  made  a  weak  effort, 
which  doubtless  was  intended  to  lead  us  on  to  their  stronghold , where  they 
held  on  with  considerable  resolution,  and  gave  us  a  check  for  a  short  time 
and  made  some  havock.  On  moving  forward,  however,  a  straggling  fire 
from  the  right  and  left  made  it  necessary  to  move  on  with  caution  and 
slowness,  and  we  reached  the  city  about  2  o'clock  p.  m.,  where  we  were  met 
by  many  people,  under  consternation  from  the  erroneous  impression  that 
great  violence  would  be  perpetrated  upon  persons  and  property.  I  have 
been  engaged  more  or  less  in  removing  this  impression.  I  regret  much 
that  my  proclamation  was  not  published  promptly,  so  that  I  could  have  had 
it  here  for  distribution.  I  get  no  news  of  what  is  going  on  around  us,  but 
much  fear  the  movement  from  Texas,  and  hope  the  subject  will  engage  the 
attention  of  the  general  government.  Keep  McClellan  advised  upon  the 
matter.  I  had  hoped  some  of  our  Iowa  troops  would  have  been  in  this  region 
by  this  time,  but  hear  nothing  of  them.  My  suspense  just  now  is  painful. 
Yours,  truly, 

N.  LYON,  Commanding. 

HEADQUARTERS  DEPARTMENT  OF  OHIO, 

Cincinnati,  June  18. 

Have  received  order  placing  Missouri  under  my  command.  Will  leave  for 
St.  Louis  to-morrow.  If  more  troops  are  needed  telegraph  me  details  of  case. 

G.  B.  McCLELLAN,  Major  General. 
CHESTER  HARDING,  Jr., 

Assistant  Adjutant  General. 

JEFFERSON  CITY,  June  21,  1861. 
Please  telegraph  General  McClellan  as  follows  : 

"  BOONVILLE,  MISSOURI,  June  20,  1861. 

"  GENERAL  MCCLELLAN  :  I  have  notice  that  Missouri  is  assigned  to  your 
command.  This  Boonville  is  an  important  point,  and  should  have  at  least  a 
whole  regiment,  with  an  advance  post  at  Warsaw,  which  is  a  nest  of  rebels, 
who  have  massacred  at  Cole  Camp  Union  men.  These  will  permit  the  2d 
Missouri  volunteer  regiment  to  concentrate  at  Jefferson  City.  I  would  have 
you  send  a  regiment  here  with  a  large  supply  of  stores. 

"X.  LYON." 

Colonel  CHESTER  HARDING,  \ 

Assistant  Adjutant  General. 

k[By  telegraph  from  Boonville— 24,  1861.] 

ST.  Louis  ARSENAL,  June  24,  1861. 

Hope  to  get  off  on  the  26th.  Think  provisions  now  coming  up  will  be 
enough  for  some  time.  About  four  companies  more  should  be  here.  A  force 
can  go  to  Cape  Girardeau  ;  but  an  expedition  to  Pocahontas  should  be  made 
with  care.  It  might  be  cut  off. 

N.  LYON,  Commanding. 
Colonel  HARDING. 


80  TESTIMONY. 


[By  telegraph  from  Boonville— 26,  1861.] 

ST.  Louis  ARSENAL,  June  27,  1861. 

The  interests  of  the  government  require  that  no  boats  ply  along  the  river 
between  this  and  Kansas  City  for  the  present,  and  you  will  notify  the  col 
lector  that  no  boats  will  be  allowed  to  pass  above  here  until  further  orders. 
Much  confusion  attends  my  train  arrangements,  and  delay  is  unavoidable. 
Shall  try  to  get  off  to-morrow,  but  am  not  certain.  I  want  Colonel  Steven 
son  to  come  here  and  take  command  with  some  of  his  companies.  Schofield 
arrived  this  afternoon. 

N.  LYON,  Commanding. 

Colonel  HARDING. 

[By  telegraph  from  Grafton,  Virginia— 27,  1861.] 

ST.  Louis  ARSENAL,  June  27,  1861. 

How  many  troops  have  you  in  St.  Louis,  and  how  many  do  you  consider 
necessary  for  its  defence  ?  Answer  at  once. 

G.  B.  McCLELLAN. 
CHESTER  HARDING,  Jr.,  Adjutant  General. 

[By  telegraph  from  Grafton,  Virginia — 28.  1861.] 

ST.  Louis,  June  28,  1861. 

Have  ordered  three  Illinois  regiments  to  move  to  Cairo  whenever  called 
for  by  General  Prentiss,  who  will  look  out  for  the  southeast,  and  also  tele 
graphs  "*No  rebels  at  Bloomfield."  Will  not  a  movement  from  Bird's  Point 
do  the  best  ? 

GEO.  B.  McCLELLAN, 

Major  General  V.  S.  Army. 
CHESTER  HARDING,  Jr. 

[By  telegraph  from  Boonville— 27,  1861.] 

ST.  Louis  ARSENAL,  June  27,  1861. 

Colonel  Stiefel's  command  and  four  companies  7th  regiment  arrived.  Pro 
visions  wanted.  Send  at  once  to  Hermann,  by  first  train  400  barrels  hard 
bread,  90  bushels  beans,  3,350  pounds  rice,  2,000  pounds  sugar,  and  600 
pounds  coffee.  The  rains  are  terrible.  I  cannot  get  off.  Steamer  goes  down 
to  meet  provisions.  Answer. 

N.  LYON,   Commanding. 

Colonel  HARDING. 

[By  telegraph  from  Boonville,  July  1,  1861.] 

ST.  Louis  ARSENAL,  July  1,  1861. 

What  is  going  on  in  the  southeast?  You  sent  me  word  that  McClellan 
would  attend  to  that  quarter.  He  says  I  may  have  one  regiment  from  Quincy 
and  one  from,  Caseyville,  and  Prentiss  is  authorized  to  call  for  four  more  regi 
ments  if  he  wants  them.  Cannot  all  these  be  put  in  movement  to  meet  the 
danger  threatened?  See  what  Prentiss  says  and  send  word  to  McClellan. 

N.  LYON,  Commanding. 

Colonel  HARDING. 


TESTIMONY.  81 


BOONVILLE,  Missouri,  July  2,  1861. 

DEAR  COLONEL  :  I  hope  to  move  to-morrow,  and  think  it  more  important 
just  now  to  go  to  Springfield.  My  force  in  moving  from  here  will  be  about 
2,400  men.  Major  Sturg'is  will  have  about  2,200  men,  and  you  know  what 
force  has  gone  to  Springfield  from  St.  Louis,  so  that  you  see  what  amount 
of  provisions  we  shall  want  supplied  at  that  point.  Please  attend  to  us  as 
effectually  as  possible.  Our  line  should  be  kept  open  by  all  means.  I  must 
be  governed  by  circumstances  at  Springfield.  You  will,  of  course,  have  due 
attention  to  the  southeast.  The  State  Journal  is  outrageous  and  must  be 
stopped;  you  will  take  such  measures  as  you  think  best  to  effect  this.  Our 
cause  is  suffering  from  too  much  indulgence,  and  you  must  so  advise  our 
friends  in  St.  Louis.  Colonel  Stevenson  must  have  pretty  strong  garrisons 
at  the  points  he  occupies  on  the  river,  and  he  must  have  support  from  other 
States  as  occasion  seems  to  require.  Colonel  Curtis  is,  I  suppose,  on  the 
Hannibal  and  St.  Joseph  road;  rigorous  measures  should  be  shown  the  dis 
orderly  in  that  region.  Our  operations  are  becoming  extensive,  and  our  staff 
officers  must  keep  up  with  our  emergencies.  We  need  here  a  regular  quar 
termaster  and  commissary.  Cannot  something  be  done  for  us  from  Wash 
ington  ? 

Yours,  truly, 

N.  LYON,  Commanding. 

Colonel  HARDING,  St.  Louis  Arsenal. 

P.  S. — I  cannot  spare  more  than  300  stand  of  arms  for  home  guards  at 
Jefferson.  I  shall  not  be  able  to  supply  other  portions  of  the  State  with  the 
same  proportion.  •  N.  L. 

CAMP  CAMERON,  July  2,  1861. 

DEAR  COLONEL  :  Please  forward  to  Washington  the  enclosed  return,  or  in 
corporate  it  in  a  department  return  to  be  sent  there.     Also,  it  would  be  well 
to  make  a  report  to  the  adjutant  general  of  movements  of  troops  in  the  State. 
Yours,  very  truly, 

J.  M.  SCHOFIELD. 
Colonel  CHESTER  HARDING. 

HEADQUARTERS  MISSOURI  VOLUNTEERS, 

Camp  Cameron,  July  2,  1861. 
General  Orders  No.  4.J 

The  following  troops,  under  command  of  Brigadier  General  N.  Lyon,  will 
take  up  the  line  of  march  for  the  south  at  7  o'clock  a.  m.  to-morrow,  viz: 

Officers.  Men. 

Brigadier  general  and  staff 4 

Company  B,  second  infantry 61 

Company  F,  second  artillery 1  60 

Recruits,  United  States  army 1  134 

First  regiment  Missouri  volunteers 29  866 

Two  companies  second  regiment  Missouri  volunteers 6  205 

Pioneer  detachment 1  46 

Artillery 1  13 

First  regiment  Iowa  volunteers 34  892 

Total 77         2,277 

Aggregate 2,  354 


Part  iii- 


82  TESTIMONY. 

The  following  troops  will  remain  for  the  present  at  this  place  : 

Comp's.     Officers.  Men. 

Second  regiment  Missouri  volunteers 4          10  381 

Seventh  regiment  Missouri  volunteers 4          13  349 

Fifth  regiment  reserve  corps 8          30  558 

Total 53 

Left  behind  sick . . 


The  troops  which  take  the  field  under  General  Lyon  will  be  joined  by  a 
force  of  2,200  regulars  and  Kansas  volunteers,  under  command  of  Major 
Sturgis,  United  States  army,  at  Osceola,  Missouri.  The  united  command 
will  then  proceed  toward  Springfield,  Missouri.  Colonel  Chester  Harding, 
adjutant  general  Missouri  volunteers,  will  forward  to  Springfield  the  com 
missary  supplies  necessary  for  this  command,  in  addition  to  that  already  in 
the  field  in  that  portion  of  the  State.  Colonel  Harding  is  also  charged  with 
the  duty  of  forwarding  supplies  for  the  troops  that  remain  at  this  and  other 
points  on  the  river. 

Special  orders  No.  1,  dated  June  29,  1861,  from  these  headquarters,  are  so 
far  modified  as  to  authorize  Colonel  John  D.  Stevenson  to  retain  at  this  post, 
or  at  Jefferson  City,  such  companies  of  the  2d  regiment  as  may  wish  to 
remain  in  the  service  for  three  years,  but  not  necessarily  in  the  regiment  to 
which  they  now  belong. 

Such  companies  will  be  reorganized  at  once,  and  incorporated  into  regi 
ments  as  soon  as  may  be. 

By  order  of  General  Lyon. 

J.  M.  SCHOFIELD, 

Assistant  Adjutant  General 

HEADQUARTERS  DEPARTMENT  OF  OHIO, 

Buckhannon,  July  5,  1861. 

Communicate  freely  with  Prentiss.  If  he  does  not  need  Wyman,  you  can 
take  him.  Telegraph  to  General  Pope,  at  Alton,  to  give  you  a  regiment; 
and  to  Hurlbut,  at  Quincy,  to  give  you  another. 

Do  not  lose  sight  of  importance  of  Cairo,  and  of  its  operations  in  South 
eastern  Missouri.  Write  to  me  fully. 

G.  B.  McCLELLAN,  Major  General,  U.  S.  A. 
CHESTER  HARDING, 

Assistant  Adjutant  General. 

ST.  Louis  ARSENAL,  July  5,  1861. 

General  Lyon  is  moving  down  from  Boonville  toward  Springfield,  Greene 
county,  Missouri,  with  2,400  troops.  Major  Sturgis  is  on  the  way  from 
Fort  Leavenworth  with  2,200.  There  are  3,500  on  the  southwest  branch  of 
Pacific  railroad  and  the  line  thence  to  Mount  Vernon,  beyond  Springfield. 
In  a  day  or  two  another  regiment  will  be  moved  down.  There  is  a  depot 
for  supplies  at  Holla,  the  terminus  of  the  southwest  branch;  another  must 
be  established  at  Springfield.  All  the  supplies  for,  say  10,000  troops,  must 
take  that  direction.  From  Rolla  on  for  60  miles  the  country  is  mountainous 
and  barren'.  Teams  have  to  take  their  own  forage.  It  is  absolutely  neces 
sary  that  a  large  amount  of  wagon  transportation  should  be  immediately 
provided.  Will  you  see  that  the  necessary  orders  are  given  by  the  quarter 
master  general,  by  telegraph,  to  Major  McKinstry,  early  in  the  morning  ? 


TESTIMONY.  83 

General  Lyon  urges  that  regular  quartermasters  and  commissaries  be  sent 
him  at  once. 

CHESTER  HARDING,  JR., 

A.  A.  G.  Missouri  Volunteers. 
General  THOMAS, 

Adjutant  General,  Washington. 

ST.  Louis  ARSENAL,  July  5,  1861. 

Order  Schittiier's  regiment  home.     A  boat  will  be  there  to-day  to  take 
them. 

CHESTER  HARDING,  JR., 

A.  A.  G.  Missouri  Volunteers. 
General  PRENTISS,  Cairo. 


ST.  Louis  ARSENAL,  July  5,  1861. 

Wa 
ill  telegraph  again. 


Just  received  despatch  from  McClellan,  which   may  change  order  for 
Wil 


C.  HARDING. 

General  PRENTISS,  Cairo. 

ST.  Louis  ARSENAL,  July  6,  1861. 

General  Lyon  has  sent  Wyman's  regiment  to  southwest.  This,  with  the  700 
troops  now  there,  will  be  enough  for  the  present.  Colonel  Wyman  is  in  com 
mand,  with  instructions  to  keep  open  the  line  of  communication,  on  which  all 
supplies  will  be  sent  hereafter.  General  Lyon  has  moved  down  towards 
Springfield  with  2,400  men,  and  Major  Sturgis  with  2,200  on  the  frontier. 
Sweeny  is  there,  and  atMt.  Vernon,  beyond  there,  with  2,500,  besides  guards 
at  posts  on  line.  Marsh's  Alton  regiment  is  here.  I  will  equip  them.  They 
will  go  to  Cape  Girardeau  and  be  subject  to  General  Prentiss's  call  in  case 
of  necessity.  The  Quincy  regiment  will  go  to  Ironton,  and  thence  to  Green 
field.  I  will  write  particulars  to-night.  Think  the  force  sufficient,  and  will 
not  order  more  unless  necessary. 

CHESTER  HARDING,  JR., 

A.  A.  G.  Missouri  Volunteers. 

General  MCCLELLAN,  Buckhannon,  Virginia. 

ST.  Louis  ARSENAL,  July  9,  1861. 

Schittner's  enlistment  expires  about  the  22d  instant.  I  want  them  for 
reorganization.  The  City  of  Alton  goes  down  to  day  to  carry  Marsh  to  Cape 
Girardeau.  He  was  delayed  by  want  of  mules,  now  furnished.  Will  you 
let  Schittner  come  up  by  same  boat  after  reorganization  ?  I  can  send  you 
a  full  three-year  regiment  made  up  of  Schittner's  and  others,  under  good 
officers. 

C.  HARDING,  JR., 
A.  A.  G.  Missouri  Volunteers. 
General  PRENTISS,  Cairo. 

ST.  Louis  ARSENAL,  July  9,  1861. 

Buell's  battery,  raised  under  order  of  General  Lyon,  needs  equipment 
for  immediate  service.  Will  you  authorize  the  muster  ?  Very  efficient 
company. 

CHESTER  HARDING, 
A.  A.  G.  Missouri  Volunteers. 
General  MOCLELLAN,  Buckhannon,  Virginia. 


84  TESTIMONY. 


ST.  Louis  ARSENAL,  July  11,  1861. 

I  hope  Grant's  regiment  will  be  allowed  to  come.  He  arid  Marsh  can  aid 
Cairo  and  Bird's  Point  effectually  by  operations  in  Cape  Girardeau,  Scott, 
Stoddard,  Wayne,  and  Butler  counties.  Bland's  regiment  (6th  Missouri) 
will  be  with  them.  Wynian  is  at  and  below  Rolla;  Buell's  battery  was 
wanted  for  Grant.  Department  has  not  answered  in  regard  to  it. 

CHESTER  HARDING,  JR., 

A.  A.  G.  Missouri  Volunteers. 
Major  S.  WILLIAMS,  A.  A.  G.,  Buckhannon. 

ST.  Louis  ARSENAL,  July  13, 1861. 

With  cavalry  on  our  prairies  we  could  crush  secession  in  our  State 
within  two  months.  The  want  of  it  has  not  only  embarrassed  us,  but  lost 
us  the  fruits  of  hard-earned  victories.  The  rebel  General  Harris  would  now 
be  a  prisoner  if  we  had  mounted  forces.  Two  regiments  are  needed.  What 
may  we  do  ?  Colonel  F.  P.  Blair  can  explain.  We  hope  to  catch  Harris  in 
any  event. 

CHESTER  HARDING,  JR., 

A.  A.  G.  Missouri  Volunteers. 
Hon.  SIMON  CAMERON, 

Secretary  of  War,   Washington. 

HEADQUARTERS  SOUTHWEST  EXPEDITION, 

Springfield,  Missouri,  July  13,  1861. 

SIR:  I  arrived  at  this  place  early  this  evening  two  or  three  hours  in  ad 
vance  of  my  troops,  who  are  encamped  a  few  miles  back.  I  have  about 
5,000  men  to  be  provided  for,  and  have  expected  to  find  stores  here,  as  I 
have  ordered.  The  failure  of  stores  reaching  here  seems  likely  to  cause 
serious  embarrassment,  which  must  be  aggravated  by  continued  delay,  and 
in  proportion  to  the  time  I  am  forced  to  wait  for  supplies.  *  * 

I  shall  endeavor  to  take  every  due  precaution  to  meet  existing  emergencies, 
and  hope  to  be  able  to  sustain  the  cause  of  the  government  in  this  part  of 
the  State.  But  there  must  be  no  loss  of  time  in  furnishing  me  the  resources 
I  have  herein  mentioned.  I  have  lost  in  reaching  this  place  about  four  days' 
time,  by  the  high  waters  in  Grand  and  Osage  rivers,  which  made  it  neces 
sary  to  ferry  them.  The  same  difficulty  prevented  Sturgis  from  co-operating 
with  Sigel  in  time  to  afford  any  aid.  Please  telegraph  to  McClellan  and  to 
Washington  anything  in  this  letter  you  deem  of  importance  to  these  head 
quarters.  Shoes,  shirts,  blouses,  &c.,  are  much  wanted,  and  I  would  have 
you  furnish  them,  if  possible,  in  considerable  quantities. 
Yours,  truly, 

N.  LYON,  Brigadier  General  Commanding. 

Colonel  CHESTER  HARDING,  Si.  Louis  Arsenal. 

ST.  Louis  ARSENAL,  July  15,  1861. 

We  have  here  Captain  Buell,  an  old  artillery  soldier,  who  was  authorized 
by  General  Lyon  to  raise  a  full  battery — six  pieces.  He  has  130  experi 
enced  men,  and  wants  20  more,  with  1 10  horses.  It  is  absolutely  necessary 
that  he  should  be  equipped.  There  will  be  hot  work  here  before  the  end  of 
the  month,  and  our  three  batteries  (four  pieces  each)  are  now  in  the  south 
west.  Send  order  to  equip  Buell  and  to  raise  his  force  to  full  complement. 
You  are  needed  here.  About  2,500  men,  in  three  columns,  are  now  on  an 


TESTIMONY.       *  85 

expedition  to  kill  secession  in  Northeast  Missouri.     Our  operations  are  be 
coming  large. 

CHESTER  HARDING,  JR., 

A.  A.  G.  Missouri  Volunteers. 
Major  General  FREMONT,  New  York. 

Copy  of  the  following  was  sent  to  assistant  adjutant  general  at  Washing 
ton,  to  General  Frdmont,  New  York,  and  to  Colonel  Blair,  Washington: 

SPRINGFIELD,  Missouri,  July  13,  1861. 

My  effective  force  will  soon  be  reduced  by  discharge  of  three  months  vol 
unteers  to  about  4,000  men,  including  the  Illinois  regiment  now  on  the 
march  from  Rolla.  Governor  Jackson  will  soon  have  in  this  vicinity  not  less 
than  30,000.  I  must  have  at  once  an  additional  force  of  10,000  men,  or 
abandon  my  position.  All  must  have  supplies  and  clothing. 

N.  LYON,  Brigadier  General  Commanding. 

ST.  Louis  ARSENAL,  July  15,  1861. 

Have  you  received  General  McClellan's  despatch  of  to-day  ?  If  so,  what's 
your  plan?  Will  aid  you  in  any  way,  but  think  best  aid  is  to  operate  as 
before  indicated.  Have  you  official  notice  that  General  Fremont  is  our  de 
partment  commander  ? 

CHESTER  HARDING,  JR., 

A.  A.  G.  Missouri  Volunteers. 
General  PRENTISS,  Cairo. 

[By  telegraph  from  Chicago,  July  15,  1861.] 

ST.  Louis  ARSENAL,  July  15,  1861. 

Have  despatched  condition  of  affairs  to  General  Fremont,  and  asked  authority 
to  take  the  field  in  Northern  Missouri  with  five  more  regiments.  Expect  answer 
to-night.  Will  go  down  and  confer  with  you  as  soon  as  I  hear.  How  did  you 
succeed  with  Harris  ? 

JOHN  POPE,  Brigadier  General. 
CHESTER  HARDING,  Jr. 

[By  telegraph  from  Cairo,  July  15,  1861.] 

ST.  Louis  ARSENAL,  July  15,  1861. 

I  have  received  McClellan's  despatch.  My  plan  would  be  to  start  a  strong 
column  across  Missouri  from  this  point,  leaving  it  well  guarded;  at  the  same 
time,  advance  from  Cape  Girardeau  and  Greenville,  concentrating  with  Lyon, 
or  Missouri  forces,  and  drive  them  back.  It  would  be  better  first  to  break  up 
rebel  encampment  at  Union  City,  in  Tennessee,  to  prevent  their  crossing  at 
Hickman  or  Madrid  to  get  in  our  rear.  All  of  which  I  could  do  if  ordered  by 
major  general  commanding.  I  must  await  orders.  I  have  not  been  officially 
informed  that  Fremont  commands  us. 

B.  M.  PRENTISS,  Brigadier  General 

CHESTER  HARDING,  Jr. 

HEADQUARTERS  ARMY  OF  THE  WEST, 

Springfield,  Missouri,  July  15,  1861. 

COLONEL:  General  Lyon  is  nowhere  with  about  7,000  men.  Of  these  fully 
one-half  are  three  months  volunteers,  whose  term  of  service  has  nearly  ex 
pired — the  latest  expiring  on  the  14th  August.  Governor  Jackson  is  con 
centrating  his  forces  in  the  southwestern  part  of  the  State,  and  is  receiving 
large  re-enforcements  from  Arkansas,  Tennessee,  Louisiana,  and  Texas. 


86  TESTIMONY. 

His  effective  force  will  soon  be  certainly  not  less  than  30,000  men — probably 
much  larger.  All  idea  of  any  further  advance  movement,  or  of  even  main 
taining  our  present  position,  must  soon  be  abandoned  unless  the  government 
furnish  us  promptly  with  large  re-enforcements  and  supplies.  +0ur  troops 
are  badly  clothed,  poorly  fed,  and  imperfectly  supplied  with  tents;  none  of 
them  have  yet  been  paid;  and  the  three  months  volunteers  have  become  dis 
heartened  to  such  extent  that  very  few  of  them  are  willing  to  renew  their 
enlistment.  The  blank  pay-rolls  are  not  here;  and  the  long  time  required  to 
get  them  here,  fill  them  up,  send  them  to  Washington,  have  the  payment 
ordered,  and  the  paymaster  reach  us,  leaves  us  no  hope  that  our  troops  can 
be  paid  for  five  or  six  weeks  to  come.  Under  these  circumstances,  there 
remains  no  other  course  but  to  urgently  press  upon  the  attention  of  the 
government  the  absolute  necessity  of  sending  us  fresh  troops  at  once,  with 
ample  supplies  for  them  and  for  those  now  here.  At  least  10,000  men 
should  be  sent,  and  that  promptly.  You  will  send  the  enclosed  despatch  by 
telegraph  to  General  McClellan,  and  also  to  the  War  Department,  and  for 
ward  by  mail  a  copy  of  this  letter.  Lose  no  time  in  fitting  for  the  field  the 
three  years  volunteers  now  at  the  arsenal,  and  send  them  here  as  soon  as 
possible.  Call  for  Colonel  McNeil's  regiment  of  home  guards  to  garrison  at 
the  arsenal;  and  allow  him  to  organize,  if  for  the  regular  three  years  service, 
if  he  desires  to  do  so.  It  is  believed  that  the  remaining  home  guards  will 
be  sufficient  for  the  city.  Should  it  be  necessary,  their  term  of  service  can 
be  renewed  for  a  short  period,  for  the  purpose  of  a  city  garrison.  The  gen 
eral  is  not  aware  whether  Colonel  Smith's  regiment  has  yet  taken  the  field. 
If  not,  he  presumes  that  both  his  and  Colonel  Eland's  regiments  may  be  sent 
here  without  dela}'.  You  may  doubtless  leave  the  care  of  the  southeast  part 
of  the  State  to  General  Prentiss.  Should  St.  Louis  be  in  danger  from  that 
direction,  troops  could  easily  be  called  from  Illinois  and  Indiana  for  its  de 
fence.  Moreover,  a  force  moving  on  St.  Louis  from  the  south  would  be 
exposed  to  attack  in  rear  from  Cairo.  Hence  there  seems  little  or  no  danger 
from  that  direction.  Unless  we  are  speedily  re-enforced  here,  we  will  soon 
lose  all  we  have  gained.  Our  troops  have  made  long  marches,  done  much 
effective  service,  and  suffered  no  small  privations.  They  have  received  no 
pay  nor  clothing  from  the  government,  and  the  small  stock  furnished  by 
private  contribution  is  now  exhausted;  so  that  unless  the  government  gives 
us  relief  speedily,  our  thus  far  successful  campaign  will,  prove  a  failure. 

I  am,  sir,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

J.  M.  SCHOFIELD, 

Captain  llth  Infantry,  Assistant  Adjutant  General 
Colonel  CHESTER  HARDING,  • 

Adjutant  General  Missouri  Volunteers,  St.  Louis  Arsenal,  Missouri. 

P.  S. — Cannot  Colonel  Curtis's  regiment  be  spared  from  St.  Joseph  ?     And 
if  so,  send  it  forward. 

N.  LYON,   Commanding. 

WASHINGTON,  July  15,  1861. 

The  President  is  going  in  person  to  the  War  Department  to  arrange 
matters  for  you. 

M.  BLAIR. 
Major  General  FREMONT,  Astor  House. 


TESTIMONY.  87 


[By  telegraph  from  New  York,  July  16.] 

ST.  Louis  ARSENAL,  July  16,  1861. 

Have  Captain  Buell's  force  raised  to  full  complement  and  equipped. 
General  Pope  will  go  to  Alton  to-morrow.  Keep  me  fully  advised  by  tele 
graph. 

J.  C.  FREMONT, 
Major  General  Commanding. 
Assistant  Adjutant  General  CHESTER  HARDING. 

WASHINGTON,  July  16,  1861. 

The  arms  will  be  sent  immediately  to  Illinois.  Major  Hagner  will  call  on 
you  with  authority  to  supply  your  wants.  War  Department  will  advise 
you  particularly. 

LYMAN  TBUMBULL. 

General  JOHN  C.  FREMONT. 

HEADQUARTERS  ARMY  OF  THE  WEST, 

Springfield,  Missouri,  July  16,  1861. 
Special  Orders  No.  18.] 

Colonel  Brown's  regiment  (4th)  United  States  reserve  corps  will  proceed 
to  the  city  of  St.  Louis,  where  it  will,  at  the  expiration  of  its  three  months 
term,  be  mustered  out  of  service. 
By  order  of  General  Lyon. 

J.  M.  SCHOFIELD, 
Assistant  Adjutant  General. 

DEAR  Miss :  I  have  not  heard  from  you  yet,  but  make  free  to  trust 

this  to  your  care  : 

HEADQUARTERS  RIPLEY  COUNTY  BATTALION, 

Camp  Burrows,  July  16,  1861. 

DEAR  SIR:  If  there  is  any  way  to  communicate  with  the  governor  through 
any  person  in  St.  Louis,  please  let  me  know  it.  I  am  advancing,  and  Gene 
ral  Yell  will  follow  me  in  a  few  days  with  5,000  men.  He  will  take  posi 
tion  between  Rolla  and  Ironton,  and  act  as  circumstances  dictate.  General 
Watkins  will  move  up,  sustained  by  General  Pillow,  and  if  proper  energy 
is  exercised  we  can  drive  the  enemy  north  of  the  Missouri  and  into  St. 
Louis  in  thirty  days.  You  will  please  let  me  hear  from  you,  verbally  or 
not,  through  the  person  through  'whom  this  passes ;  and  please  send  The 
Daily  Journal  for  a  short  time  to  Doniphan,  as  it  will  be  sent  to  me  by  my 
couriers. 

Yours,  respectfully, 

M.  JEFF.  THOMPSON, 
Commanding  Ripley  County  Battalion. 
JOSEPH  TUCKER,  Esq., 

Editor  of  The  State  Journal,  St.  Louis. 

SPRINGFIELD,  Missouri,  July  17,  1861. 

SIR:  I  enclose  you  a  copy  of  a  letter  to  Colonel  Townsend  on  the  subject 
of  an  order  from  General  Scott,  which  calls  for  five  companies  of  the  2d 
infantry  to  be  withdrawn  from  the  west  and  sent  to  Washington.  A  pre 
vious  order  withdraws  the  mounted  troops,  as  I  am  informed,  and  were  it 


88  TESTIMONY. 

not  that  some  of  them  were  en  route  to  this  place  they  would  now  be  in  Wash 
ington.  This  order  carried  out  would  not  now  leave  at  Fort  Leavenworth 
a  single  company.  I  have  companies  B  and  E,  2d  infantry,  now  under  orders 
for  Washington;  and  if  all  these  troops  leave  me,  I  can  do  nothing,  and 
must  retire  in  the  absence  of  other  troops  to  supply  their  places.  In  fact,  I 
am  badly  enough  off  at  the  best,  and  must  utterly  fail  if  my  regulars  all  go. 
At  Washington  troops  from  all  the  northern,  middle,  and  eastern  States  are 
available  for  the  support  of  the  army  in  Virginia,  and  more  are  understood 
to  be  already  there  than  are  wanted  ;  and  it  seems  strange  that  so  many 
troops  must  go  on  from  the  west  and  strip  us  of  the  means  of  defence.  But 
if  it  is  the  intention  to  give  up  the  west,  let  it  be  so;  it  can  only  be  the 
victim  of  imbecility  or  malice.  Scott  will  cripple  us  if  he  can.  Cannot 
you  stir  up  this  matter  and  secure  us  relief.  See  Fremont,  if  he  has  arrived. 
The  want  of  supplies  has  crippled  me  so  that  I  cannot  move,  and  I  do  not 
know  when  I  can.  Everything  seems  to  combine  against  me  at  this  point. 
Stir  up  Blair. 

Yours,  truly, 

N.  LYON,  Commanding. 
Colonel  HARDING,  St.  Louis  Arsenal,  Mo. 

[By  telegraph  from  Chicago,  dated  July  16,  1861.— Eeceived  July  17,  1861.] 

I  am  again  urgently  solicited  by  adjutant  general  in  St.  Louis  to  take 
command  in  North  Missouri.  What  shall  I  do  ?  The  forces  are  gradually 
closing  around  Harris.  I  think  a  vigorous  campaign  of  a  week  will  settle 
secession  in  North  Missouri,  and  leave  the  troops  at  your  disposal  for  other 
service.  Please  answer  to  Alton.  We  need  arms  much. 

JOHN  POPE,  Brigadier  General. 

Major  General  FREMONT,  New  York. 

[By  telegraph  from  Quincy,  dated  July  17.— Received  July  17,  1861.] 

I  am  ordered  to  hold  the  Hannibal  and  St.  Joseph  railroad.  I  have  three 
regiments  posted  along  the  road,  in  communication  at  the  west  with  Iowa 
troops,  for  detached  service  and  breaking  up  camps  of  rebels.  I  need  better 
arms  than  the  smooth  musket.  I  have  one  regiment  wholly  unarmed  in 
camp  here,  and  can  get  no  arms  in  St.  Louis  or  Springfield.  Can  you  send 
me  Minies  and  ammunition  ? 

S.  A.  HURLBUT,  Brigadier  General. 

Major  General  FREMONT,  New  York. 

[By  telegraph  from  Chicago,  dated  July  17. — Received  July  17,  1861.] 

We  need  specially,  to  fit  out  one  or  two  regiments  of  cavalry,  sabres  and 
revolvers.  There  are  absolutely  none  in  this  part  of  the  country. 

JOHN  PO-PE,  Brigadier  General. 
Major  General  FREMONT,  U.  S.  A.,  New  York. 

HEADQUARTERS  ARMY  OF  THE  WEST, 

Springfield,  Missouri,  July  17,  1861. 

SIR  :  I  have  the  honor  to  acknowledge  the  receipt  of  Special  Order  No. 
1 1 2,  from  headquarters,  under  date  of  July  5?  directing  the  removal  from  the 
department  of  the  west  of  companies  B,  C,  F,  G,  and  H,  2d  infantry,  and  of 
Captain  Sweeny,  now  acting  brigadier  general  by  election  of  volunteers. 
The  communication  reached  me  yesterday  at  this  place. 

I  have  been  drawn  to  this  point  by  the  movements  of  the  rebel  forces  in 
this  State,  and  have  accumulated  such  troops  as  I  could  make  available, 


TESTIMONY.  89 

including  those  in  Kansas.  My  aggregate  is  between  7,000  and  8,000  men, 
more  than  half  of  whom  are  three  months  volunteers,  some  of  whose  term 
of  enlistment  has  just  expired  ;  others  will  claim  a  discharge  within  a  week 
or  two,  and  the  dissolution  of  my  forces  from  this  necessity,  already  com 
menced,  will  leave  me  less  than  4,000  men,  including  companies  B  and  E, 
2d  infantry,  now  with  me.  In  my  immediate  vicinity  it  is  currently  re 
ported  there  are  30,000  troops  and  upward,  whose  number  is  constantly 
augmenting,  and  who  are  diligently  accumulating  arms  and  stores.  They 
are  making  frequent  lawless  and  hostile  demonstrations,  and  threaten  me 
with  attack.  The  evils  consequent  upon  the  withdrawal  of  any  portion  of 
my  force  will  be  apparent ;  loyal  citizens  will  be  unprotected,  repressed 
treason  will  assume  alarming  boldness,  and  possible  defeat  of  my  troops  in 
battle  will  peril  the  continued  ascendency  of  the  federal  power  itself,  not 
only  in  the  State,  but  in  the  whole  west.  If  the  interests  of  the  govern 
ment  are  to  be  sustained  here,  and  in  fact  the  whole  valley  of  the  Mississippi, 
large  bodies  of  troops  should  be  sent  forward  to  this  State,  instead  of  being 
withdrawn  from  it,  till  by  concentration  there  may  be  ability  to  overpower 
any  force  that  can  be  gathered  in  the  west  to  act  against  the  government. 
Troops  properly  belonging  to  the  valley  of  the  Mississippi  from  Wisconsin, 
Michigan,  Indiana,  and  Ohio,  have  already  been  withdrawn  to  the  east.  The 
moral  effect  of  the  presence  of  the  few  regulars  in  my  command  is*  doubtless 
the  main  consideration  that  holds  the  enemy  in  check,  and  with  them  I  may 
be  able  to  retain  what  has  already  been  achieved  until  I  am  strengthened  ; 
but  any  diminution  will  be  imminently  hazardous. 

The  volunteers  with  me  have  yet  had  no  pay  for  their  services,  and  their 
duties  have  been  arduous.  Their  clothing  has  become  dilapidated,  and  as  a 
body  they  are  dispirited.  But  for  these  facts  they  would  probably  nearly  all 
have  re-enlisted.  I  have  no  regular  officers  of  the  pay  department,  nor  the 
commissary  and  quartermaster;  the  affairs  of  both  the  last  are,  consequently, 
indifferently  administered,  from  want  of  experience.  Nothing  but  the  im 
mense  interests  at  stake  could  have  ever  induced  me  to  undertake  the  great 
work  in  which  I  am  engaged,  under  such  discouraging  circumstances.  In 
this  state  of  affairs,  presumed  to  have  been  unknown  when  the  order  was 
issued,  I  have  felt  justified  in  delaying  its  execution  for  further  instruction, 
so  far  as  the  companies  with  me  are  concerned. 
Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

N.  LYON,  Brigadier  General  Commanding. 

Lieutenant  Colonel  TOWNSEND, 

Assistant  Adjutant  General,  &c. 

[Received  July  18,  1861.] 

SPRINGFIELD,  Illinois,  July  18,  1861. 

All  the  Illinois  forces  are  in  Missouri,  excepting  the  Irish  regiment  and 
three  companies  of  cavalry  at  Quincy,  and  three  regiments  of  infantry,  two 
companies  of  cavalry,  and  battery  of  artillery  at  Alton.  Shall  assume  com 
mand  at  once.  Moving  with  the  force  from  Alton  to  St.  Charles  to-night, 
and  that  at  Quincy,  will  take  position  on  line  of  Hannibal  and  St.  Joseph 
railroad  to-day,  and  will  put  the  entire  force  in  North  Missouri  into  action 
immediately. 

JOHN  POPE,  Brigadier  General  Commanding. 
Major  General  JOHN  C.  FREMONT,  New  York. 

ASTOR  HOUSE,  New  York,  July  18,  1861. 

North  Missouri  railroad  torn  up  and  obstructed  by  State  forces.  Mails 
cannot  be  transported.  Tracks  torn  up  behind  the  United  States  troops. 


90  TESTIMONY. 

Some  fighting  between  these  and  State  forces.  I  have  ordered  General  Pope 
to  take  the  command  in  North  Missouri  with  three  regiments  from  Alton. 
He  moves  this  morning.  General  Lyon  calls  for  re-enforcements. 

J.  0.  FREMONT,  Major  General.  Commanding. 
Colonel  TOWNSEND, 

Assistant  Adjutant  General,  Washington,  D.  C. 

[Received  at  the  Astor  House,  4.30  p.  m.] 

WAR  DEPARTMENT,  Washington,  July  18,  1861. 

Your  letter  of  16th  and  telegram  of  18th  received.  The  general-in-chief 
says  please  proceed  to  your  command  without  coming  here.  He  has  no  par 
ticular  instructions  for  you  at  present.  He  adds,  for  your  information,  the 
term  of  service  of  three  months  volunteers  began  with  date  of  reception 
and  muster  into  service. 

E.  D.  TOWNSEND,  Assistant  Adjutant  General. 

General  FREMONT,  United  States  Army. 

[Received  July  18,  1861.] 

SPRINGFIELD,  Illinois,  July  18,  1861. 

No  force  at  St.  Louis  except  necessary  guard  for  arsenal  and  city.  I  leave 
for  Missouri  in  a  few  minutes. 

JOHN  POPE,  Brigadier  General. 
Major  General  FREMONT,  New  York. 

ST.  Louis,  July  19,  1861. 

Governor  Yates  has  referred  your  despatch  to  me.  The  fourteen  guns 
need  caissons,  harness  and  equipments.  Only  available  regiment  for  imme 
diate  service  is  Mulligan's,  at  Quincy,  but  it  has  no  arms;  will  get  them 
here.  I  open  North  Missouri  road  to-morrow.  Three  Alton  regiments  landed 
there  to-night.  Several  regiments  will  be  available  in  three  days. 

JOHN  POPE,  Brigadier  General. 

Major  General  FREMONT,  United  States  Army. 

ST.  Louis,  July  19, 1861. 

It  was  the  design  to  occupy  Southwest  Missouri,  cutting  off  all  approaches 
from  Arkansas  by  way  of  Pocahontas,  to  occupy  Poplar  Bluffs,  Bloomfield, 
Greenville,  and  the  line  of  the  Cairo  and  Fulton  railroad.  Accordingly  one 
regiment  is  at  Ironton,  ready  to  advance  when  re-enforced.  Grant  was  under 
orders,  but  his  orders  were  countermanded.  Marsh  is  at  Cape  Girardeau, 
instructed  to  keep  open  communication  with  Bloomfield,  where  Grant  was 
to  be.  General  Prentiss  has  eight  regiments  at  Cairo,  and  could  spare  five 
of  them  to  go  into  that  country.  If  we  once  lose  possession  of  the  swamps 
of  that  region,  a  large  army  will  be  required  to  clear  them,  while  if  we  get 
possession  first  and  hold  the  causeway,  a  smaller  force  will  do.  General 
McClellan  telegraphed  that  he  had  authentic  intelligence  of  a  large  army 
gathering  at  Pocahontas,  according  with  what  I  have  advised  for  weeks. 
Expecting  you  here  daily,  I  have  not  telegraphed  before  ;  but  if  you  do  not 
come  at  once,  will  you  take  into  consideration  the  importance  to  Cairo  that 
the  southeast  should  be  held  by  us  ? 

CHESTER  HARDING,  JR., 
Assistant  Adjutant  General. 

Major  General  FREMONT. 


TESTIMONY.  91 


HEADQUARTERS  ARMY  OF  THE  WEST, 

Springfield,  Missouri,  July  19,  1-861. 

SIR  :  The  4th  and  5th  regiments  of  Iowa  volunteers  are  reported  to  me  as 
available  for  service.  They  are  at  present  at  Burlington,  in  that  State,  and 
it  is  desirable  to  have  them  actively  at  work.  If  they  are  not  otherwise 
needed,  I  wish  you  to  order  them  forward  to  join  my  column,  with  all  pos 
sible  despatch. 

Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

N.  LYON,  Brigadier  General  Commanding. 
Colonel  CHESTER  HARDING,  Jr  , 

Assistant  Adjutant  General,  St.  Louis  Arsenal. 

[By  telegraph  from  Washington,  July  20,  1861.] 

ST.  Louis  ARSENAL,  July  20,  1861. 

General  Thomas  authorized  me  to  say  that  you  can  accept  as  many  three 
years  regiments  as  shall  offer,  until  further  notice. 

F.  P.  BLAIR,  Colonel  1st  Regiment. 
Colonel  CHESTER  HARDING, 

Assistant  Adjutant  General. 

[By  telegraph  from  New  York,  July  20,  1861.] 

ST.  Louis  ARSEXAL,  July  20,  1861. 

Have  you  later  reliable  intelligence  from  General  Lyon  ? 

J.  C.  FREMONT, 
Major  General  Commanding. 
Colonel  HARDING,  Assistant  Adjutant  General. 

ST.  Louis  ARSENAL,  July  20,  1861. 

Nothing  later  from  General  Lyon,  but  I  have  obtained  authority  to  accept 
'regiments  as  fast  as  offered.  Can  soon  re-enforce  him.  Will  begin  next 
week.  When  will  you  start  ? 

CHESTER  HARDING, 

Assistant  Adjutant  General. 
Major  General  FREMONT,  New  York. 

[By  telegraph  from  Cincinnati,  July  20,  1861.] 

ST.  Louis  ARSENAL,  July  20,  1861. 

In  case  of  attack  on  Cairo,  have  none  but  Illinois  troops  to  re-enforce,  and 
only  11,000  arms  in  Illinois.  Will  direct  two  regiments  to  be  ready  at 
Caseyville,  but  you  will  only  use  them  for  defence  of  St.  Louis  and  in  case 
of  absolute  necessity.  Telegraph  me  from  time  to  time. 

G.  B.  McCLELLAN,  Major  General  V.  S.  Army. 
CHESTER  HARDING,  Jr.,  Assistant  Adjutant  General. 

[By  telegraph  from  New  York,  July  20,  1861.] 

ST.  Louis  ARSENAL,  July  20,  1861. 

Can  clothing,  camp  equipage,  and  other  ordinary  supplies  be  had  in  St. 
Louis  ?  I  corne  on  immediately. 

J.  C.  FREMONT,  Major  General  Commanding. 
Colonel  HARDING,  Assistant  Adjutant  General. 


92  TESTIMONY. 


ST.  Louis  ARSENAL,  July  21,  1861. 

GENERAL  :  Before  referring  to  your  recent  communications,  allow  me  to  ex 
plain  the  state  of  affairs  in  other  parts  of  Missouri  outside  of  your  line  of 
operations. 

Before  you  left  Boonville  I  had  the  honor  to  advise  you  that  large  forces 
were  gathering  at  Pocahontas.  In  accordance  with  your  instructions,  I 
communicated  freely  by  telegraph  with  General  McClellan,  and,  as  I  sup 
posed,  succeeded  in  having  placed  at  your  disposal  sufficient  troops  from 
Illinois  to  hold  the  swamp  counties  of  the  southeast.  Accordingly,  I  com 
menced  by  sending  Brand's  regiment  to  Ironton,  with  directions  to  proceed 
as  far  as  he  could,  with  entire  safety,  in  the  direction  of  Greenville.  At  the 
same  time  Colonel  Grant's  regiment  was  ordered  here,  to  proceed  to  Bloom- 
field,  and  Colonel  Marsh  to  Cape  Girardeau,  where  he  could  have  easy  com 
munication  with  either  Cairo  or  Bloomfield.  I  armed  800  home  guards  in 
Cape  Girardeau  and  Scott  counties,  to  act  as  skirmishers,  scouts,  and  guides 
in  the  marshes,  and  obtained  authority  from  the  Secretary  of  War  to  raise  a 
force  of  mounted  scouts.  With  these  forces,  and  with  arms  for  home  guards 
in  Wayne,  Stoddard,'  and  Butler,  I  expected  to  keep  down  local  rebellion  in  that 
region,  encourage  Union  men,  hold  the  causeway  through  the  swamps,  and 
prevent  the  approach  of  an  army  from  Pocahontas  until  the  commanding 
generals  and  the  authorities  at  Washington  became  convinced  that  it  was 
the  design  of  the  enemy  to  march  upon  Bird's  Point  and  St.  Louis  as  soon  as 
sufficient  strength  was  gathered. 

General  McClellan  countermanded  his  order  to  Grant.  I  could  get  no 
answer  in  regard  to  equipping  Buell's  battery,  (though  now  the  authority  is 
here  and  a  portion  of  the  battery  in  service  on  the  Missouri  river,)  and 
Bland  and  Marsh  are  at  the  points  which  they  were  sent  to,  without  the 
force  to  accomplish  the  object  named.  General  McClellan's  reason  for  counter 
manding  the  order  to  Grant  was  that  Cairo  was  threatened.  Therefore, 
instead  of  occupying  the  country  through  which  the  enemy  must  come,  eight 
regiments  are  lying  in  that  sickly  hole,  Cairo,  where  General  Prentiss  can 
see  the  whole  of  them  at  once.  He  also  has  cavalry  and  two  light  batteries. 

A  week  since  General  McClellan  telegraphed  that  he  had  the  same  definite 
information  of  troops  crossing  from  Tennessee  and  coming  up  from  all  parts 
of  Arkansas  to  Pocahontas,  which  I  had  learned  from  our  scouts  and  spies 
(one  of  them  a  pilot  on  a  Memphis  boat  which  had  conveyed  some  of  the 
troops  over,)  and  had  sent  to  him. 

Now,  in  the  southeast  we  stand  thus:  two  regiments,  not  in  communica 
tion  with  each  other;  no  artillery,  and  a  few  home  guards,  against,  what  they 
expect  to  be,  20,000  men,  (regular  troops,  well  provided,)  who  design  march 
ing  upon  St.  Louis. 

I  have  explained  all  this  to  General  Fremont,  who  will  be  here  Tuesday, 
and  who  (as  does  General  Pope)  understands  the  threatened  movement,  and 
will  take  vigorous  measures  to  meet  it. 

So  much  for  the  southeast.  Meanwhile,  your  departure  from  Boonville, 
and  the  necessity  of  having  1,800  troops  to  garrison  Jefferson  City,  Boou- 
ville,  and  Lexington,  encouraged  the  rebels  in  Northeast  Missouri.  Briga 
dier  General  Tom  Harris  gathered  a  force  below  Monroe  Station,  in  camp. 
I  took  the  liberty  of  ordeii,ng  Colonel  Smith,  of  Illinois,  who  was  lying 
eighteen  miles  from  him,  to  break  up  the  camp.  He  waited  a  day  or  two 
until  Harris  had  got  together  1,600  men,  proceeded  part  way,  shut  himself 
tip  in  a  seminary,  and  sent  back  for  re-enforcements,  as  his  men  had  been 
marched  off  in'such  a  hurry  that  they  forgot  to  fill  their  cartridge-boxes  and 
had  only  four  rounds  apiece.  He  was  relieved,  and  Harris,  marched  south- 


TESTIMONY.  93 

westwardly,  on  his  way  through  Galloway  county,  to  make  a  combined  at 
tack  upon  Jefferson  City,  with  forces  from  Pettis,  Osage,  and  Linn  counties. 

To  check  this  I  ordered  up  Schlittner's  regiment  from  Cairo  As  soon  as 
the  boat  arrived  I  gave  Colonel  Schiittner  his  marching  orders,  and  imme 
diately  went  to  work  to  equip  his  regiment.  McKinstry  helped,  and  both 
of  us  worked  all  night.  The  field  officers,  except  Hammer,  and  nearly  all 
the  company  officers  went  up  town,  and  McKinstry  and  I  were  colonels, 
captains,  adjutants,  and  quartermasters,  as  occasion  required.  I  finally  got 
them  off,  to  go  to  Jefferson  City,  to  cross  there.  As  the  regiment  was  in  the 
worst  possible  state  of  discipline,  and  as  Hammer  is  no  soldier,  (Schiittner 
and  the  balance  I  put  in  arrest  as  soon  as  they  appeared  at  the  gate  at 
reveille,}  I  couldn't  trust  him,  and  ordered  McNeil  to  take  seven  of  his  com 
panies  and  follow  him  and  take  command.  Hammer  had  with  him  forty-two 
mounted  orderlies.  The  two  commands  united  were  to  proceed  from  Jeffer 
son  City,  via  Fulton,  to  Mexico,  between  which  two  places  last  named  Harris 
was. 

At  the  same  time  Colonel  M.  L.  Smith,  8th  regiment,  with  two  companies, 
and  four  companies  of  the  2d,  under  Schaeffer,  were  sent  up  to  Mexico  by 
rail,  where  it  was  arranged  with  Hurlbut  that  either  Palmer's  or  Grant's 
regiment  should  join  them  and  scour  the  country  down  toward  Jefferson. 
After  fully  entering  into  the  plan,  and  after  I  had  sent  off  our  forces,  Hurl- 
but  sent  Palmer  on  to  guard  the  Chariton  Bridge  with  his  entire  regiment, 
arid  left  Smith  to  do  the  best  he  could.  I,  of  course,  immediately  re-enforced 
him.  Meanwhile  the  enemy  burned  the  bridge  above  Mexico. 

Hammer  telegraphed  from  Hermann  that  he  concluded  to  leave  the  river 
there,  as  transportation  was  easily  procured,  and  that  he  had  made  arrange 
ments  to  effect  a  junction  with  McNeil.  The  next  I  heard  of  him  he  was  at 
•New  Florence,  on  the  railroad,  and  McNeil,  with  460  men,  was  near  Fulton, 
where  I  then  knew  he  would  meet  Harris.  You  can  imagine  my  anxiety, 
and  afterward  my  relief,  when  I  heard  from  that  brave  fellow  McNeil  that 
he  had  fought  and  routed  the  rebels. 

The  next  day  after  this  affair  General  Pope  sent  me  word  that  he  would 
go  into  Northeast  Missouri  with  a  large  force.  He  has  done  so.  He  ex 
pects  to  have  7,000  men  there,  two  batteries,  and  four  companies  of  cavalry. 
McNeil  still  lies  at  Fulton.  Hammer  came  down  from  the  railroad,  and  Mc 
Neil  has  ordered  him  here.  Everything  quiet  in  Galloway.  The  northeast 
may  be  considered  secure. 

From  Jefferson  I  have  had  nothing  but  trouble.  It  being  impossible  to 
supply  the  places  of  Boernstein's  six  companies,  I  have  left  him  there,  and — 
but  I  won't  stop  to  mention  his  performances. 

At  home  our  friends  are  alarmed,  and  the  city  is  uneasy.  I  receive  about 
five  deputations  per  diem,  warning  me  that  I  ought  not  to  send  away  so 
many  troops,  (2,200  United  States  reserve  corps  left,)  and  sometimes  hint 
ing  that  1  will  be  overhauled  by  higher  powers  for  doing  so.  The  only 
danger  is  in  case  of  an  advance  from  Arkansas.  But  the  first  demonstra 
tion  will  result  in  clearing  St.  Louis  of  its  secession  element. 

As  far  as  your  command  is  concerned,  I  fear  that  you  think'  I  have  been 
neglectful  of  my  duties,  but  I  cannot  admit  the  fact.  Every  order  that  you 
have  sent  I  have  immediately  put  into  execution,  and  have  seen  it  executed, 
so  far  as  I  could  give  my  personal  supervision  to  it.  Mismanagement  of 
transportation  at  Roll  a,  to  which  place  110  wagons  had  been  sent  before 
Brown  moved,  and  probably  the  inferior  kind  of  transportation  furnished, 
accounts  for  the  delay  in  getting  supplies  forward.  Arms,  ammunition,  and 
provisions  were  lying  for  weeks  at  Rolla,  while  I  supposed  they  were  going 
forward,  and  I  was  not  informed  of  the  fact.  When  I  did  learn  it  I  tele 
graphed  to  Washington,  and  had  instructions  sent  to  McKiustry  to  buy 


94  TESTIMONY. 

everything  I  required.  McKinstry  has  also  had  sent  to  Roll  a,  at  my  re 
quest,  one  of  Van  Vliet's  experienced  clerks,  Thomas  O'Brien,  to  whom  I 
have  given  the  entire  control  of  quartermaster's  affairs  from  Rolla  onward. 
A  large  number  of  army  wagons,  with  mules,  have  been  bought  and  sent 
down,  and  I  trust  that  there  will  be  no  more  trouble  there.  250,000  rations 
were  ordered  on  the  6th;  4,000  shoes  and  clothing  to  match  were  ordered 
on  receipt  of  your  letter  of  the  13th,  and  I  presume  are  all  on  the  way.  I 
know  that  part  have  been  shipped. 

The  line  of  communication  from  Rolla  to  Springfield  is  kept  open  by  Wy- 
man  and  Bayles.  Wy  man's  is  a  splendid  regiment,  and  I  am  trying  to  get 
other  troops  to  supply  his  place  and  send  him  forward;  but  I  am  embar 
rassed  by  conduct  which  I  scarcely  think  meets  your  approval,  although  I 
am  informed  that  you  gave  your  consent  to  it.  Lieutenant  Colonel  Hassen- 
deubel,  who  arrived  here  yesterday,  but  has  not  reported  himself,  brought 
up  with  him  one  of  Bayles's  companies,  (company  L,  rifles,  4th  regiment 
formerly,  but  since  organized  with  others  as  a  battalion,)  and  has  ordered 
company  M  up,  also,  for  the  purpose  of  forming  a  three  years  regiment,  of 
which  he  is  to  take  the  command. 

I  have  been  strengthening  Bayles  all  I  could.  There  are  three  companies 
here  now,  mustered  and  ready  to  go  down  as  soon  as  armed,  (by  Tuesday 
at  furthest,)  and  the  other  two  companies  will  be  ready  during  the  week,  in 
all  probability.  The  ten  companies  were  to  be  commanded  by  Saxton.  He 
is  said  to  be  on  his  way  here  at  this  time,  and  Saxton  would  be  inval 
uable,  either  in  command  on  the  line  or  with  you.  When  Lieutenant  Col 
onel  Hassendeubel  reports  I  shall  send  that  company  back,  unless  I  am 
satisfied  that  he  had  good  authority  for  his  action. 

As  to  re-enforcements  I  shall  reorganize  the  2d  and  4th  under  their  cap 
tains,  and  put  the  first  ten  companies  formed  into  one  regiment,  without 
regard  to  the  preferences  of  individuals.  This  can  be  done  during  the  week, 
as  Boern stein,  Schaeffer,  and  Hammer  are  all  to  come  here  to-morrow. 

The  surplus  can  be  organized  under  a  temporary  battalion  organization, 
sent  to  the  field,  and  afterwards  filled  up. 

Smith's  8th  can  go  down  during  the  week,  and  a  splendid  regiment  it  is. 

Last  night  the  adjutant  general  gave  me  authority  to  accept  any  regi 
ment  that  offered.  Two  are  formed  in  the  country.  Both  will  be  ready  in 
two  weeks.  Others  will  come.  I  have  caused  the  notice  of  the  authority 
to  be  published.  Bland  can't  be  spared;  nor  can  Curtis's  men.  St.  Jo  and 
the  surrounding  country  are  reported  to  be  ready  to  rise.  In  fact,  the 
whole  State  is. 

McNeil  can  doubtless  raise  a  regiment  without  ctffficulty.  He  is  ordered 
home  as  soon  as  Pope  relieves  him. 

The  9th  and  10th  are  filling  up  fast,  and  can  be  ready  in  two  weeks, 
probably.  These  statements  are  made  upon  the  supposition  that  arms  and 
equipments  will  be  here  as  ordered. 

Mulligan's  regiment  of  Illinois  volunteers,  I  forgot  to  say,  arrived  here 
yesterday  for  arms.  I  sent  some  companies  to  Jefferson  to-day,  and  the  re 
mainder  will  go  up  Tuesday. 

But,  better  than  all,  General  Fremont  telegraphed  me  last  night  that  he 
would  start  for  St.  Louis  immediately,  and  when  I  can  have  the  opportunity 
of  going  over  the  map  with  him  I  trust  that  he  will  use  his  power  to  fill  this 
State  with  troops.  A  few  weeks'  delay  would  make  the  whole  State  a  battle 
field. 

And  now,  general,  I  can  say  that  to  be  relieved  of  the  responsibility  which 
I  have  had  upon  me  since  you  left,  without  the  authority,  after  the  change 
in  the  department  command,  to  do  what  I  saw  was  necessary,  with  my  rep 
resentations  to  the  department  generally  unnoticed,  and  without  even  a 


TESTIMONY.  95 

competent  clerk  to  aid  me  in  the  ordinary  routine  of  business,  is  truly  a  re 
lief  ;  and  no  one  can  be  so  glad  that  Fremont  is  coming  as  I  am.  I  have 
never  before  had  the  time  to  write  you  fully,  and  I  presume  that  now  the 
office  is  full  of  people,  who  are  waiting  upon  the  same  errands  with  which 
you  were  formerly  so  much  annoyed. 

I  shall  always  feel  proud  of  the  confidence  which  you  have  placed  in  me, 
and  I  hope  you  will  think  that  I  have  endeavored  to  justify  it. 
Very  respectfully  and  truly, 

CHESTER  HARDING,  JR. 

Brigadier  General  LYON,  Commanding. 

[By  telegraph  from  Coshocton,  Ohio,  July  23,  1861  ] 

JULY  23,  1861. 

Telegram  received,  and  will  be  attended  to.  Will  be  in  St.  Louis  Thurs 
day  morning. 

J.  C.  FREMONT,  Major  General. 
CHESTER  HARDING, 

Assistant  Adjutant  General. 

[By  telegraph  from  Cairo,  July  23,  1861.] 

ST.  Louis  ARSENAL,  July  23,  1861. 

Have  but  eight  (8)  regiments  here.  Six  (6)  of  them  are  three  (3)  months 
men.  Their  time  expires  this  week  ;  are  reorganizing  now.  I  have  neither 
tents  nor  wagons,  and  must  hold  Cairo  and  Bird's  Point.  The  latter  is 
threatened.  I  have  but  two  guns  equipped  for  moving.  Thus  you  see  I 
cannot  comply  with  request.  Again,  news  of  this  morning  changes  policy 
of  rebels  in  Kentucky.  They  are  organizing  opposite.  Watkins  is  en 
camped  with  2,000,  seven  miles  from  Bloomfield.  He  has  no  cannon,  and 
poorly  armed.  This  may  be  the  force  you  have  heard  from. 

B.  M.  PRENTISS,  Brigadier  General. 

CHESTER  HARDING. 

HEADQUARTERS  ARMY  OF  THE  WEST, 

Springfield,  Missouri,  July  26,  1861. 

Your  order  relative  to  the  State  Journal  meets  with  the  general's  appro 
bation.  The  general  would  like  you  to  join  him  as  soon  as  you  can  be 
spared  by  General  Fremont.  No  doubt  General  F.  will  need  you  for  a  while, 
till  he  becomes  familiar  with  the  details  of  affairs  in  the  State  ;  but  he  will 
have  a  full  staff  of  regular  officers,  and  must  be  able  to  spare  you  soon. 
You  are  much  needed  here,  and  will  be  more  so  soon.  It  will  soon  be  very 
necessary  for  me  to  be  with  my  regiment,  and  officers  fit  for  staff  duties  are 
very  scarce  here.  We  have  heard  of  the  defeat  of  our  troops  in  Virginia, 
though  hardly  enough  to  judge  of  its  extent.  I  fear  this  will  prevent  our 
getting  re-enforcements.  If  so,  the  next  news  will  be  of  our  defeat  also. 

Re-enforcements  should  be  sent  on  at  once.  Our  men  are  very  much  in 
need  of  clothing,  particularly  shoes.  Many  of  the  men  are  entirely  bare 
footed,  and  hence  unable  to  march.  I  hope  something  can  be  done  for  us 
soon. 

Yours,  very  truly, 

J.  M.  SCHOFIELD. 

Colonel  CHESTER  HARDING,  , 

Adjutant  General  Missouri  Volunteers,  St.  Louis  Arsenal. 


TESTIMONY. 


WASHINGTON,  July  26,  1861. 

DEAR  GENERAL:  I  have  two  telegrams  from  you,  but  find  it  impossible  now 

to  get  any  attention  to  Missouri  or  western  matters  from  the  authorities 

.  here.  You  will  have  to  do  the  best  you  can,  and  take  all  needful  responsibility 

to  defend  and  protect  the  people  over  whom  you  are  specially  set.     *     *     * 

Yours,  truly,  and  in  haste, 

M.  BLAIR. 

CAIRO,  July  26,  1861. 

Five  steamers  were  to  leave  Memphis  last  night  to  take  troops  from  Ran 
dolph  to  New  Madrid.  Union  city  troops  are  under  orders  to  cross  Missis 
sippi.  If  they  fail  to  assail  us,  Ironton  and  Cape  Girardeau  will  need  re- 
enforcements.  Colonel  Marsh  has  no  battery.  I  have  none  to  spare  and  no 
transportation  to  intercept  rebels.  I  arn  of  opinion  that  Bird's  Point  is  their 
destination. 

B.  M.  PRENTISS,  Brigadier  General 
Colonel  HARDING,  Jr., 

Assistant  Adjutant  General. 

SPRINGFIELD,  Missouri,  July  27,  1861. 

DEAR  SIR:  I  have  your  notes  about  matters  in  St.  Louis,  £c.,  and  your 
proceeding  seems  to  me  perfectly  correct.  Now  that  matters  north  seem 
more  quiet,  cannot  you  manage  to  get  a  few  regiments  this  way  ?  I  am  in 
the  deepest  concern  on  this  subject,  and  you  must  urge  this  matter  upon 
Fremont,  as  of  vital  importance.  These  three  months  volunteers  would  re- 
enlist  if  they  could  be  paid,  but  they  are  now  dissatisfied,  and  if  troops  do 
not  replace  them,  all  that  is  gained  may  be  lost.  I  have  not  been  able  to 
move  for  want  of  supplies,  and  this  delay  will  exhaust  the  term  of  the  three 
months  men.  Cannot  something  be  done  to  have  our  men  and  officers  paid 
as  well  as  our  purchases  paid  for  ?  If  the  government  cannot  give  due  atten 
tion  to  the  west,  her  interests  must  have  a  corresponding  disparagement. 
Yours,  truly, 

N.  LYON,  Brigadier  General  Commanding. 

Colonel  C.  HARDING,  St.  Louis  Arsenal,  Mo. 

Memorandum  by  Colonel  Phelps,  from  General  Lyon,  to   General  Fremont, 

July  27. 

See  General  Fremont  about  troops  and  stores  for  the  place.  Our  men 
have  not  been  paid,  and  are  rather  dispirited;  they  are  badly  off  for  clothing, 
and  the  want  of  shoes  unfits  them  for  marching.  Some  staff  officers  are 
badly  needed,  and  the  interests  of  the  government  suffer  for  the  want  of 
them.  The  time  of  the  three  months  volunteers  is  nearly  out,  and  on  return 
ing  home,  as  most  of  them  are  disposed  to,  my  command  will  be  reduced 
too  low  for  effective  operations.  Troops  must  at  once  be  forwarded  to  supply 
their  place.  The  safety  of  the  State  is  hazarded;  orders  from  General  Scott 
strip  the  entire  west  of  regular  forces,  and  increase  the  chances  of  sacrificing 
it.  The  public  press  is  full  of  reports  that  troops  from  other  States  are 
moving  toward  the  northern  border  of  Arkansas  for  the  purpose  of  invading 
Missouri. 

JEFFERSON  CITY,  Missouri,  July  27,  1861. 

Surgeon  Boemer,  of  3d  regiment  reserve  corps,  left  at  Fulton  by  Colonel 
McNeil,  reports  this  morning  that,  by  the  evacuation  of  that  place  by  Colonel 
McNeil,  the  rebels  are  again  gathering,  and  threatening  Union  men  with 


TESTIMONY.  97 

vengeance.  Either  a  battalion  of  General  Pipe's  brigade,  or  some  other 
force,  should  immediately  occupy  the  town.  I  am  also  advised  of  a  g'ather- 
ing  of  a  large  force  at  Warsaw,  estimated  at  10,000  and  increasing.  Also, 
an  encampment,  eight  miles  from  Glasgow,  of  2,000.  With  an  additional 
regiment,  so  as  to  leave  a  garrison  force  of  500  men  at  Boonville,  I  will  be 
able  to  disperse  both  forces.  If  they  are  promptly  met  they  can  be  easily 
dispersed  with  the  force  indicated. 

JOHN  B.  STEVENSON,  Col  Com.  Missouri  Ewer. 

Maj   Gen.  JOHN  C.  FREMONT. 

WASHINGTON,  July  27,  1861 

What  disposition  was  made  by  you  of  the  arms  which  you  purchased  in 
Europe  ?  We  are  without  information  on  that  point,  which  is  very  desira 
ble.  Please  answer  at  once  by  telegraph  and  by  letter.  Send  an  invoice 
of  the  articles. 

WILLIAM  H.  SEWARD. 

JOHN  C.  FREMONT. 

ST.  Louis,  July  28,  1861. 

I  ordered  the  arms  shipped  to  New  York  to  my  order,  expecting  to  for 
ward,  on  the  arrival,  to  my  department.  I  trust  you  will  confirm  this  dis 
position  of  them.  The  rebels  a-re  advancing  in  force  from  the  south  upon 
these  lines.  We  have  plenty  of  men  but  absolutely  no  arms,  and  the  con 
dition  of  the  State  critical. 

J.  C.  FREMONT,  Major  General  Commanding. 

Hon.  W.  H.  SEWARD,  Washington. 

CAIRO,  July  28,  1861. 

Rebels  from  Tennessee  are  concentrating  at  New  Madrid,  Missouri,  with 
the  avowed  intention  of  assaulting  Bird's  Point.  They  may  intend  going 
to  Cape  Girardeau.  Colonel  Marsh  has  no  battery.  I  have  none  to  spare. 
My  command  is  merging  from  three  months  to  three  years  service  on  half 
recess.  Mustering  in  yesterday  and  to-day.  I  have  but  two  6-pounders 
prepared  to  move.  I  can  hold  Cairo  and  Bird's  Point,  but  cannot  move  to 
intercept  a  large  force  going  to  Cape  Girardeau.  I  suggest  that  Colonel 
Marsh,  if  not  re-enforced,  be  sent  to  Bird's  Point.  Entire  force  at  Cairo  and 
Bird's  Point,  6,350. 

B.  M.  PRENTISS,  Brigadier  General 

Major  General  FREMONT. 

CAIRO,  July  28,  1861.     (Received  ST.  Louis,  July  29,  1861.) 

On  yesterday  3,000  rebels,  west  of  Bird's  Point  40  miles;  300  at  Madrid 
and  three  regiments  from  Union  City  ordered  there;  also  troops  from  Ran 
dolph  and  Corinth.  The  number  of  organized  rebels  within  50  miles  of  me 
will  exceed  12,000 — that  is  including  Randolph  troops  ordered  and  not  in 
cluding  several  companies  opposite,  in  Kentucky. 

B.  M.  PRENTISS,  Brigadier  CWr~/ 

Major  General  FREMONT. 

ST.  Louis,  July  29,  1861. 

The  agent  of  Adams's  Express  Company  here  has  offered  to  bring  me  by 
passenger  train  any  arms  directed  to  me.  Send  everything  you  have  for 
rue  by  passenger  trains,  for  which  the  Express  Company  will  provide.  Your 

Part  iii 1 


98  TESTIMONY. 

letter  of  24th  received.  There  were  no  arms  at  the  arsenal  here  to  meet 
the  order  given  for  the  5,000.  We  must  have  arms^-any  arms,  no  matter 
what. 

J.  C.  FREMONT,  Maj.  Gen.  Com'g  W.  D. 
Major  HAGNER,  Fifth  Avenue  Hotel,  New  York. 

[Unofficial.] 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

St.  Louis,  July  30,  1861. 

MY  DEAR  SIR:  You  were  kind  enough  to  Bay  that  as  occasions  of  sufficient 
gravity  arose,  I  might  send  you  a  private  note. 

I  have  found  this  command  in  disorder,  nearly  every  county  in  an  insur 
rectionary  condition,  and  the  enemy  advancing  in  force  by  different  points 
of  the  southern  frontier.  Within  a  circle  of  fifty  miles  around  General  Pren- 
tiss,  there  are  about  12,000  of  the  confederate  forces,  and  5,000  Tennesseans 
and  Arkansas  men,  under  Hardee,  well  arrned  with  rifles,  are  advancing 
upon  Irouton.  Of  these,  2,000  are  cavalry,  which  yesterday  morning  were 
within  24  hours  march  of  Ironton.  Colonel  Bland,  who  had  been  seduced 
from  this  post,  is  falling  back  upon  it.  I  have  already  re-enforced  it  with 
one  regiment;  sent  on  another  this  morning,  and  fortified  it.  1  am  holding 
the  railroad  to  Ironton  and  that  to  Holla,  so  securing  our  connexions  with 
the  south.  Other  measures,  which  I  am  taking,  I  will  not  trust  to  a  letter, 
and  I  write  this  only  to  inform  you  as  to  our  true  condition,  and  to  say  that 
if  I  can  obtain  the  material  aid  I  am  expecting  you  may  feel  secure  that  the 
enemy  will  be  driven  out  and  the  State  reduced  to  order.  I  have  ordered 
General  Pope  back  to  North  Missouri,  of  which  he  is  now  in  command.  I 
am  sorely  pressed  for  want  of  arms.  I  have  arranged  with  Adams's  Express 
Company  to  bring  me  everything  with  speed,  and  will  buy  arms  to-day  in 
NeWvYork.  Our  troops  have  not  been  paid,  and  some  regiments  are  in  a 
state  of  mutiny,  and  the  men  whose  term  of  service  is  expired  generally 
refuse  to  enlist.  I  lost  a  fine  regiment  last  night  from  inability  to  pay  them 
a  portion  of  the  money  due.  This  regiment  had  been  intended  to  move  on  a 
critical  post  last  night.  The  Treasurer  of  the  United  States  has  here  $300,- 

000  entirely  unappropriated.     I  applied  to  him  yesterday  for  Si 00,000  ior 
my  paymaster  general,  Andrews,  but  was  refused.     We  have  nut  an  hour 
for  delay.     There  are  three  courses  open  to  me.     One,  to  let  the  enemy  pos 
sess  himself  of  some  of  the  strongest  points  in  the  State,  and  threaten  St. 
Louis,   which  is  insurrectionary.     Second,  to  force   a  loan  from  secession 
banks  here.     Third,  to  use  the  money  belonging  to  the  government,  which  is 
in  the  treasury  here.     Of  course  I  will  neither  lose  the  State  or  permit  the 
enemy  a  foot  of  advantage!     I  have  infused  energy  arid  activity  into  the 
department,  and  there  is  a  thorough  good  spirit  in  officers  and  men.     This 
morning  I  will  order  the  treasurer  to  deliver  the  money  in  his  possession  to 
General  Andrews,  and  will  send  a  force  to  the  treasury  to  take  the  money, 
and  will  direct  such  payments  as  the  exigency  requires.     I  will  hazard 
everything  for  the  defence  of  the  department  you  have  confided  tg  me,  and 

1  trust  to  you  for  support. 

With  respect  and  regard,  I  am  yours  truly, 

JOHN  C.  FKEMONT,  Major  General  Commanding. 
The  PRESIDENT  of  the  United  States. 

HEADQUARTERS  OF  THE  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

Si.  Louis,  July  SI,  1861. 

At  Camp  Monroe,  near  Cincinnati,  there  is  company  C,  4th  artillery,  (reg 
ulars,)  under  1st  Lieutenant  E.  V.  W.  Howard  j  aggregate  76  men.     Also? 


i    *        TESTIMONY.  99 

another  company  at  Cincinnati  in  charge  of  Captain  Kingsbruy,  6  rifled 
Parrott  guns,  I  have  asked  Adjutant  General  Thomas  if  these  can  be  ordered 
to  me. 

J.  C.  FREMONT,  Major  General, 
Hon.  MONTGOMERY  BLAIR, 

President's  Square,  Washington  City. 

HEADQUARTERS  OF  THE  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

St.  Louis  July  31,  1861. 

At  camp  Monroe,  near  Cincinnati,  there  is  company  C,  4th  artillery,  (regu 
lars,)  under  1st  Lieutenant  R.  V.  W.  Howard,  aggregate  76  men.  Also,  another 
company  at  Cincinnati,  in  charge  of  Captain  Kingsbury — six  rifled  Parrott  guns. 
Can  these  be  ordered  here  ? 

J.  C.  FREMONT, 
Major  General  Commanding. 
Adjutant  General  THOMAS, 

War  Department,  Washington. 

[By  telegraph  from  Cairo,  August  1,  1861.] 

The  following  just  received  from  Colonel  Marsh,  with  request  to  send  to  you 
by  telegraph.  A  scout  of  his  from  Pillow's  camp  brought  the  information ;  also 
a  proclamation  of  Pillow's,  who  says  no  quarters  to  be  given  those  in  arms 
against  him. 

B.  M.  PRENTISS, 

Brigadier  General. 
Major  General  FREMONT,  St.  Louis. 

[By  telegraph  from  Cairo,  August  1,  1861.] 

Tne  following  information  just  received  is,  I  believe,  reliable.  General  Pillow 
was  at  New  Madrid  on  the  morning  of  the  31st,  with  11,000  troops  well  armed 
and  well  drilled;  two  regiments  of  cavalry  splendidly  equipped;  one  battery  of 
flying  artillery,  10-pounders,  and  ten  guns,  manned  and  officered  by  foreigners  ; 
several  mountain  Howitzers,  and  other  artillery,  amounting  in  all  to  100.  9,000 
more  moving  to  re-enforce.  He  has  promised  Governor  Jackson  to  place  20,000 
men  in  Missouri  at  once.  I  have  a  copy  of  his  proclamation  and  also  one  of 
his  written  passes. 

C.  C.  MARSH, 

Colonel  Commanding  Camp  Fremont. 
Major  General  FREMONT,  St.  Louis. 

Upon  this  day,  August  1,  General  Fremont  went  in  person  to  re-enforce 
Cairo,  with  what  troops  he  could  gather,  and  with  as  much  display  as  possible, 
in  order  to  increase  the  apparent  size  of  his  small  force. 

[By  telegraph  from  St.  Louis,  August  2,  1861.] 

General  Scott  has  telegraphed  that  two  batteries  of  artillery  have  been  sent 
from  Cincinnati.  Shall  I  forward  them  to  you  when  they  arrive  ?  Genera* 
Lyon  wants  soldiers — soldiers — soldiers  !  So  says  General  Hammer,  who  has 
just  arrived  from  Springfield. 

J.  C.  KELTON, 
Assistant  Adjutant  Gewrd. 
General  FREMONT,  Cairo. 


100  TESTIMONY. 


[By  telegraph  from  Washington,  August  2,  1861.] 

This  despatch  was  sent  yesterday  to  commanding  officer,  Department  Ohio, 
Cincinnati.  Order  two  (2)  companies  fourth  artillery,  with  their  batteries,  under 
Howard  and  Kingsbury,  to  St.  Louis,  without  delay. 

WINFIELD  SCOTT. 
M.  BLAIR, 

Post  Master  General. 
Majer  General  J.  C.  FREMONT,  Cairo. 

WAR  DEPARTMENT, 
Washington,  August  2,  1861 

Since  ordering  the  two  batteries  for  you  yesterday,  it  appears  one  company 
has  no  guns  and  the  other  is  in  Western  Virginia;  neither  can  be  withdrawn 
The  order  is  countermanded. 

WINFIELD  SCOTT. 

HEADQUARTERS, 

Fort  Leavenworth,  Kansas,  August  3,  1861. 

SIR:  From  a  communication  this  day  received  from  Lieutenant  Colonel  0.  E. 
Learned,  I  am  informed  that  General  Lyon  relies  upon  the  3d  regiment  Kansas 
volunteers,  under  your  command,  to  take  charge  of  at  Fort  Scott  and  conduct  to 
his  (the  general's)  headquarters,  the  supply  train  now  en  route  to  Fort  Scott, 
under  the  command  of  Colonel  William  Weer,  4th  regiment  Kansas  volunteers. 
This  is  an  important  supply  train,  and  the  operations  of  General  Lyon  are,  in 
a  great  measure,  dependent  upon  an  early  reception  of  it.  You  will,  therefore, 
please  perfect,  at  the  earliest  possible  moment,  your  arrangements  to  move  with 
your  command  upon  Fort  Scott,  with  a  view  to  carry  out  the  intentions  and 
orders  of  General  Lyon.  I  shall  direct  the  commissary  at  this  post  to  turn  over 
to  you  two  months'  supplies  for  your  regiment,  which,  with  the  other  supplies 
intended  for  your  command,  will  be  placed  under  your  orders  and  directed  to 
proceed  to  Fort  Scott,  via  Lawrence,  Kansas.  To  more  fully  understand  the 
terms  of  the  contract  entered  into  by  the  War  'Department  and  Messrs.  Irwin, 
Jackman  &  Co.,  respecting  the  transportation  of  army  supplies,  I  enclose  a  copy 
of  paragraph  viii  of  that  contract,  for  your  information. 

Please  report  to  me  the  name  of  the  officer  selected  by  you  as  the  commissary 
of  your  regiment,  in  order  that  the  supplies  may  be  duly  invoiced  to  him. 
Respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

W.  E.  PRINCE,  Captain  1st  Infantry. 
Colonel  MONTGOMERY, 

3d  Regiment  Kansas  Volunteers. 

Copy  respectfully  submitted  for  information  of  General  Fremont. 

W.  E.  PRINCE,  Captain,  ty. 

The  following  despatch  was  sent  to  General  Fremont,  at  Cairo,  the  messeia- 
ger  .'having  arrived  at  St.  Louis,  from  General  Lyon,  in  General  Fremont's 
absence.  The  original  despatch  is  in  cipher : 

ST.  Louis,  August  3,  1861. 

General  Lyon  has  sent  a  special  messenger,  Colonel  Hammer,  to  say  that  he 
needs  re-enforcements;  that  Jackson's  army  is  in  Jasper  and  adjacent  counties,with 
not  less  than  20,000  men;  that  Lyon's  force  is  not  much  more  than  one-fourth  ; 
that  the  inhabitants  are  moving  this  way  as  fast  as  their  teams  will  carry  them, 
leaving  homes  and  crops  desolated ;  that  to  insure  a  continuous  and  safe  trans- 


.       TESTIMONY.  101 

port  of  provisions  and  supplies,  the  road  from  Holla  should  be  well  protected. 
I  have  referred  him  to  Captain  Kelton. 

E.  M.  D. 
Captain  DAVIS,  of  the.  staff  of  General  Fremont. 

(August  4,  Fremont  returned  to  St.  Louis.) 

CAIRO,  August  4,  1861. 

Information  last  night  of  a  large  force  at  Bloomfield,  reported  from  eight  (8) 
to  ten  thousand  (10,00  ;)  at  Garrison  Mills,  on  Picket  road,  five  hundred  (500;) 
at  Castor  Mills,  five  hundred  (500;)  at  Strong's  Mills,  on  Castor  river,  five 
hundred  (500 ;)  about  five  miles  above  Strong's  Mills  they  are  herding,  beef 
cattle.  On  1st  and  2d  August  they  had  orders  to  cook  four  days'  rations  of 
bread. 

C.  C.  MARSH, 
Colonel  2Qtk  Illinois  Volunteers,  Commanding. 

Major  General  J.  C.  FREMONT. 

INDIANAPOLIS,  August  4,  1861. 

Can  send  five  regiments,  if  leave  is  granted  by  the  department,  as  I  am 
ordered  to  send  them  east  as  fast  as  ready.  They  are  mostly  river  men,  and 
are  well  adapted  to  your  expedition.  They  have  been  promised  rifles  by  the 
department  which  have  not  arrived  as  yet.  What  kind  of  guns  will  you  give 
them,  and  where  are  they  at  ?  Will  telegraph  the  department. 

0.  P.  MORTON. 

Major  General  FREMONT. 

HEADQUARTRS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

St.  Louis,  August  4,  1861. 

The  governor  of  Indiana,  in  answer  to  my  urgent  request  for  troops,  informed 
me  by  telegraph,  that  he  has  five  regiments  ready,  chiefly  made  up  of  river 
boatmen,  but  they  are  under  orders  for  the  east.  He  will  ask  for  them  to  be 
kept  on  western  duty.  They  cannot  be  more  urgently  needed  at  any  place 
than  here,  and  I  ask  for  them  as  immediately  as  the  order  can  be  given.  Answer 
by  telegraph. 

J.  C.  FREMONT, 
Major  General  Commanding. 

Honorable  MONTGOMERY  BLAIR,  Washington  City. 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

St.  Louis,  August  4,  1861. 

Seeing  that  the  Secretary  at  War  is  absent  from  Washington,  I  telegraphed 
to  you  to  ask  that  the  five  Indiana  regiments,  now  under  orders  for  the  east, 
may  be  sent  at  once  to  me  for  immediate  duty  in  this  State.  Governor  Morton 
joins  me  in  this  request.  Nowhere  can  they  be  more  urgently  needed,  and 
nowhere  can  the  river  boatmen,  from  whom  they  are  largely  recruited,  be  so 
useful  to  the  cause. 

J.  C.  FRfiMONT,  ' 
Major  General  Commanding. 
Honorable  JAMES  A.  SCOTT, 

Acting  Secretary  at  War,  Washington  City. 


102  TESTIMONY. 


HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

St.  Louis,  August  4,  1861. 

The  general  commanding  desires  me  to  say  to  you  that  an  urgent  application 
goes  to-morrow  to  the  War  Department,  for  3,000  California  troops,  to  be  placed 
as  speedily  as  possible  at  El  Paso,  to  keep  Texas  troops  from  aiding  Arkansas. 
See  the  Postmaster  General  and  Secretary  of  War,  and  answer  by  telegraph. 

I.  0.  WOODS. 
Honorable  M.  S.  LATHAM, 

United  States  Senate,  Washington  City. 

[Received  St  Louis,  5th.] 

CAPE  GIRARDEAU, 
August  4 — 11  a.  m.,  via  Joncsborougli. 

Thompson  is  advancing  within  sixteen  miles  of  me.  Am  fortifying  the  hill 
in  rear  of  Mills.  Send  me  re-enforcements  and  ammunition.  Express  waiting 
for  reply. 

C.  C.  MARSH, 

Colonel  2Qtk  Illinois  Volunteers,  Commanding. 
Major  General  FREMONT. 

CAPE   GIRARDEAU, 
August  5 — 9  p.  m.,  via  Jonesborough. 

Enemy  close  on  me,  over  5,000  strong.  Will  be  attacked  before  morning ; 
send  me  aid. 

C.  C.  MARSH,  Colonel. 
Major  General  FREMONT. 

CAIROJ  August  5,  1861. 
The  following  despatch  was  just  received  : 

"  Cape  Girardeau,  August  4 — 11  p.  m. 

"  GENERAL  PRENTISS  :  Enemy  advancing  within  sixteen  miles  of  me.  Help 
me  if  you  can. 

"  C.  C.  MARSH." 

B.  M.  PRENTISS, 

Major  General. 
Major  General  FREMONT. 

BY  TELEGRAPH  FROM  THE  ARSENAL, 

August  5,  1861. 

There  are  now  in  the  arsenal  2,933  men,  besides  Smith's  630  at  the  barracks- 
Smith's  and  Coler's  men  don't  know  the  facings  and  marchings.  Ought  not 
Coler  to  go  to  the  barracks,  and  should  not  the  officers  of  the  13th  regulars  be 
instructed  to  drill  both  regiments  1 

CHESTER  HARDING,  JR. 

General  FREMONT,  St.  Louis 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

St.  Louis,  August  5,  1861. 

1.  The  commanding  officer  directs  that  Colonel  Montgomery's  force  joins 
General  Lyon's  command,  at  Springfield,  Missouri,  immediately. 


TESTIMONY.  103 

2.  The  force  under  Colonel  Dodge,  at  Council  Bluff,  is  ordered  to  St.  Joseph 
forthwith*.  On  its  arrival  at  that  point  the  commanding  officer  of  the  regiment 
will  report  to  these  headquarters  for  orders. 

J.  C.  KELTON,  A.  A.  G. 

Forward  these  orders  with  the  utmost  despatch. 

J.  C.  KELTON,  A.  A.  G. 
Captain  PRINCE,  Fort  Leavenwortk,  Kansas. 

[By  telegraph  from  Washington,  August  5,  1861.] 

The  President  desires  to  know  briefly  the  situation  of  affairs  in  the  region  of 
Cairo.  Please  answer. 

JOHN  G.  NICHOLAY,  Private  Secretary. 
Major  General  FREMONT. 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

St.  Louis,  August  6,  1861. 

I  re-enforce  you  this  morning  with  a  heavy  battery  of  24s  and  one  regiment. 
General  Prentiss  re-enforces  you  from  below.  Keep  me  posted. 

J.  C.  FREMONT, 
Major  General  Commanding. 
Colonel  C.  C.  MARSH,  Cape  Girardeau. 

WASHINGTON,  August  6,  1861. 

All  the  troops  are  ordered  out  of  New  Mexico.  The  first  detachment  will 
leave  about  the  loth.  Volunteers  received  in  New  Mexico  are  reported  unre 
liable  in  defending  the  large  amount  of  United  States  property  there.  Those 
stores  cannot  be  moved  east.  There  is  danger  of  their  falling  into  the  hands 
of  the  Texans.  Nevertheless,  the  regulars  must  come  away  as  ordered.  At 
least  two  regiments  of  volunteers,  say  from  Kansas,  should  be  sent'  without  de 
lay  to  New  Mexico,  with  a  competent  officer  for  the  immediate  command  of  all 
the  troops  there.  Confer  with  the  governor  of  Kansas,  and  arrange  for  the 
safety  of  New  Mexico  as  soon  as  possible. 

WINFIELD  SCOTT. 

Major  General  FREMONT. 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

St.  Louis,  August  6,  1861. 

COLONEL  :  I  send  by  special  engine  Mr.  Edward  H.  Castle  for  any  informa 
tion  you  may  have  of  General  Lyon's  position.  Mr.  Castle  will  inform  you  what 
progress  Colonel  Stevenson  has  made,  who',  with  his  regiment,  is  on  his  way  to 
General  Lyon's  camp.  Communicate  to  me  through  Mr.  C.,  who  is  instructed 
to  return  with  any  information  you  may  have — all  of  which  you  may  safely 
intrust  to  him. 

Enclosed  letters  to  be  forwarded  as  immediately  as  possible  to  General  Lyon. 

J.  C.  FREMONT, 
Major  General  Commanding. 
Colonel  WYMAN,  Rolla. 

[By  telegraph  from  Cairo  ] 

ARSENAL,  August  6,  1861. 

I  have  just  ordered  four  companies,  with  two  6-pounders  on  board  steamer,  to 
gend.  They  are,  no  doubt,  fighting  now.  See  general.  If  not  countermanded, 


104  TESTIMONY. 

will  Lurry  tLcm  forward.    MarsL  Las  called  for  Lelp  again.     Enemy,  5,000  and 
over.     Citizens  Lave  left  Cape  Girardeau.     Answer  if  I  must  send  tLern. 

B.  M.  PRENTISS,  Brigadier  General 
CHESTER  HARDING. 

ARSENAL,  August  6,  1861. 

Prentiss  telegraphs  tLat  Lot  fighting  is  no  doubt  going  on  at  Cape  Girardeau, 
and  tLat  Le  Las  on  board,  ready  to  start,  four  companies  and  two  6-pounders  to 
go  to  Lis  aid.  He  asks  if  lie  shall  send  tliem.  Please  answer  Lim.  Ought  Le 
not  to  increase  the  re-enforcements.  Enemy  5,000  strong. 

CHESTER  HARDING,  JR. 

Major  General  FREMONT. 

CAIRO,  August  6,  1861. 

Colonel  McArthur,  witL  six  companies  and  four  field-pieces,  left  for  Cape 
Girardeau  7J  a.  m.  Will  Lurry  intrencLments  at  Bird's  Point. 

R.  M.  PRENTISS,  General  Commanding. 
Major  General  FREMONT. 

WASHINGTON,  August  6,  1861. 

Orders  have  been  sent  Governor  Morton  to  forward  five  regiments  to  your 
department.  Hoffman's  battery  of  artillery,  from  Cincinnati,  have  been  ordered 
to  report  to  you  for  orders. 

THO'S  A.  SCOTT, 
Acting  Secretary  of  War. 
Major  General  FREMONT. 

HEADQUARTERS,  August  6,  1861. 

Heavy  battery  of  six  24-pounders  and  1,000  men  left  at  midnight  for  Girar 
deau  under  an  experienced  officer. 

J.  C.  FREMONT, 
Major  General  Commanding. 
Brigadier  General  B.  M.  PRENTISS,  Cairo. 

DECATUR,  August  7,  1861. 

Six  companies  of  rebels  (three  from  Williamson,  two  from  Franklin,  and  one 
from  Jackson  county,  in  this  State,)  are  reported  as  ready  to  join  Thompson  at 
Cape  Girardeau  to  invade  Illinois.  They  are  drilled  and  uniformed,  and  pretend 
to  be  Union  men.  They  ought  to  be  looked  after  by  you.  They  are  armed. 
You  may,  if  you  desire,  reach  me  until  to-morrow  morning  at  Centralia,  Illinois. 

R.  S.  PHILLIPS, 
United  States  Marshal. 
General  FREMONT. 

HEADQUARTERS  FORT  LEAVENWORTH, 

Kansas,  August  7,  1861. 

COLONEL  :  I  herewith  enclose  you  a  copy  of  the  telegram  received  and  shown 
you  last  night,  to  wit : 

"  HEADQUARTERS  OF  THE  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

"St.  Louis,  August  5,  1861. 

"  CAPTAIN  PRINCE  :  The  commanding  officer  directs  that  Montgomery's  force 
join  General  Lyon's  command  at  Springfield  immediately." 

Independent  of  the  reasons  set  forth  in  my  communication  to  you  of  the  3d 
instant,  you  will  see  the  necessity  for  adopting  at  once  the  most  active  measures 


TESTIMONY.  105 

to  unite  your  forces  with  those  of  General  Lyon.  The  train  is  now  loading,  and 
the  mule  wagons  intended  for  your  regiment  have,  I  believe,  been  turned  over 
to  you.  I  would  therefore  suggest  that  these  mule  wagons  be  loaded  with  arms 
and  ammunition  intended  for  the  home  guards  at  Fort  Scott,  with  the  rations  of 
Colonel  Weer's  command,  and  such  rations  for  your  own  command  as  will  fill 
them  up.  By  this  arrangement  you  will  be  able  to  detach,  if  necessary,  the 
mule  teams  for  a  more  rapid  march.  I  would  also  suggest  the  propriety  of  pro 
ceeding  in  advance  of  your  command,  with  Lieutenant  Hollister,  United  States 
army,  the  officer  detailed  to  complete  the  muster  of  your  regiment.  This  officer 
will  leave  this  morning,  and  will  move  with  rapidity,  and  I  do  not  wish  his 
labors  delayed,  upon  his  arrival  at  Mound  City.  This  officer  is  charged  also 
with  the  mustering  in  of  home  guards  at  Fort  Scott,  and  is  directed  to  apply 
to  you  for  the  arms  received  by  you  from  the  governor  of  the  State,  which  will 
be  turned  over  to  the  guards.  Please  respond  to  his  requisition,  and  aid  him  in 
the  performance,  if  necessary,  of  this  duty. 

To  carry  out  with  the  utmost  promptitude,  twenty  mule  wagons  will  be  turned 
over  to  you  for  the  transportation  of  these  supplies.  This  will  enable  you  to 
take  ten  days'  rations  for  eight  hundred  men,  besides  the  supply  ordered  for 
Colonel  Weer's  command,  and  the  arms  and  ammunition  for  the  home  guard. 

I  understand  you  have  camp  women  to  transport ;  if  so,  and  such  is  your  in 
tention,  they  should  be  transported  in  ox  teams,  so  as  not  to  encumber  the  mule 
wagons. 

Respectfully, 

W.  E.  PRINCE,  Captain  1st  Infantry. 

Colonel  MONTGOMERY, 

3d  Regiment  Kansas  Volunteers. 

HEADQUARTERS  OF  FORT  LEAVENWORTH,  August  8,  1861. 

Copy  respectfully  submitted  for  the  information  of  the  commanding  general. 

W.  E.  PRINCE,  Captain  1st  Infantry. 

HEADQUARTERS  OF  THE  WESTERN  DEPARTMEIVT, 

St.  Louis,  August  8,  1861. 

In  consequence  of  unfounded  rumors,  I  send  you  the  following  despatch : 
Intelligence  just  received  of  a  battle  fought,  Friday,  at  Dug  Springs,  nine 
teen  miles  south  of  Springfield,  between  Lyon's  forces,  eight  thousand  strong, 
and  troops  of  McCulloch,  estimated  at  fifteen  thousand.  Lyon's  loss,  eight 
killed,  thirty  wounded;  McCulloch's,  forty  killed  and  forty-four  wounded. 
Lyon  seized  eighty  stand  of  arms,  fifteen  horses  and  wagons  of  provisions. 
Twenty-seven  United  States  cavalry  came  suddenly  on  the  enemy's  infantry, 
estimated  four  thousand,  rode  on  them,  created  a  stampede  among  the  infantry, 
cut  their  way  through,  and  came  back  with  the  loss  of  five  men.  Cavalry 
charge  most  brave.  Enemy  found  with  their  heads  cloven  entirely  through  by 
force  of  sabre  strokes.  Enemy  retreated  during  the  night  to  McCulloch's  store, 
a  few  miles  south.  Lyon  took  possession  of  the  battle-field.  Pickets  fired  on 
Saturday  morning.  Fight  momentarily  expected.  Reports  Sunday  morning 
of  a  battle  going  on ;  not  authentic.  Rumors  of  a  large  force  of  rebels  west  of 
Springfield.  Attack  expected. 

J.  C.  FREMONT, 
Major  General  Commanding. 
ABRAHAM  LINCOLN, 

President  of  the  United  States,  Washington. 


106  TESTIMONY. 


BIRD'S  POINT,  August  8,  1861. 

The  men  want  to  go  home,  and  if  detained  much  longer  the  worst  conse 
quences  may  be  feared.  Their  time  of  service  expired  yesterday.  Provide  for 
their  return.  They  are  of  little  use  in  their  present  spirit.  I  wait  your  answer 

ROBT.  ROMBAUER. 
Major  General  FREMONT. 

HEADQUARTERS  OF  THE  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

St.  Louis,  August  9,  1861. 

General  Lyon  not  defeated ;  had  a  brilliant  and  successful  skirmish.  Sent 
telegram  to  Major  SideK. 

J.  C.  FREMONT, 
Major  General  Commanding. 

LOVELL  H.  ROSSEAU, 

Camp  Joseph  Holt,  Jsjfersonville. 

[By  telegraph  from  Cairo,  August  9,  1861.] 

ST.  Louis  ARSENAL,  August  9,  1861. 
Full  statement  forwarded  by  mail. 

B.  M.  PRENTISS, 

Brigadier  General. 
Colonel  CHESTER  HARDING,  jr. 

SPINGFIELD,  Missouri,  August  9,  1861. 

GENERAL  :  I  have  just  received  your  note  of  the  6th  instant  by  special 
messenger. 

I  retired  to  this  place,  as  I  have  before  informed  you,  reaching  here  on  the 
5th.  The  enemy  followed  to  within  ten  miles  of  here.  He  has  taken  a  strong 
position,  and  is  recruiting  his  supplies  of  horses,  mules,  and  provisions  by  for 
ages  into  the  surrounding  country ;  his  large  force  of  mounted  men  enabling 
him  to  do  this  without  much  annoyance  from  me. 

I  find  my  position  extremely  embarrassing,  and  am  at  present  unable  to  de 
termine  whether  I  shall  be  able  to  maintain  my  ground  or  be  forced  to  retire. 
I  can  resist  any  attack  from  the  front,  but  if  the  enemy  move  to  surround  me  I 
must  retire.  I  shall  hold  my  ground  as  long  as  possible,  though  I  may,  without 
knowing  how  far,  endanger  the  safety  of  my  entire  force,  with  its  valuable  ma 
terial,  being  induced,  by  the  important  considerations  involved,  to  take  this  step. 
The  enemy  yesterday  made  a  show  of  force  about  five  miles  distant,  and  has 
doubtless  a  full  purpose  of  making  an  attack  upon  me. 
Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

N.  LYON, 
Brigadier  General  of  Volunteers  Commanding. 

Major  General  J.  C.  FREMONT, 

Commanding  Western  Department,  St.  Louis,  Mo. 

Upon  the  10th  of  August  General  Lyon  was  killed  in  battle. 


TESTIMONY.  107 


The  Assistant  Adjutant  General's  official  statement  of  General  Ly&n's  com 
mand  : 

First  brigade,  Major  Sturgis : 

Four  companies  cavalry,  one  company  dragoons 250 

Four  companies  first  infantry 350 

Two  companies  Missouri  volunteers 200 

One  battery 84 

Total..  884 


Second  Brigade,  General  Sigel : 

Third  Missouri .' 700 

^  Fifth  Missouri \ 600 

viVo  batteries 120 

Total..  1,420 


Third  brigade,  Colonel  Andrews : 

First  Missouri 900 

Four  companies  infantry  (regulars) 3$0 

One  battery 64 

Total..  1,264 


Fourth  brigade,  Colonel  Deitzler : 

Two  Kansas  regiments 1,  400 

First  Iowa  regiment 900 


Total 2,  300 


RECAPITULATION. 

First  brigade 884 

Second  brigade 1,  420 

Third  brigade 1,  264 

Fourth  brigade 2,  300 

Total..  5,868 


J.  C.  KELTON,  Assistant  Adjutant  General. 
General  FREMONT,  Commanding  Department. 

CAIRO,  August  10,  1861. 

The  rebels  are  concentrating  at  Madrid.  The  least  number  reported  me 
10,000.  They  are  procuring  wagons,  mules,  and  horses,  by  seizure  from  inhabi 
tants,  and  are  intrenching  at  Madrid.  I  have  a  man  with  them  who  will  return 
on  Sunday  night.  The  force  that  was  near  Charleston  is  reported  now  to  be  at 
Madrid.  They  seem  to  await  our  coming. 

B.  M.  PRENTISS,  Brigadier  General 
Major  General  FREMONT. 


108  TESTIMONY. 

CAIRO,  August  12,  1861. 

A  scout  sent  out  several  days  ag»  from  here  has  just  returned.  He  left  New 
Madrid  on  Saturday  evening  at  six  o'clock.  He  reports  that  the  forces  there 
are  embarking  to  return  to  Memphis.  Two- steamers  had  left  for  beloAv,  loaded 
with  troops,  and  some  others  were  loading  with  troops  and  munitions.  All  the 
field  artillery,  some  twenty  or  thirty  pieces,  were  shipped.  I  think  the  infor 
mation  reliable.  Scout  came  up  through  the  country.  Saw  no  indications  of 
troops  after  leaving  New  Madrid.  Other  of  our  scouts  were  in  Charleston  this 
morning  and  report  that  there  are  no  troops  there  or  in  that  vicinity.  The 
reason  assigned  for  this  movement,  according  to  his  statement,  is  that  the  con 
federate  officers  had  information  that  General  Fremont  was  preparing  a  move 
on  Tennessee  by  way  of  Columbus  and  the  railroad  to  Union  city. 

W.  H.  L.  WALLACE,  Colonel  Commanding. 

Major  General  FREMONT. 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

August  12,  1861. 

Will  you  ask  the  Secretary  of  War  to  send  me  Captain  A.  Baird  with  Cap 
tain  Fry,  as  assistant  adjutant  generals.  Work  is  heavy  and  aid  of  experienced 
officers  is  necessary. 

J.  C.  FREMONT, 
Major  General  Commanding. 
Hon.  MONTGOMERY  BLAIR, 

Washington,  D.  C. 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

August  12,  1861. 

Will  you  order  the  Groesbeck  regiment,  39th  Ohio,  now  at  Camp  Denuison, 
to  be  transferred  to  me  ?  The  regiment  is  willing  to  come. 

J.  C.  FREMONT, 
Major  General  Commanding. 
Hon.  Mr.  CAMERON, 

Secretary  of  War,  Washington  City., 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

St.  Louis,  August  13,  1861. 

Despatch  received.  Our  soldiers  are  not  promptly  paid,  partly  from  the 
small  force  of  paymasters,  more  from  want  of  money,  which  fatally  embarrasses 
every  branch  of  the  public  service  here.  I  require  this  week  three  millions  for 
quartermaster's  department. 

J.  C.  FREMONT, 
Major  General  Commanding. 
Hon.  THOMAS  A.  SCOTT, 

Assistant  Secretory  of  War. 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

St.  Louis,  August  13,  1861. 

Let  the  governor  of  Ohio  be  ordered  forthwith  to  send  me  what  disposable 
force  he  has.  Also  governors  of  Indiana,  Illinois,  and  Wisconsin.  Order  the 
utmost  promptitude.  The  German  Groesbeck,  39th  Ohio,  regiment,  at  Camp 
Dennison,  might  be  telegraphed  directly  here.  We  are  badly  in  want  of  field 
artillery,  and  up  to  this  time  very  few  of  our  small  arms  have  arrived. 

J.  C.  FREMONT, 
Major  General  Commanding. 
The  SECRETARY  OF  WAR,  Washington  City. 


TESTIMONY.  109 


HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

August  13,  1861. 
Will  the  President  read  my  urgent  despatch  to  the  Secretary  of  War  ? 

J.  C.  FREMONT, 

Major  General  Commanding. 
The  PRESIDENT  of  the  United  States. 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

August  13,  1861. 

See  instantly  my  despatch  to  the  Secretary  of  Waj.  My  judgment  is  that 
some  regiments  with  arms  in  their  hands,  and  some  field  artillery  ready  for  use, 
with  arms  and  ammunition,  ought  to  be  expressed  to  this  point.  The  report  of 
the  action  comes  from  General  Lyon's  aid,  Major  Farrar.  If  true,  you  have  no 
•time  to  lose. 

J.  C.  FREMONT, 
Major  General  Commanding. 
Hon.  MONTGOMERY  BLAIR,  Washington  City. 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

St.  Louis,  August  13,  1861. 

Will  you  order  company  of  regular  artillery  at  Cincinnati  to  report  to  me 
forthwith,  together  with  the  battery  at  Bellair  ? 

J.  C.  FREMONT, 
Major  General  Commanding. 
Hon.  THOMAS  A.  SCOTT, 

Assistant  Secretary  of  War. 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

St.  Louis,  August  13,  1861. 

Severe  engagement  near  Springfield  on  10th.  Our  force  8,000 ;  enemy  23,000 
strong.  Our  loss  800  killed  aufi  wounded.  General  Lyon  killed.  Enemy's 
loss  1,500,  including  McCulloch  and  Price  killed.  Sigel  retreated  to  Springfield, 
whence  next  morning  continued  retreat  toward  Rolla,  bringing  with  him  his 
baggage-trains  and  $250,000  in  gold  from  Springfield  Bank.  I  am  sending  re- 
enforcements  to  Rolla. 

J.  C.  FREMONT, 
Major  General  Commanding. 
Brigadier  General  B.  M.  PRENTISS,  Quincy,  Illinois. 

BIRD'S  POINT,  August  13,  1861. 

Three  more  secessionists,  two  of  them  belonging  to  a  Missouri  company  and 
one  to  a  Mississippi  company,  all  mounted  and  armed,  were  captured  this  morn 
ing  at  daylight,  two  *niles  south  of  Charleston,  by  Sergeant  Canon  and  two  men 
belonging  to  Captain  Burns 's  cavalry  of  my  command.  One  of  them  says  he 
left  New  Madrid  Sunday  p.  m. ;  that  six  steamboats  had  arrived  from  below 
with  some  5,000  of  the  same  troops  that  left  on  Saturday  evening.  The  cavalry 
had  also  returned.  Rumors  from  other  sources  say  that  the  confederate  forces 
all  landed  at  New  Madrid  last  night.  Rumor  that  Jeff.  Thompson's  force  is 
advancing  on  Cape  Girardeau. 

W.  H.  L.  WALLACE, 

Colonel  Commanding. 

Major  General  FREMONT. 


110  TESTIMONY. 


JEFFERSON  CITY,  August  13,  1861. 

Rumor  here  from  across  the  country  of  fight  at  Springfield,  with  great  loss  on 
both  sides.  If  State  forces  are  in  possession  of  Springfield  we  ought  to  have 
20,000  men  here  in  two  days.  Answer. 

THOS.  L.  PRICE. 

Major  General  FREMONT. 

HEADQI  ARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

St.  Louis,  August  13,  1861. 

General  Lyon,  in  three  columns,  under  himself,  Sigel  and  Sturgis,  attacked 
the  enemy  at  half  past  6  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  10th,  nine  miles  south 
east  of  Springfield  ;  engagement  severe.  Our  loss  about  800  killed  and  wounded. 
General  Lyon  killed  in  charge  at  head  of  his  column.  Our  force  8,000,  inclu 
ding  2,000  home  guards.  Muster-roll  reported  taken  from  the  enemy,  23,000, 
including  regiments  from  Louisiana,  Tennessee,  Mississippi,  with  Texas  Rangers 
and  Cherokee  half-breeds.  This  statement  corroborated  by  prisoners.  Their 
loss  reported  heavy,  including  Generals  McCulloch  and  Price.  Their  tents  and 
wagons  destroyed  in  the  action.  Sigel  left  one  gun  on  the  field,  and  retreated 
to  Springfield;  whence,  at  3  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  llth,  continued  his 
retreat  upon  Rolla,  bringing  off  his  baggage  trains  and  $250,000  in  specie  from 
Springfield  Bank.  I  am  doing  what  is  possible  to  support  him,  but  need  aid  of 
some  organized  force  to  repel  the  enemy,  reported  advancing  on  other  points  in 
considerable  strength. 

J.  C.  FREMONT,  Maj.  Gen.  Commanding. 

Colonel  E.  D.  TOWNS  END, 

Assistant  Adjutant  General,  Washington  City. 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

St.  Louis,  August  13,  1861. 

Severe  engagement  near  Springfield  reported ;  General  Lyon  killed ;  Sigel 
retreating  in  good  order  on  Rolla.  Send  forthwith  all  disposable  force  you 
have,  arming  as  you  best  can  for  the  moment.  Use  utmost  despatch. 

J.  C.  FREMONT,  Maj.  Gen.  Commanding. 
Gov.  YATES,  Springfield,  111. 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

St.  Louis,  August  13,  1861. 

Severe  engagement  near  Springfield  reported ;  General  Lyon  killed  ;  Sigel 
retreating  in  good  order  on  Rolla.  Send  forthwith  all  disposable  force  you 
have,  arming  them  as  you  best  can  for  the  moment.  Use  utmost  despatch. 

J.  C.  FREMONT,  Maj.  &en.  Commanding. 
Gov.  MORTON,  Indianapolis. 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

St.  Louis,  August  13,  1861. 

A  severe  engagement  near  Springfield  reported ;  heavy  loss  on  both  sides ; 
General  Lyon  killed ;  Sigel  retreating  on  Rolla.  Get  the  Groesbeck  regiment 
ordered  here  forthwith ;  get  it  from  the  governor. 

J.  C.  FREMONT,  Maj.  Gen.  Commanding. 
Hon.  J.  A.  GURLEY,  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 


TESTIMONY.  Ill 


HEADQUARTERS  WESTE'BN  DEPARTMENT, 

August  13,  1861. 

Severe  engagement  reported  near  Springfield ;  General  Lyon  killed ;  Sigel 
retreating  in  good  order  on  Rolla.  Send  forthwith  all  disposable  force  you 
have,  arming  as  you  best  can  for  the  moment.  Order  Warren's  cavalry  here  at 
once.  Use  utmost  despatch. 

J.  C.  FREMONT,  Maj.  Gen.  Commanding. 

Adjt.  Gen.  BAKER,  Burlington,  Iowa. 

Also  telegraph  to  the  same  effect  to  Governor  Dennison,  Columbus,  Ohio. 
Subsequent  despatches  show  how  unsatisfactory  was  the  actual  response  (not 
verbal)  to  these  demands  for  aid. 

The  following  despatch  was  sent  to  Mr.  J.  T.  Howard,  of  New  York,  who,  at 
General  Fremont's  request,  was  endeavoring  to  procure  certain  arms  from  the 
Union  Defence  Committee  of  that  city : 

ST.  Louis,  August  13,  1861. 

Despatch  received ;  send  the  arms  without  further  bargaining,  and  also  send 
your  address.  Ship  per  Adams  &  Co.'s  fast  freight,  who  collect  here  on  deliv 
ery.  Good  men  are  loosing  their  lives  while  the  men  whom  they  defend  are 
debating  terms.  Answer. 

J.  C.  FREMONT, 
Major  General  Commanding. 
J.  T.  HOWARD. 


Disposition  for  the  protection  of  St.  Louis. 

AUGUST  13,  1861. 

In  Lafayette  Park  a  camp  is  to  be  established  for  a  regiment. 

The  heavy  guns  to  be  put  in  position  and  a  regiment  encamped  under  the 
reservoir. 

On  the  height  south  of  the  arsenal,  called  Jacques's  Garden,  two  guns  with 
a  howitzer  to  be  planted. 

The  3d  and  4th  home  guard  regiments  to  be  paid  off  and  reorganized  im 
mediately.  After  the  arrival  of  the  combined  regiment  under  Lieutenant  Colo 
nel  Rombauer  from  Bird's  Point,  the  1st  and  2d  home  guard  regiments,  and 
also  the  5th,  under  Colonel  Stifel,  to  be  paid  a*hd  reorganized. 

Martial  law  to  be  proclaimed  at  once.  The  secret  police  increased  and  sys 
tematically  organized.  A  provost  marshal  shall  be  appointed  with  a  staff.  The 
reserve  home  guard,  under  Filley  and  Hill,  to  be  organized  in  accordance  with 
suggestions  contained  in  the  orders  to  the  different  colonels. 

Captain  Kowald's  artillery  company,  100  men  strong,  to  be  fitted  out  imme 
diately,  and  the  company  from  Belleville  to  be  ordered  in.  Captains  Voerster's 
and  Center's  pioneer  companies  to  be  completed  and  set  at  work  on  the  fortifi 
cations.  Laborers  also  to  be  employed. 

J.  C.  FREMONT, 
Major  General  Commanding, 

Disposition  for  iJie  State. 

AUGUST  13.  1863. 

Rolla,  the  receiving  point  of  the  southwestern  army,  must  be  occupied  with 
a  large  force,  in  order  that  the  retiring  army  of  Springfield  can  find  a  place 
of  rest ;  and  from  this  place  the  offensive  ca»  be  assumed  in  case  that  Spring- 


112  TESTIMONY. 

field  is  to  be  retaken.  The  commuication  from  Holla  to  Sigel's  troops  must  be 
kept  open,  scouting  parties  sent  out  as  far  as  Salem,  in  Dent  county,  to  ascer 
tain  if  any  attack  is  intended  from  the  centre  column  of  the  enemy  on  Holla, 
The  protection  of  the  bridge  and  road  of  the  S.  W.  B.  P.  railroad  to  be  kept 
constantly  in  view. 

Warsaw,  on  the  Osage  river.  Under  the  present  circumstances  it  is  of  great 
importance  to  have  the  Osage  river  line  protected,  because  this  is  the  natural 
defence  line  and  secures  us  all  the  counties  lying  between  the  Missouri  and 
Osage  rivers.  If  we  give  up  or  lose  this  line  then  all  cities  and  towns  of  the 
Missouri  river,  of  which  many  are  of  great  importance,  will  be  endangered,  and 
the  enemy  can  open  the  communication  with  the  country  nortk  of  that  river. 

W^arsaw  is  the  most  important  crossing  place  on  the  Osage  river,  and  should 
be  occupied  by  troops.  Kansas  City,  Lexington,  Boonville,  and  Jefferson 
City  are  to  be  occupied  by  volunteer  troops,  who  are  to  act  in  concert  with  the 
home  guards,  in  order  that  the  secessionists  may  not  gather  in  larger  forces,  and 
to  secure  uninterrupted  communication  on  the  river. 

The  home  guards  between  the  Osage  and  Missouri  rivers  should  be  con 
centrated  at  Cole  Camp.  A  second  camp  should  be  formed  in  Georgetown  as 
reserve  position  of  the  troops  in  Warsaw,  and  the  places  along  the  river. 
From  these  camps  the  Union  men  can  be  protected  from  the  assaults  of 
secessionists. 

Tuscumbia,  on  the  Osage  river.  This  is  the  second  (to  Warsaw)  importan 
position,  a  commanding  place,  and  protecting  Jefferson  City.  It  is  situated 
on  high  ground  and  commands  the  river. 

Linn  creek,  county  seat  of  Linn  county.  There  should  be  situated  an  ob 
servation  force  at  this  place.  It  is  not  probable  that  the  enemy  will  try  to 
effect  a  crossing,  on  account  of  the  broken,  hilly,  steep  country  of  the 
neighborhood. 

The  fortifications  of  Ironton,  and  the  placing  of  the  guns  therein,  should 
be  pushed  forward  to  completion  as  quickly  as  possible.  One  or  two  artillery 
companies  should  be  sent  out  to  manage  the  cannons,  and  to  have  the  light  and 
heavy  batteries  thoroughly  organized.  Centreville  and  Frederickstown  should 
be  occupied  by  our  forces,  for  the  protection  of  the  flanks  of  our  troops  at 
Pilot  Knob,  and  one  moving  column  sent  out  on  the  road  to  Greenville  to  make 
reconnoissances  of  the  enemy's  intentions,  strength,  &c. 

Caledonia  and  Potosi. — The  home  guards  of  these  places  to  send  out  frequent 
patrols  to  Fourche-a-Courtois  mines. 

Cape  Girardeau. — Scouting  parties  to  be  sent  to  Jackson  and  Dallas,  to 
watch  the  secessionists  and  their  movements.  There  is  no  doubt  that  the  enemy 
intends  to  reach  the  Missouri  river  and  take ,  possession  of  Lexington,  Boon 
ville,  or  Jefferson  City — most  probably  the  latter  place.  This  can  only  be 
avoided  by  strengthening  our  forces  at  Rolla,  and  all  along  the  Osage  line ; 
therefore  all  our  available  force  should  be  sent  to  those  points. 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

St.  Louis,  August  14,  1861. 

General  Grant,  commanding  at  Ironton,  attacked  yesterday  at  6  by  a  force 
reported  at  13,000.  Railroad  seized  by  the  enemy  at  Big  River  Bridge,  on  this 
side  of  Ironton.  The  governor  of  Ohio  postponed  my  urgent  request  for  aid 
until  ordered  by  you.  Will  you  issue  peremptory  orders  to  him  and  other 
governors  to  send  me  instantly  any  disposable  troops  and  arms  ?  An  artillery 
company  of  regulars  at  Cincinnati,  which  has  been  there  three  months.  I  have 
applied  for  it  repeatedly.  The  enemy  is  in  overpowering  force,  and  we  are  very 
weak  in  men  and  arms.  We  have  neglected  nothing,  and  will  do  all  that  is 
possible,  but  not  one  moment  should  be  lost  in  giving  us  any  possible  aid  in 


TESTIMONY.  113 

fixed  artillery,  arid  men  with  arms  in  their  hands.     A  little  immediate  relief  in 
good  material  might  prevent  great  sacrifices. 

J.  C.  FREMONT, 
Major  General  Commanding. 
The  PRESIDENT  of  the  United  States. 

ST.  Louis,  August  4,  1861. 

Yours  of  the  4th  received  to-day.  See  despatch  to  President.  I  have  made 
a  loan  from  the  banks  here.  Send  money.  It  is  a  moment  for  the  government 
to  put  forth  its  power. 

J.  0.  FREMONT, 
Major  General  Commanding. 
Hon.  MONTGOMERY  BLAIR,  Washington  City. 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

August  14,  1861. 

Your  letter  of  the  4th  received  this  day.  All  your  suggestions  will  be  fully 
attended  to.  But  this  department  should  be  largely  supplied  with  funds  to  pre 
vent  a  recurrence  of  what  you  speak  of. 

J.  C.  FREMONT, 
Major  General  Commanding. 
Hon.  S.  P.  CHASE,  Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 

WASHINGTON,  August  14,  1861. 

Your  message  to  President  read.  Positive  orders  were  given  yesterday  to 
Governor  Dejmison,  and  to  governors  of  Indiana,  Illinois,  and  Michigan,  to  send 
all  their  organized  forces,  with  full  supply  of  artillery  and  small  arms.  Gov 
ernor  Dennison  replies  that  Groesbeck's  regiment  will  be  promptly  forwarded. 

SIMON  CAMERON. 

General  J.  C.  FREMONT. 

WASHINGTON,  August  14,  1861. 

All  the  governors  designated  in  your  message  were  immediately  advised  to 
forward  regiments  and  arms.  Governor  Dennison  was  instructed  to  send  the 
Groesbeck  regiment  without  a  moment's  delay. 

THOS.  A.  SCOTT, 
Assistant  Secretary  of  War. 
General  J.  C.  FREMONT. 

WASHINGTON,  August  14,  1861. 

Mr.  Leslie  tells  me  orders  have  been  issued  to  Ohio,  Indiana,  Illinois,  and 
Michigan  to  forward  all  available  forces  to  you. 

M.  BLAIR,  Postmaster  General. 
General  J.  C.  FREMONT. 

WASHINGTON,  August  5,  1861. 

Been  answering  your  messages  ever  since  day  before  yesterday.  Do  you  re 
ceive  the  answers  1  The  War  Department  has  notified  all  the  governors  you 
designate  to  forward  all  available  force.  So  telegraphed  you.  Have  you  re 
ceived  these  messages  1  Answer  immediately. 

A.  LINCOLN. 
Major  General  FREMONT. 

Part  iii 8 


114  TESTIMONY. 


WAR  DEPARTMENT,  August  14,  1861. 

SIR  :  Your  letter  of  the  9th  instant,  to  the  Hon.  Montgomery  Blair,  has  been 
submitted  to  me  by  him. 

With  a  view  to  place  the  raw  troops  under  your  command  in  a  state  of  effi 
ciency  for  active  service  in  the  shortest  possible  time,  you  are  authorized  to  carry 
into  effect  your  suggestion  of  accepting  the  services  of  instructed  officers  and 
men  who  have  seen  service,  to  form  the  skeleton  or  framework  for  the  organiza 
tion  of  your  forces. 

Let  the  captains  of  companies  thus  begun  procure  transportation  from  the 
railroad  companies,  and  give  their  receipts  to  the  road  as  vouchers. 
Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

SIMON  CAMERON, 

Secretary  of  War. 
Major  General  JOHN  C.  FREMONT, 

Commanding  Department  of  the  West,  St.  Louis,  Mo. 

CINCINNATI,  August  6,  1861. 

War  Department  has  despatched  Adjutant  McLean;  that  they  cannot  let  Hoff 
man  have  guns,  and  suggests  that  the  company  had  better  be  retained  here  until 
further  orders.  This  will  not  do,  if  you  can  supply  them  with  guns.  They 
want  to  come  to  St.  Louis  as  soon  as  mustered.  What  shall  I  do  1  Answer 
quickly. 

R.  M.  CORWINE. 

Major  General  FREMONT. 

WASHINGTON,  August  16,  1861. 

Every  available  man  and  all  the  money  in  the  public  chest  have  been  sent, 
We  will  send  more  money  immediately,  our  financial  arrangements  at  New 
York  having  been  perfected.  Let  our  fellows  cheer  up — all  will  be  well. 

M.  BLAIR,  Postmaster  General. 

Colonel  BLAIR. 

CINCINNATI,  August  16,  1861. 

E.  D.  Townsend  despatches  me  the  following  in  reply  to  your  telegram  to 
the  President :  General  Scott  says  the  battery  of  company  E,  fourth  artillery, 
cannot  be  spared  from  the  department  of  the  Ohio. 

R.  M.  CORWINE. 
Major  General  FREMONT. 

WASHINGTON,  August  16,  1861. 

General  Scott  says  :  Take  steps  to  replace  two  companies  of  fourth  artillery, 
at  Fort  Randall,  by  a  sufficient  number  of  volunteer  companies  from  Kansas 
and  Iowa,  and  bring  the  regulars  to  Cincinnati,  to  be  subject  to  General  Robert 
Anderson's  order.  Arrange  so  that  least  tune  possible  shall  be  lost.  Benham 
is  with  Rosecrans.  C.  F.  Smith  is  not  brigadier  general. 

E.  D.  TOWNSEND. 

Major  General  FREMONT. 

ST.  Louis,  August  19,  1861. 

It  is  necessary,  in  order  to  facilitate  the  organization  here,  that  Major  General 
Fremont  have  power  to  commission  officers,  as  Governor  Gamble  has  neglected 
to  accede  to  a  request  to  do  it,  much  to  the  detriment  of  the  public  service. 


TESTIMONY.  115 

If  the  President  telegraphs  that  he  will  appoint  the  officers  General  Fremont 
commissions,  it  will  remove  a  great  stumbling-block  from  our  path.  " 

FRANK  P.  BLAIR,  JR. 
Hon.  MONTGOMERY  BLAIR. 

Washington,  D.  C. 

In  answer  to  this,  Mr.  Montgomery  Blair  telegraphed  that  if  Governor  Gam 
ble  would  not  commission  officers  the  President  would ;  but  some  mistake  ren 
dering  the  despatch  incomprehensible,  the  President  repeated  it  himself,  as- 
follows  : 

[By  telegraph  from  Washington,  21st,  1861.] 

I  repeat  I  will  commission  the  officers  of  Missouri  volunteers. 

A.  LINCOLN. 
Colonel  BLAIR. 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

August  21,  1861. 

DEAR  MR.  BLAIR  :  Quartermaster  Turnley  brought  me  this  morning  a 
despatch  to  himself,  from  General  Meigs,  informing  him  that  the  Secretary  of 
Wai^  disapproved  a  purchase  of  horses  ordered  by  me ;  and,  still  further,  going 
to  impute  to  me  a  disposition  to  extravagance  in  my  expenditures  here.  If 
there  should  be  here  any  act  of  mine  wrong  enough  to  merit  the  censure  of  the 
administration,  and  grave  enough  to  justify  them  in  making  it,  I  think  that  it 
should  be  made  to  me  directly,  and  not  through  the  medium  of  an  inferior,  to 
one  of  his  subordinates,  who  is  under  my  command.  Such  a  course  is  intol 
erable,  not  because  it  is  derogatory  and  humiliating,  but  also  because  it  seri 
ously  impairs  my  efficiency,  by  lessening  the  respect  in  which  my  conduct  is  to 
be  held  by  the  officers  of  my  command,  and  also  by  the  discouragement  it  in 
flicts  on  myself.  To  give  full  efficiency  to  my  acts  no  one  here  should  be  able 
to  suppose  a  possibility  of  my  ordinary  administrative  acts,  or,  indeed,  of  any 
other,  being  questioned.  I  have  not  written  to  General  Meigs,  judging  it  better 
to  ask  the  attention  of  the  President  to  this  want  of  official  courtesy.  I  am  not 
only  willing,  but  I  am  happy  to  devote  my  best  energies  to  the  service  of  the 
country  and  the  President.  But  I  trust  that  he  will  at  once  put  his  foot  upon 
any  attempt  to  impair  my  usefulness,  or  cause  me  mortification  in  the  discharge 
of  my  duties  here.  I  trouble  you  often  ;  will  you  allow  me  to  ask  that  you 
acquaint  the  President  with  this  occurrence,  and  oblige, 

Yours,  very  truly, 

J.  C.  FREMONT. 

Hon.  MONTGOMERY  BLAIR,  Washington  City. 

WASHINGTON,  August  24,  1861. 

DEAR  GENERAL  :  Don't  suppose  that  I  don't  attend  to  your  matters,  and  do 
all  that  I  can  to  forward  them  because  I  do  not  write  frequently.  I  am  to  be 
interrupted,  if  I  take  up  a  pen,  by  people  that  have  the  run  of  my  office  or 
house,  and  so  I  keep  out  of  both,  and  go  after  your  business  in  person,  and 
effect  it  if  I  can. 

I  write  now,  to-day,  in  reply  to  your  letter  about  Meigs,  that  you  must  not 
suppose  that  he  intended  by  his  telegram  to  Turnley  to  reflect  upon  you.  Far 
from  it.  I  happened  in  his  office  when  he  opened  Turnley 's  requisition,  and 
remarked  to  me,  substantially,  what  he  telegraphed  to  Turnley.  But  he  did 
not  know  that  Turnley  had  any  instructions  from  you  to  get  horses  of  any  su 
perior  quality.  No  such  suggestion  accompanied  the  requisition,  and  I  will 


1 1  6  TESTIMONY. 

guarantee  that  if  Tumley  makes  any  explanation,  which  puts  the  responsibility 
on  you,  it  \fill  be  satisfactory  to  Meigs. 

I  say  this  without  having  seen  him  at.  all  since  the  receipt  of  yours  on  the 
subject ;  but,  I  think,  I  understand  him  fully.  I  heard  him  say  to  General 
Scott,  some  time  ago,  that  if  he  would  name  a  day  when  he  must  have  horses 
they  should  be  ready. '  "  If  next  week,  they  would  cost  $150  ;  if  the  week 
after,  $125.  The  price  was  nothing.  A  horse  might  be  worth  the  price  many 
times  to  the  government  if  ready  when  wanted,  and  of  course  of  no  value  if 
not."  This  is  the  style  of  man  he  is,  and  you  will  have;  and  I  believe  have 
not  had  any  delay  or  difficulty  from  him.  The  trouble  is  elsewhere.  Chase  has 
more  horror  of  seeing  treasury  notes  below  par  than  of  seeing  soldiers  killed, 
and,  therefore,  has  held  back  too  much,  I  think.  I  don't  believe  at  all  in  that 
style  of  managing  the  treasury.  It  depends  on  the  war,  and  it  is  better  to  get 
ready  and  beat  the  enemy  by  selling  stocks  at  fifty  per  cent,  discount  than  wait 
to  negotiate  and  lose  a  battle.  I  have  got  you  a  splendid  officer  for  your  navy 
department  and  guns.  He  will  be  en  route,  for  yoii  in  a  day  or  two,  when  he 
will  be  posted  up  and  call  for  what  you  want.  You  will  have  credit  at  the 
N  avy  Department  when  you  get  him  under  you. 

I  showed  the  President  Billings's  letter,  and  read  him  yours  about  Adams. 
He  said  that  you  were  right  in  saying  that  Adams  was  devoted  to  his  money 
bags. 

Schuyler  had  already  gone  to  Europe  about  arms  when  I  wrote  and  tele 
graphed  you,  and  your  letter  in  reply  was  handed  to  Mr.  Seward,  to  be  for 
warded  to  him.  I  suppose  it  would  put  him  in  relation  with  Billings,  which 
would  bring  about  your  wishes.  If  I  had  known  when  you  were  here  what  you 
communicated  to  my  father,  I  think  from  my  knowledge  of  Meigs,  with  your  in 
dorsement,  I  could  have  turned  the  whole  matter  over  to  him.  At  the  same 
time  you  must  not  expect  too  much  of  me  in  the  cabinet.  I  have,  as  you  know, 
very  little  influence,  and  even  now,  when  the  policy  I  have  advocated  from  the 
first  is  being  inaugurated,  it  does  not  seem  to  bring  me  any  greater  power  over 
the  administration.  This,  I  can  see,  is  partly  my  own  fault.  I  have  been  too 
obstreperous,  perhaps,  in  my  opposition,  and  men  do  not  like  those  who  have 
exposed  their  mistakes  beforehand,  and  taunt  them  with  them  afterwards.  The 
main  difficulty  is,  however,  with  Lincoln  himself.  He  is  of  the  whig  school,  and 
that  brings  him  naturally  not  only  to  incline  to  the  feeble  policy  of  whigs,  but 
to  give  his  confidence  to  such  advisers.  It  costs  me  a  great  deal  of  labor  to  get 
anything  done,  because  of  the  inclination  of  mind  on  the  part  of  the  President 
or  leading  members  of  the  cabinet,  including  Chase,  who  never  voted  a  demo 
cratic  ticket  in  his  life.  But  you  have  the  people  at  your  back,  and  I  am  doing 
all  I  can  to  cut  red  tape  and  get  things  done.  I  will  be  more  civil  and  patient 
than  heretofore,  and  see  if  that  won't  work. 

Yours,  truly,  M.  BLAIR. 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

St.  Louis,  August  25,  1861. 

Jefferson  C.  Davis,  a  lieutenant  in  the  United  States  army,  was  sent  here  by 
the  governor  of  Indiana  in  command  of  a  regiment.  He  is  informed  by  Adju 
tant  General  Thomas  that  he  cannot  retain  his  command. 

Will  you  ask  if  he,  and  a  few  army  officers  I  have  found,  may  be  allowed  to 
retain  command  of  their  regiments  ? 

J.  C.  FREMONT, 
Major  General  Commanding. 
Hon.  MONTGOMERY  BLAIR, 

Postmaster  General,  Washington  City,  D.  C. 


TESTIMONY.  117 

CINCINNATI,  August  26,  1861. 

In  answer  to  a  despatch  directing  the  Gibson  regiment  to  go  to  St.  Louis  by 
the  northern  route,  our  governor  sends  the  following:  We  can  spare  at  present 
only  Colonel  Paschner's  regiment  for  General  Fremont's  command,  in  addition 
to  the  force  already  sent.  Gibson's  will  be  sent  to  Western  Virginia. 

JOHN  A.  GURLEY. 

Major  General  FREMONT. 

LOUISVILLE,  August  24,  1861. 

It  is  earnestly  requested  by  the  Union  men  to  permit  Colonel  Rousseau's 
brigade  to  remain  where  they  are  twenty  or  thirty  days. 

G.  D.  PRENTICE. 

J.  H.  HARNEY. 
General  J.  C.  FREMONT. 

General  Fremont  refused  this  request  through  Major  Corwine,  and  repre 
sented  to  these  gentlemen  the  imperative  necessity  for  the  movement  of  these 
troops. 

CINCINNATI,  August  26,  1861. 

Colonel  Rousseau  despatches  me  that  he  will  leave  between  3  and  4  o'clock 
p.  m. 

R.  M.  CORWINE. 
Major  General  FREMONT. 

WASHINGTON,  August  26,  1861. 

Intelligent  gentlemen  at  Louisville  say  the  presence  of  Rousseau's  regiment 
is  needed  there.  Pardon  us  for  countermanding  your  order  to  him  to  join  your 
department. 

A.  LINCOLN. 

General  FREMONT. 

CINCINNATI,  August  28,  1861. 

General  Rosecrans  ordered  the  Poschun  regiment  to  Virginia.  Reason,  Ty 
ler's  defeat.  Governor  Dennison  sends  them  to-day. 

JNO.  A.  GURLEY. 
Major  General  FREMONT. 

WASHINGTON,  August  27,  1861. 

Greenleaf  discharged  when  appointment  in  volunteers  sent  here.  Jefferson 
C.  Davis  can  remain. 

M.  BLAIR. 
To  Colonel  BLAIR. 

General  Fremont  was  furnished  with  only  a  copy  of  the  following  letter,  and 
was  not  shown  the  original : 

QUARTERMASTER  GENERAL'S  OFFICE, 

Washington,  August  28,  1861. 

DEAR  COLONEL  :  Your  brother,  the  Postmaster  General,  has  handed  me 
your  letter  of  the  21st  August.  I  asked  him  to  let  me  have  it  that  I  might,  by 
a  few  words,  strengthen  your  hands  and  General  Fremont's,  and  disabuse  both 
him  and  you  of  some  errors  which  may  give  trouble. 


118  TESTIMONY. 

If  there  is  any  deficiency  in  the  quartermaster's  department  of  Missouri,  the 
blame  does  not  rest  here.  All  requisitions  have  been  promptly  met  here,  and 
the  officers  have  been  instructed  to  spare  no  effort  and  no  means  of  this  depart 
ment  in  aiding,  to  the  extent  of  their  power,  General  Lyon's  movements.  There 
may  be  reasons  of  time,  of  quality,  which  induce  a  general  to  order  a  purchase 
at  a  higher  rate ;  and  while  I  communicated  to  the  quartermaster  as  to  the  ruling 
prices  of  horses,  the  market  rates,  I  called  upon  the  treasury  to  send  all  the 
money  he  asked  for. 

Tell  General  Fremont  that  no  man  more  than  myself  desires  to  sustain  him, 
no  one  is  more  ready  to  take  the  responsibility  to  assist  him,  and  that  he  has,  in 
my  opinion,  already  the  power  which  you  say  ought  to  be  conferred  upon  him 
by.  the  President.  Whatever  a  general  commanding  orders,  the  subordinates  of 
his  staff  are,  by  regulations,  compelled  to  do  if  possible. 

The  general  is  charged  with  saving  the  country.  The  country  will  be  very 
careful  to  approve  his  measures,  and  will  judge  his  mistakes,  if  any,  very  ten 
derly  if  successful.  Success  crowns  the  work,  and  let  him  spare  no  respon 
sibility,  no  effort  to  secure  it. 

All  the  requisitions  for  money  in  Missouri  have  been  promptly  passed  through 
this  office.  The  delay,  if  any  has  occurred,  is  at  the  Treasury  Department, 
which  has  allowed  the  department  to  fall  in  debt  in  Cincinnati  and  Philadelphia, 
each  about  a  million  of  dollars  for  clothing  and  camp  equipage. 

There  are  wagons  making  in  Cincinnati,  which  Captain  Dickinson  will  send 
to  St.  Louis,  if  wanted.  Those  made  at  Milwaukie  I  ordered  to  St.  Louis 
long  ago. 

A  number  of  wagons  are  ordered  to  be  made  in  St.  Louis,  and  authority 
given  to  Major  McKinstry  to  provide  all  that  might  be  required  for  moving  the 
armies  of  that  department. 

In  regard  to  advertising  and  delivery,  the  law  of  1861  and  the  regulations 
expressly  provide  that  in  case  of  public  exigencies,  supplies  are  to  be  bought  in 
open  market  or  between  individuals.  Exercise  this  power.  Moreover,  adver 
tisements  or  public  notice  does  not  require  postponing,  opening  of  bids  for  a 
month,  or  a  week,  or  two  days.  If  forage-wagons,  horses,  are  wanted,  the  law, 
the  necessity,  are  fully  met  by  putting  a  notice  in  the  papers,  and  purchasing 
as  fast  as  offers  come  in.  The  next  day,  or  the  same  day,  take  the  then 
lowest  bidder,  or  the  then  most  advantageous  offer.  The  day  after  you 
will  have  a  still  better  'offer ;  take  that  for  a  portion  of  your  supplies,  and  so  on 
till  you  have  all  you  need.  By  this  system  I  have  brought  down  the  price  of 
horses  from  $128  to  $120,  of  wagons  from  $111  to  $108  since  I  came  here,  and 
have  got  abundant  supplies. 

These  explanations  will,  I  hope,  remove  many  difficulties  from  the  way  of 
our  armies  in  Missouri.  Count  upon  me  as  ready  to  aid  in  what  I  believe  the 
right,  cheap,  strategic,  statesmanlike  mode  of  conducting  the  war — that  which  I 
am  sure  the  people  desire,  and  the  want  of  which  they  censure — the  most  rapid 
possible  concentration  of  overwhelming  forces  by  the  United  States. 
Yours,  very  truly, 

M.  C.  MEIGS. 

Hon.  F.  P.  BLAIR,  St.  Louis,  Missouri. 

WASHINGTON  August  30,  1861. 

The  President  hesitates  about  Smith,  but  if  you  say  so,  he  will  appoint  him 
a  brigadier  general. 

M.  BLAIR. 
General  FREMONT. 


TESTIMONY.  119 

[Rough  draft  of  a  letter  to  Montgomery  Blair.) 

AUGUST  9,  1861. 

[The  letter  as  sent  does  not  differ  from  this  in  any  material  point.  No  copy 
of  it  is  in  General  Fremont's  possession.] 

The  greater  part  of  the  old  troops,  especially  the  foreign  element,  is  going 
out  of  service.  The  new  levies  are  literally  the  rawest  ever  got  together.  They 
are  reported  by  the  officers  to  be  literally,  entirely,  unacquainted  with  the  rudi 
ments  of  military  exercises.  To  bring  them  face  before  the  enemy,  in  their 
present  condition,  would  be  a  mere  unmanageable  mob.  1  can  remedy  this  if  I 
can  be  authorized  by  the  President  and  Secretary  of  War  to  collect  throughout 
the  States  instructed  men  who  have  seen  service.  With  them  I  could  make  a 
skeleton — meagre — but  still  a  framework  on  which  to  form  the  army.  This 
authority  ought  to  be  allowed  and  the  cost  of  transportation.  Don't  lose  time, 
but  get  it  quick.  I  assure  you  it  will  require  all  we  can  do,  and  do  it  in  the 
best  manner,  to  meet  the  enemy.  I  ought  to  be  supplied  here  with  four  or  five 
millions  of  dollars  in  treasury  notes,  and  the  disbursing  officers  allowed  to  sell 
them  at  the  ruling  discount. 

All  such  equipments  as  I  can  procure  abroad  in  much  less  time  than  I  could 
get  them  here  I  ought  to  be  allowed  to  send  for. 

These  are  my  suggestions.  They  are  valuable.  Pray  act  upon  them,  and 
what  you  do,  do  quickly.  It  would  subserve  the  public  interest  if  an  officer 
were  directed  to  report  to  me,  to  have  command  of  the  operations  -on  the  Missis 
sippi.  Show  this  to  the  President.  The  contest  in  the  Mississippi  valley  will 
be  a  severe  one.  We  had  best  meet  it  in  the  face  at  once,  and  by  so  doing  we 
can  rout  them.  Who  now  serves  the  country  quickly  serves  it  twice. 

JOHN  C.  FREMONT. 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

St.  Louis,  September  17,  1861. 

CAPTAIN  :  The  general  directs  me  to  say  to  you  that  Major  Farrar,  late  of 
General  Lyon's  staff,  states  publicly  in  the  city  that  he  came  to  these  head 
quarters  and  applied  for  re-enforcements  for  General  Lyon  ;  that  the  re-enforce 
ments  were  refused,  and  that  from  the  manner  of  refusal  the  intention  was  to 
leave  General  Lyon  to  his  fate.  What  are  the  facts  iu  the  case  1 
Respectfully,  - 

J.  H.  EATON, 
Major  U.  S.  Army  and  M.  S. 
Captain  J.  C.  KELTON,  A.  A.  G. 

To  which  Captain  Kelton  replied  as  follows  : 

SEPTEMBER  21,  1861. 

MAJOR  :  You*  note  was  not  read  till  this  moment.  I  have  no  recollection  of 
Major  Farrar  bringing  application  for  re-enforcements  to  General  Lyon.  That 
every  effort  was  made  to  send  General  Lyon  additional  troops,  after  the  arrival 
of  General  Fremont,  I  do  know.  It  was  found  impossible  to  do  so  and  keep 
open  the  railroad  communication  extending  toward  Springfield,  and  at  the  same 
time  to  meet  the  threatened  advance  up  the  Mississippi.  I  do  not  know  any 
thing  of  the  manner  in  which  the  refusal  to  send  re-enforcements  was  made.  I 
.can  only  recall,  now,  Major  Farrar  in  connexion  with  his  application  to  rne  for 
a  pass  over  the  Pacific  railroad  for  his  horses,  which  I  declined,  after  the  quar 
termaster  had  informed  me  it  could  not  be  authorized.  If  I  had  any  conversa- 


120  TESTIMONY. 

tion  with  Major  Farrar  on  the  subject  to  which  your  note  alludes,  it  has  escaped 
me  entirely. 

Very  respectfully, 

JNO.  0.  KELTON, 
Late  A.  A.  G.,  Colonel  9th  Reg.  M.  V. 

The  following  is  an  extract  from  a  statement  voluntarily  drawn  up  and  offered 
to  General  Fremont  by  Colonel  Chester  Harding,  assistant  adjutant  general 
to  General  Lyon  : 

PACIFIC,  October  5,  1861. 

*  *     Looking,  ffaen,  to  the  position  of  affairs  in  this  State  on 

the  26th  July,  1861,  it  will  be  found  that  General  Lyon  was  in  the  southwest 
in  need  of  re-enforcements.  There  was  trouble  in  the  northwest,  requiring  more 
troops  than  were  there.  In  the  northeast  there  were  no  more  troops  than  were 
required  to  perform  the  ta.sk  allotted  to  them,  while  in  the  south  and  southeast 
there  was  a  rebel  army  of  sufficient  force  to  endanger  Bird's  Point,  Cape  Girar- 
deau,  Ironton,  Holla,  and  St.  Louis,  and  no  adequate  preparation  was  made  to 
meet  it. 

General  Fremont  sent  the  8th  Missouri  to  Cape  Girardeau,  and  the  4th  United 
States  reserve  corps  (whose  term  of  service  was  to  expire  on  the  8th  of  August,) 
to  re-enforce  Bland  at  Ironton.  He  took  some  of  General  Pope's  force  from 
him,  added  to  it  two  battalions  of  the  1st  and  2d  United  States  reserve  corps, 
(whose  term  of  service  was  to  expire  on  the  7th  of  August,)  equipped  Buel's 
light  battery,  and  started  about  the  1st  of  August  for  Bird's  Point  with  the 
troops  thus  collected,  being  something  less  than  3,800  men,  and  being  also  all 
the  available  troops  in  this  region,  expecting  to  find  an  enemy  not  lees  than 
20,000  strong. 

Subsequent  events  showed  that  the  rebel  force  was  not  overestimated,  and 
nothing  but  the  re-enforcements  sent  to  the  points  above  named,  and  the  expe 
ditions  down  the  river,  prevented  its  advance  upon  them.  Common  report 
greatly  magnified  these  re-enforcements ;  and  it  was  gemerally  believed  in  the 
city,  and  no  doubt  so  reported  to  the  rebel  leaders,  that  Fremont  had  moved 
some  10,000  or  12.000  troops  to  the  southeast,  while  in  fact  he  did  not  have 
over  5,500  to  move,  and  was  not  strong  enough  at  any  point  to  take  the  field 
and  commence  offensive  operations. 

General  Fremont  was  not  inattentive  to  the  situation  of  General  Lyon's 
column,  and  went  so  far  as  to  remove  the  garrison  of  Boonville,  in  order  to  send 
him  aid.  During  the  first  days  of  August  troops  arrived  in  the  city  in  large 
numbers.  Nearly  all  of  them  were  unarmed  ;  all  were  without  transportation. 
Regiment  after  regiment  laid  for  days  in  the  city  without  any  equipments,  for 
the  reason  that  the  arsenal  was  exhausted,  and  arms  and  accoutrements  had  to 
be  brought  from  the  east.  From  these  men  General  Lyon  would  have  had  re- 
enforcements,  although  they  were  wholly  unpracticed  in  the  use  of  the  musket, 
and  knew  nothing  of  movements  in  the  field ;  but  in  the  meantime  the  battle  of 
the  10th  of  Augusj;  was  fought. 

CHESTER  HARDING,  JR., 
Late  Ass't  Adft  General  upon  the  Staff  of  Brig.  Gen  Lyon. 

[This  series  of  papers  embraces  the  time  between  September  1  and  September 
23,  having  especial  reference  to  the  affair  at  Lexington,  and  the  contemporaneous 
complications  in  the  department  of  the  west.]  . 

[Personal.] 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, September  4,  1861. 
MY  DEAR  SIR  :  Your  note  of  the  19th  was  handed  me  by  Judge  Evans,  who 
was  here  with  me  at  the  same  time  with  Judge  Watts,  of  New  Mexico.     Agree- 


TESTIMONY.  121 

ably  to  your  desire  I  conferred  fully  with  them,  and  made  such  arrangements 
for  co-operation  and  communication  as  is  just  now  possible.  They  are  undoubt 
edly  both  able  to  render  efficient  service,  and  both  seem  to  understand  well  the 
necessities  of  their  respective  States.  Judge  Watts  I  retained  here  for  one  day, 
which  did  not,  however,  in  any  way  retard  his  arrival  in  New  Mexico. 

Judge  Evans  is  so  well  known  that  it  would  be  scarcely  possible  for  him  to 
reach  Texas  through  the  Missouri  country.  I  endeavored  to  find  a  way  for 
him  through  New  Mexico,  but  his  journey  that  way  would  be  very  laborious 
and  almost  equally  unsafe.  I  therefore  advised  him  to  go  by  way  of  Tampico, 
whence  he  would  have  a  good  road  of  only  500  miles,  and  would  have  an  oppor 
tunity  to  ascertain  what  supplies  and  war  munitions  are  being  carried  by  that 
route  to  the  confederates. 

In  this  Judge  Evans  agreed  with  me,  and  accordingly  left  yesterday  for 
Washington.  All  accounts  from  the  south  show  great  activity,  and  their  re 
cent  movements  indicate  that  the  confederates  are  now  giving  great  attention 
to  the  Mississippi  valley.  Their  recent  operations  show  that  better  officers 
have  recently  been  sent  to  the  Memphis  district. 

I  would  be  glad  to  benefit  sometimes  by  your  leisure  moments,  if  you  can 
find  any  sometimes  for  a  few  lines,  and  am,  meantime, 
Yours,  truly, 

J.  C.  FREMONT. 

Hon.  Mr.  SEWARD,  Washington,  D.  C. 

[Translation.] 

ST.  Louis,   September  5,  1861. 

The  Kentucky  side  opposite  Cairo  should  be  fortified,  and  at  once.  Step's 
should  be  taken  forthwith.  From  Cape  Girardeau,  Cairo  and  Bird's  Point  six 
infantry  regiments,  cavalry,  and  a  section  of  artillery  will  be  sent  at  once.  The 
requisitions  of  Captam  Brintz  for  ammunition  will  be  attended  to  immediately. 

Paducah  is  to  be  occupied,  if  possible.  If  not  on  the  opposite  shore,  facing 
the  mouth  of  the  Tennessee,  to  be  very  closely  watched. 

In  a  fortnight  four  regiments  will  be  sent  there.  I  advise  you  to  watch, 
with  the  greatest  care,  Belmont,  Charleston,  Sykeston,  and  New  Madrid. 

[To  Washington,  for  the  President,  through  a  Hungarian  gentleman.] 

ST.  Louis,  September  5. 

You  will  communicate  to  the  President  that  the  enemy's  gunboats  are  covered 
with  sheet  iron,  and  equipped  with  cannon  in  the  best  way,  and  a  great  deal 
lighter  draught  and  swifter  than  ours.  Their  officers  are  all  from  our  navy,  and 
ours  are  inexperienced,  including  the  artillery.  The  consequence  will  be,  that 
when  they  meet,  ours  will  be  captured.  In  Cairo  we  need  immediately  heavy 
artillery.  I  send  Rodgers  to  the  President,  that  he  shall  see  to  having  the  ar 
tillery  hurried  up. 

The  enemy  begins  to  occupy,  on  the  Kentucky  side,  every  good  place  between 
Paducah  and  Hickman.  I  think  the  time  has  come  to  extend  my  command. 

J.  C.  FRfiMONT, 
Major  General  Commanding. 

HEADQUARTERS  JEFFERSON  CITY,  MISSOURI, 

September  5,  1861. 

GENERAL  :  The  steamers  which  transported  Colonel  Worthington's  command 
up  the  river  returned  yesterday,  bringing  considerable  property,  which  they  had 
taken,  and  some  prisoners.  Harris  is  in  that  section,  beyond  doubt,  and  I  hope 
Worthington  may  find  him. 


122  TESTIMONY. 

I  have  despatches  from  Colonel  Marshall,  at  Lexington.  This  place  is  for 
the  present  perfectly  safe. 

Colonel  Mulligan's  command  is  progressing  well,  and  nothing  is  to  be  appre 
hended  from  him— other  than  success. 

News  from  the  country  south  and  west  of  this  confirm  my  reports  of  yes 
terday. 

I  am,  general,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

JEFF.  0.  DAVIS, 
Colonel  22d  Indiana,  Commanding. 
Major  General  J.  C.  FREMONT,  St.  Louis,  Mo. 

HEADQUARTERS  JEFFERSON  CITY,  MISSOURI, 

September  6,  1861. 

GENERAL  :  The  news  since  yesterday  is  still  more  convincing  that  Price, 
Parsons,  and  Rains  are  directing  their  movements  up  the  Osage,  with  the  view 
•eventually,  1  think,  of  taking  position  somewhere  on  the  river  above  here — 
probably  just  below  Lexington. 

Their  movements  certainly  threaten  Fort  Scott,  and  they  may  attack  it ;  but 
their  intention  is,  in  my  judgment,  to  take  a  strong  position  on  the  river  and  cut 
us  off  from  the  forces  above.  This  is  necessary  for  them  to  do,  in*  order  to  get 
the  forces  and  supplies  now  raised  in  Northeast  Missouri  across  the  river. 

In  my  communications  to  General  Pope,  Some  days  ago,  I  ventured  to  sug 
gest  the  propriety  of  sending  a  reliable  force  to  occupy  Warsaw,  or  some  point 
in  that  vicinity.  A  well-managed  force  at  this  point  would  in  a  great  measure 
prevent  recruits  and  supplies  being  raised  there  for  McCulloch's  forces. 

It  would  render  Price's  movements  very  insecure,  as  he  would  be  nearly  if 
not  quite  cut  off  from  McCulloch,  and  might,  if  he  moves  further  north,  be  easily 
captured  by  a  concentrated  movement  of  troops  upon  him  from  this  place,  Fort 
Scott,  Warsaw,  and  Lexington. 

The  plan  submitted  to  you  by  Major  Kraut  for  the  defence  of  this  place 
meets  with  my  approval.  A  few  well  selected  sites  for  field-works,  flanked  and 
supported  by  a  series  of  block-houses,  abatis,  &c.,  seem  to  be  the  best  I  could 
recommend.  The  material  for  building  here  is  abundant,  and  sites  which  would 
secure  them  from  the  range  of  the  enemy's  artillery  can  generally  be  found. 
-Should  you  think  proper  to  order  these  works  to  be  commenced  it  would  do 
much  to  allay  the  fears  of  the  citizens  of  this  place.  There  seems  to  be  no 
grounds  of  fear  from  immediate  danger ;  but  they  think  so. 

The  home  guards  give  me  much  trouble  on  account  of  not  being  clothed  ancJ 
equipped.  When  called  upon  for  duty  they  make  this  a  complaint. 

Reports  (not  very  reliable)  last  night  state  that  Colonel  Worthington  had 
taken  possession  of  Columbia.  The  rebels  evacuated  it  at  his  approach,  but 
had  made  a  stand,  some  four  miles  from  there,  in  such  force  that  he  was  doubt 
ful  about  attacking  them.  I  have  a  regiment  and  boats  in  readiness  to  succor 
Mm  at  once  should  it  be  necessary. 

I  am,  general,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

JEFF.  C.  DAVIS, 
Colonel  22d  Indiana   Volunteers. 

Major  General  J.  C.  FREMONT, 

St.  Louis,  Missouri. 

HEADQUARTERS,  MEXICO,  Mo.,  September  9,  1861. 

SIR  :  I  have  the  honor  to  inform  you  of  my  arrival  at  this  place  to-day  at 
10  o'clock  a.  m..  with  my  entire  command,  except  the  cavalry  and  baggage 
wagons,  none  of  which  have  arrived,  nor  will  it  before  to-morrow. 

The  supply  of  engines  and  cars  was  not  sufficient  to  reach  this  point  earlier 


TESTIMONY.  123 

or  to  bring  it  all.  The  consequence  is  that  we  may  not  be  able  to  move  as  soon 
as  might  be  hoped.  From  all  I  can  learn  Green's  band  is  some  place  in  the 
vicinity  of  Florida.  Nothing  has  reached  me  yet  from  General  Pope.  Con 
sidering  the  raw  character  of  the  troops  under  my  command,  I  would  respect 
fully  suggest  that  if  a  few  companies  of  regular  infantry  could  be  spared  from 
Rolla  they  would  add  greatly  to  our  hopes  of  success  in  case  we  should  fall  in 
with  the  whole  rebel  force.  The  rebels,  furthermore,  are  all,  or  nearly  so, 
mounted ;  and  should  they  feel  disposed  to  scatter  (which  they  are  sure  to  do 
if  we  are  too  strong  for  them)  it  will  be  impossible  to  overtake  them  with  in 
fantry,  and  therefore  more  cavalry  (particularly  regular)  is  very  desirable. 
I  am,  sir,  very  respectfully,  your,  obedient  servant, 

S.  D.  STURGIS, 
Brigadier  General  Com?nanding. 
Captain  J.  C.  KELTON, 

Assistant  Adjutant  General,  Western  Department. 

NEW  ALBANY,  September  9,  1861. 

Pillow  is  marching  upon  Paducah,  Ky.,  with  about  7,000  men  and  artillery. 
Look  out  for  him.  I  have  this  from  a  Tennessee  officer  in  Louisville.  The 
Tennesseans  are  going  to  make  a  forward  movement  to-night,  or  to-morrow,  to 
Kentucky,  per  Louisville  and  Nashville  railroad.  This  news  is  reliable.  *  * 

A  secret  agent  of  the  government. 
Major  General  FERMONT. 

ST.  Louis,  September  6,  1861. 

SIR  :  According  to  the  report  received  at  these  headquarters,  Colonel  Wil 
liams,  with  his  command  of  800  men,  has  been  forced  to  retreat  from  Shelbina 
to  Macon  City,  (Hudson,)  by  a  band  of  rebels,  under  Green,  numbering  about 
3,000,  where  he  is  now  cut  off  from  all  lines  of  communication  east  of  his  po 
sition. 

In  order  to  arrest  the  constant  depredations  of  the  rebels  in  Marion,  Monroe, 
Shelby,  Macon  and  adjoining  counties,  and  to  visit  on  them  the  whole  rigor  of 
martial  law,  I  have  resolved  upon  a  combined  attack  on  Green's  men,  and  their 
total  annihilation. 

To  effect  this  object  you  will  be  re-enforced  by  the  first  Kansas  regiment  and 
the  twenty-third  Indiana  regiment. 

Brigadier  General  Sturgis  will  advance  on  Macon  City  (Hudson)  with  the 
seventh  Ohio  regiment ;  Colonel  Groesbeck's  thirty-ninth  Ohio  regiment ;  one 
squadron  Fremont  Hussars,  under  Captain  Von  Blume,  and  Captain  Schwartz's 
full  battery,  under  command  of  the  first  lieutenant. 

You  will  leave  a  comparative  reserve  at  Palmyra,  and  then  advance  west  to 
wards  Salt  river,  and  you  will,  under  any  circumstances,  endeavor  to  put  your 
self  in  communication  with  the  command  of  Brigadier  General  Sturgis,  who  will 
operate  towards  the  east  against  Shelbina. 

It  will  be  your  object  not  only  to  disperse  the  enemy,  but  to  follow  him  into 
his  hiding  places  and  annihilate  him. 

After  having  put  yourself  in  communication  with  Brigadier  General  Sturgis, 
by  means  of  a  reliable  messenger,  and  after  General  Sturgis  has  advanced  east 
towards  Shelbina,  you  will  force  the  passage  of  Salt  river,  (should  the  bridge 
be  destroyed,  you  will  find  a  suitable  bridge  towards  the  north  or  south,)  and  thus 
make  a  combined  attack  on  the  rebels. 

After  the  junction  of  the  forces  has  been  accomplished,  Brigadier  General 
Sturgis  will  be  under  your  command. 

As  communication  between  you  and  General  Sturgis  will  be  subject  to  the 


124  TESTIMONY. 

constant  hazard  of  interruption,  you  will  report  by  telegraph  as  often  as  neces 
sary,  to  these  headquarters,  whence  despatches  may  be  sent  to  him. 
I  enclose  a  copy  of  the  order  addressed  to  Brigadier  General  Sturgis. 

J.  C.  FREMONT,  Major  General  Commanding. 
Brigadier  General  POPE. 

ST.  Louis,  September  6,  1861. 

STR  :  In  order  to  put  a  stop  to  the  robberies  and  violences  committed  by  the 
rebel  hordes  under  Green,  who  are  now  assembled  at  Shelbina  to  the  number  of 
about  3,000,  and  who  have  cut  off  Colonel  Williams  from  his  eastern  commu 
nication  lines,  I  have  resolved  upon  a  combined  attack  on  the  rebels  and  their 
annihilation. 

General  Pope  will  endeavor,  with  his  disposable  force,  re-enforced  by  the  1st 
Kansas  and  the  23d  Indiana  regiment,  to  force  a  passage  across  Salt  river,  or 
to  gain  a  crossing  by  some  other  means.  Further  details  concerning  the  general 
plan  and  the  junction  of  the  forces  General  Pope  will  endeavor  to  transmit  to 
you  by  a  reliable  messenger. 

To  carry  out  this  combined  attack  you  will  assume  command  of  the  following 
forces : 

The  27th  Ohio  regiment,  Colonel  Foster. 

The  39th  Ohio  regiment,  Colonel  Groesbeck. 

One  squadron  of  Fremont  hussars,  Captain  M.  Blume. 

Captain  Schwartz's  full  battery,  under  command  of  the  first  lieutenant. 

Your  main  endeavor  will  be  to  cut  off  the  enemy  from  the  road  leading  to 
Shelbyville,  and  generally  to  render  impossible  the  dispersion  of  his  forces  by 
squads,  and  to  annihilate  the  gang  of  rebels  as  a  whole. 

As  the  communication  between  you  and  General  Pope  will  be  subject  to  the 
constant  hazard  of  interruption,  you  will  report  as  often  as  necessary  by  tele 
graph  to  headquarters,  whence  despatches  can  be  sent  to  him. 

I  enclose  a  copy  of  the  order  addressed  to  Brigadier  General  Pope. 

J.  C.  FREMONT,  Major  General  Commanding. 

Brigadier  General  STIJRGTS,  Commanding  at  Arsenal. 

HEADQUARTERS,  ST.  CHARLES, 

September  7,  1861— 11%  p.  m. 

SIR  :  Your  letter  is  just  received.  We  have  been  delayed  here,  which  my 
previous  letter  will  explain.  Green  is  evidently  fallen  down  to  Mexico  with  the 
view  to  destroy  the  bridge  at  that  point.  The  2d  regiment  will  start  at  day 
light.  In  view  of  the  present  condition  I  will  order  them  to  take  position  in 
the  advance  at  the  bridge,  and  hold  it  until  we  can  get  the  cars  and  artillery. 
They  have  not  reached  this  point.  •  * 

Respectfully,  S.  D.  STURGIS, 

Brigadier  General  Missouri  Volunteers. 
Major  I.  C.  WOODS,  Department  Headquarters. 

HEADQUARTERS,  September  8,  1861. 

GENERAL:  I  have  just  received  despatches  from  Boonville.  Affairs  there 
are  progressing  very  satisfactorily. 

I  have  also  despatches  from  the  command  (Colonel  Golden)  I  sent  in  the 
direction  of  Linn  creek.  I  have  some  hope  that  the  party  who  confiscated 
Colonel  McClurg's  property  are  nearly  overtaken,  as  they  are  being  closely 
pursued. 

I  have  sent  five  companies  of  Illinois  volunteers  to  make  a  scout  on  the  east 
side  of  the  river,  opposite  Portland,  and  there  to  take  post  on  the  bridge  until 
relieved. 

Your  obedient  servant,  JEFF.  C.  DAVIS, 

Major  General  FREMONT. 


TESTIMONY.  125 


KANSAS  CITY,  September  9,  1861. 

In  accordance  with  Colonel  Peabody's  order,  I  forward  to  you  the  following 
information,  which  was  received  7  o'clock  p.  m.  yesterday  evening:  Colonel 
Peabody  marched  from  Lexington  towards  Warrensburg  on  Sunday,  intending  to 
camp  at  said  point  last  night,  where  the  Irish  brigade  awaits  them.  When  the 
junction  is  formed  the  strength  of  combined  forces  will  be  4,000.  Colonel  Pea- 
body,  acting  under  the  impression  that  General  Lane  is  retreating  on  this  point 
before  Price,  says  that  he  will  "form  a  junction  with  General  Lane  twenty -five 
or  thirty  miles  south  of  this  point ;  also  that  I  must  move  from  here  to  keep  the 
communication  open  between  him,  General  Lane,  and  Colonel  Marshal,  in  com 
mand  at  Lexington.  Should  the  forces  leave  here  at  this  time,  we  give  the  town 
up  to  pillage.  West  of  Warrensburg,  thirty  miles,  the  enemy  is  gathering 
around  in  parties  from  200  to  300.  Rains's  advance  is  at  Barinsville.  I  for 
warded  a  copy  of  Colonel  Peabody's  command  to  General  Lane.  Have  been 
on  the  road  twelve  hours. 

M.  T.  BERRY, 

Major  Commanding. 

Captain  W.  E.  PRINCE. 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

September  9,  1861. 

Has  General  Smith  gone  to  Paducah  1  I  am  credibly  informed  from  Louisville 
that  Pillow,  with  7,000  men  and  artillery,  is  marching  on  Paducah ;  also  that 
the  Tennesseeans  are  going  to  make  a  forward  movement  to-night  or  to-morrow 
to  Kentucky.  Has  the  re-enforcement  from  St.  Louis  reached  Cairo  1  Inform 
General  Smith,  at  Paducah,  that  I  direct  him  to  place  a  battery  at  the  marine 
hospital  immediately,  and  the  other  on  the  heights  near  Cross  creek,  and  prepare 
for  forward  movements  towards  May  field,  as  soon  as  re-enforcements  arrive. 

J.  C.  FREMONT, 
Major  General  Commanding. 

Brigadier  General  U.  S.  GRANT. 

ST.  Louis,  September  9,  1861. 

COLONEL  :  I  am  instructed  by  Colonel  Jefferson  C.  Davis,  commanding  at 
Jefferson  City,  to  ask  two  additional  regiments  of  infantry,  (Indiana,)  two  bat 
teries  8th  artillery,  (Indiana,)  and  some  heavy  guns  for  the  field-work  now  under 
construction  at  that  place.  Colonel  Davis  instructed  me  to  say  that  this  force 
will  be  necessary  to  the  execution  ofv  his  plans  touching  Warsaw  and  other 
places  in  that  direction.  He  would  like  to  have  the  Indiana  cavalry,  if  ready 
for  setvice.  • 

Respectfully, 

GORDON  TAVENER, 
Major  22d  Indiana  Volunteers. 
Colonel  J.  H.  EATON, 

Military  Secretary,  St.  Liouis. 

HEADQUARTERS  KANSAS  BRIGADE, 
Fort  Lane,  Barinsville,  September  W,  1861. 

SIR  :  I  am  thus  far  on  my  inarch  eastward.  I  propose  to  march  east  as  far 
as  Papinsville,  if  possible,  clearing  out  the  valley  of  the  Osage.  I  will  from 
there  turn  north,  clearing  out  the  valleys  of  the  Marie-de-Cygnes,  Butler,  Har- 
risonville,  Osceola  and  Clinton,  and  proceed  in  that  direction  until  I  hear  from 
the  column  under  Peabody.  If  attacked  by  an  overwhelming  superior  force  I 
will,  of  course,  fall  back  on  Kansas. 


126  TESTIMONY. 

I  am  moving  with  a  column  of  about  1,200  infantry,  800  cavalry,  and  two 
pieces  of  artillery.  I  will  leave  at  Fort  Scott  about  200  cavalry,  at  Fort  Lin 
coln  300  infantry  and  cavalry,  at  Barinsville,  Fort  Lane,  200  infantry  and 
cavalry,  which  I  think  sufficient  to  protect  these  points. 

I  will  camp  in  the  neighborhood  of  Ball's  Mill  to-night,  and  in  the  neighbor 
hood  of  Papinsville  to-morrow. 

J.  H.  LANE, 

Commanding  Kansas  Brigade. 
Captain  W.  E.  PRINCE, 

Commanding  Post,  Fort  Leavenworth. 

HEADQUARTERS  IRISH  'BRIGADE, 

Lexington,  September  10,  1861. 

COLONEL  :  I  enclose  you  a  copy  of  a  letter  this  morning  received  by  Colonel 
Marshall.  If  true,  and  Colonel  M.,  who  is  acquainted  with  the  writer,  feels  confi 
dence  in  this  statement,  stores,  both  ordnance  and  provision,  cannot  be  too  rapidly 
pushed  to  this  point.  If  Colonel  M.'s  command  and  also  Colonel  Peabody's, 
now  in  Warrensburg,  reunite  with  us,  as  I  have  no  doubt  they  will,  our  force 
would  reach  2,700  men.  We  have  about  35  rounds  to  a  man.  This  morning  I 
commence  marching.  We  will  hold  out  to  the  last. 
Truly  yours, 

JAMES  A.  MULLIGAN. 
Colonel  JEFF.  C.  DAVIS, 

Commanding  Jefferson   City. 

JEFFERSON  CITY,  September  10,  1861. 

My  mail  for  you  to-day,  I  have  just  learned,  was  left.  It  was  not  very  im 
portant.  A  detachment  I  sent  up  the  river  two  days  ago  has  returned  without 
firing  a  shot.  Thought  they  heard  the  enemy  move  ahead  of  them.  I  have 
ordered  them  back  peremptorily. 

JEFF.  C.  DAVIS,  Colonel  Commanding. 

Major  General  J.  C.  FREMONT. 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

September  10,  1861. 

Despatch  received.     Your  promptitude  is  approved. 

J.  C.  FREMONT, 
Major  General  Commanding, 

Colonel  JEFF.  C.  DAVIS,  Jefferson  City. 

* 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

September  10,  1861. 

Despatch  received.  Push  forward  actively  on  the  Missouri  side.  Move  the 
gunboats  cautiously  in  concert  with  the  troops  on  shore,  and  confine  yourself  to 
holding  the  positions  we  have  taken  in  Kentucky.  Gratified  to  know  that 
Fort  Holt  is  progressing  well.  Inform  General  Smith  that  the  llth  Indiana 
regiment,  with  three  companies  of  regular  cavalry  and  one  of  volunteer  cavalry, 
left  for  Paducah  this  morning  at  four. 

J.  C.  FREMONT, 
Major  General  Commanding. 
Brigadier  General  GRANT,  Cairo. 


TESTIMONY.  12  7 


HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

September  10,  1861. 

Report  from  General  Grant,  at  Cairo,  says  that  "  gunboats  engaged  batteries 
at  Lucas  Bend  all  day.  Found  sixteen  guns  on  Missouri  shore.  Rebel  batte 
ries  all  silenced.  Qne  man  on  the  Conestoga  wounded.  The  gunboat  Yankee 
was  disabled,  and  would  have  been  taken  but  for  land  batteries  near  Columbus. 

J.  C.  FREMONT, 

Major  General  Commanding. 
Adjutant  General  THOMAS, 

War  Department,   Washington  City. 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

St.  Louis,  September  10,  1861.. 

*»      Will  your  health  permit  you  to  come  here  within  a  few  days  ?     There  is  ser 
vice  required  which  I  would  like  you  to  undertake. 

J.  C.  FREMONT, 
Major  General  Commanding.. 
Major  General  HUNTER,  Chicago,  Illinois. 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

St.  Louis,  September  11,  1861. 

Report  of  General  Pope  to-day  from  Hunnewell.  Made  night  marches  on 
Green,  Sunday  night,  who,  however,  got  notice  of  his  approach,  but  was  suc 
cessful  in  causing  the  dispersion  of  Green's  3,000  rebel  force,  leaving  behind 
them  much  baggage,  provisions,  and  forage,  and  the  public  property  captured  by 
Green  at  Shelbina.  Pope's  infantry  too  much  fatigued  to  pursue;  the  horsemen 
followed  in  pursuit  ten  or  fifteen  miles  until  the  enemy  scattered ;  he  starts  west 
with  16th  Illinois ;  was  to  continue  pursuit  immediately,  but  as  Green's  force  is 
mounted,  infantry  cannot  do  much  in  overtaking  them.  Railroad  east  of  Brook- 
field  is  open,  and  no  more  secession  camps  will  be  made  within  twenty  miles. 

General  Grant  telegraphs  from  Cairo  that  the  first  gun  is  in  position  at  Fort 
Holt,  Kentucky. 

J.  C.  FREMONT, 
Major  General  Commanding. 

Col.  E.  D.  TOWNSEND,  Ass't  Adjutant  General, 

Headquarters  of  the  Army,    Washington,  D.  C. 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

Sf.  Louis,  September  11,  1861, 

Is  h-impossible  for  you  to  get  me  some  sabres  and  dragoon  revolvers  ? 

J.  C.  FREMONT, 
Major  General  Command-ing. 
Hon.  MONTGOMERY  BLAIR,  Washington,  D.  C. 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

St.  Louis,  September  11,  1861. 

Can  you  spare  for  a  time  T.  J.  Rodman,  captain  ordnance  department,  for 
duty  here  ?  I  think  it  would  be  very  much  to  the  advantage  of  the  service  here 
iT  it  could  be  done. 

J.  C.  FREMONT, 
Major  General  Commanding. 
Hon.  SIMON  CAMERON, 

Secretary  of  War,  Washington. 

[This  request  was  not  granted.] 


128  TESTIMONY. 


JEFFERSON  CITY,  September  11,  1861. 

It  is  rnmored  that  General  Price  has  arrived  with  5,000  men  at  Clinton. 
Whether  true  or  not  I  shall  find  out  at  once. 

JEFF.  C.  DAVIS,  Colonel  Commanding. 
Major  General  J.  C.  FREMONT. 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

St.  Louis,  September  12,  1861. 
Despatch  received  and  will  have  attention. 

J.  0.  FREMONT, 
Major  General  Commanding. 
Colonel  J.  C.  DAVIS.  Jefferson  City. 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

St.  Louis,  September  12,  1861. 

The 'folio  wing  information,  received  here  from  General  Pope,  at  Hudson,  to 
day :  Illinois  16th  and  Kansas  2d,  1,100  strong,  with  two  pieces  of  artillery,  go 
this  morning  to  St.  Joseph.  Green  and  Bevere  are  aiming  to  cross  the  Missouri 
at  Glasgow,  in  three  columns,  from  Hudson,  Brookfield,  and  Sturgeon.  I  shall 
march  upon  Glasgow  when  Platte  River  bridge  is  repaired ;  small  squads  from 
Green's  command  at  Florida. 

J.  C.  FREMONT, 
Major  General  Commanding. 
Colonel  JEFF.  C.  DAVIS,  Jefferson  City. 

JEFFERSON  CITY,  September  12,  1861. 

Received  despatch  last  night  from  Lexington,  by  the  hands  of  Lieutenant 
Pease,  dated  9th.  Colonel  Mulligan  had  arrived  all  safe,  and  Colonel  Marshall 
was  scouring  the  country.  Despatches  from  Warrensburg  leave  no  doubt  but 
that  Price  is  there  in  strong  force,  and  is  moving  on  towards  Lexington ;  some 
of  his  cavalry  took  possession  of  Georgetown  Tuesday,  causing  great  conster 
nation  among  the  people.  Boonville  is  menaced  by  a  small  force,  but  if  the 
troops  I  sent  yesterday  do  their  duty  they  have  landed  there  by  this  time. 

JEFF.  C.  DAVIS,  Colonel  Commanding. 

Major  General  J.  C.  FREMONT. 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

St.  Louis,  September  12,  1861. 
What  is  your  effective  force,  and  how  located  1 

J.  C.  FREMONT, 
M.ajor  General  Commanding. 
Colonel  JEFF.  C.  DAVIS,  Jefferson  City. 

JEFFERSON  CITY,  September  12,  1861. 

Two  Indiana  regiments,  1,986;  25th  Illinois,  860;  5th  Iowa,  850;  Davidson's 
battery,  4  pieces,  4  horses  each  and  99  men;  Home  Guards,  1,362,  not  efficient; 
want  of  organization  and  equipments.  Some  ammunition  wanted  for  all.  Will 
present  requisition. 

JEFF.  C.  DAVIS. 

Major  General  J.  C.  FREMONT. 


TESTIMONY.  129 


JEFFERSON  CITY,  September  12,  1861. 

I  have  just  received  the  following,  latest  from  Colonel  Mulligan  at  Lexington : 
"  Ten  or  fifteen  thousand  men,  under  Price,  Jackson  &  Co.,  are  reported  near 
Warrensburg,  moving  on  to  this  post.  We  will  hold  out.  Strengthen  us  ;  we 
will  require  it."  The  expressmen  had  his  horse  taken  from  him,  but  saved  his 
despatches. 

JEFF.  C.  DAVIS,  Colonel  Commanding. 

Major  General  J.  C.  FREMONT. 

JEFFERSON  CITY,  September  12,  1861. 

GENERAL  :  I  have  been  in  hourly  receipt  of  despatches  from  above.  Much 
confusion  exists  in  the  different  accounts,  but  that  Price  is  at  Warrensburg  with 
considerable  force,  and  moving  in  the  direction  of  Lexington  is  now  beyond 
doubt.  Many  persons  are  coming  in  hourly  from  that  vicinity,  confirming  the 
fact. 

His  force  is  variously  estimated  at  from  5,000  to  15,000.  His  cavalry  took 
possession  of  Georgetown  on  Tuesday.  The  commander  at  Boonville  sent  me 
two  despatches  last  night,  asking  for  re-enforcements,  as  that  place  was  also 
threatened  by  600  men.  I  had,  however,  anticipated  this,  and  sent  a  detach 
ment  up  the  river  yesterday,  sufficient  to  drive  them  off  if  they  do  their  duty. 

Lieutenant  Pease,  a  very  intelligent  officer,  arrived  last  night  with  despatches 
from  Colonel  Mullegan,  at  Lexington,  and  reports  all  quiet  there.  They  had  not 
heard  of  Price's  advance,  but  the  colonel  informed  me  that  he  had  secured  the  mo 
ney  in  the  bank  at  that  place,  and  was  taking  steps  to  secure  that  of  other  banks, 
in  obedience  to  my  orders.  I  also  ordered  him,  immediately  after  his  arrival,  to 
commence  fortifying  Lexington,  which  he  informs  me  he  is  doing.  No  troops 
from  Kansas,  except  about  300,  had  arrived.  Nothing  was  known  there  of 
General  Pope's  movements.  Affairs  south  of  this,  and  in  Calloway  county,  are 
being  vigorously  straightened  out  by  some  detachments  I  sent  out  some  days 
ago. 

The  mail  closes. 

I  am,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

JEFF.  C.  DAVIS, 

Colonel  Commanding. 

Major  General  J.  C.  FREMONT, 

St.  Louis,  Missouri. 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

St.  Louis,  September  12,  1861. 

I  will  send  you  more  troops  ;  keep  me  informed  minutely. 

J.  C.  FREMOFT, 
Major  General  Commanding. 
Brigadier  General  U.  S.  GRANT,  Cairo. 


HEADQUARTERS,  Washington,  D.  C.,  Sept.  12,  1861. 

Your  telegram  to  Secretary  of  War  received.     The  Utah  troops  cannot  be 
deviated  from  their  destination.     Given  in  Specials  143;  of  August  28. 

WINFIELD  SCOTT. 
Major  General  J.  C.  FREMONT. 

Part  Hi 9 


130  TESTIMONY. 


JEFFERSON  CITY,  September  12,  1861. 

Cannot  re-enforcements  be  sent  by  the  Hannibal  and  St.  Joseph  road,  to  march 
from  Utica  1  I  shall  to-night  put  300  men  to  work  on  Lamine  bridge. 

JEFF.  C.  DAVIS. 
Major  General  FREMONT. 

JEFFERSON  CITY,  September  12,  1861. 

When  General  Pope  arrives  at  Glasgow  how  will  he  cross  the  river,  the  boats 
having  been  withdrawn  recently  ?  Shall  I  send  one  1  Do  you  not  mean  Lex 
ington,  instead  of  Glasgow,  that  you  intend  to  march  upon  ]  Telegraph  con 
fused. 

JEFF.  C.  DAVIS, 

Colonel  Commanding. 
Major  General  FREMONT. 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

St.  Louis,  September  13,  1861, 

In  my  despatch  to  you  I  was  quoting  General  Pope's  words ;  refer  to  it. 
Pope  did  not  say  when  Battle  Bridge  would  be  finished.  I  send  you  to-day 
two  regiments  to  remain  at  Jefferson  City.  In  the  mean  time,  send  forward  im 
mediately  two  regiments  to  the  relief  of  Lexington,  provided  nothing  has  oc 
curred  since  your  last  despatch  to  render  it  inexpedient.  Perhaps  they  may  aid 
General  Pope  at  Glasgow.  Nothing  heard  from  General  Sturgis  for  several 
days.  Move  promptly.  Inform  me  minutely. 

J.C.FREMONT, 
Major  General  Commanding. 

Colonel  JEFF.  C.  DAVIS,  Jefferson  City. 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

St.  Louis,  September  13,  1861. 

The  general  commanding  desires  to  say  that  two  Indiana  regiments  leave  for 
Jefferson  City  to-night  or  to-morrow  early ;  a  third  regiment  leaves  to-morrow, 
and  probably  two  batteries  of  artillery.  Brigadier  General  Sturgis  will  be  or 
dered  from  Mexico  to  move  on.  Have  you  forwarded  the  two  regiments  to 
Lexington  1  What  other  news  1 

I.  C.  WOODS, 
Major  and  Aide-de-Camp, 
Colonel  JEFF.  C.  DAVIS,  Jefferson  City. 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

St.  Louis,  September  13,  1861. 

SIR  :  Information  having  been  received  at  these  headquarters  of  an  intended 
attack  on  Boonville,  you  are  hereby  ordered  to  move  at  once  by  the  shortest 
possible  route,  and  with  all  practicable  speed,  direct  to  that  place  with  your 
force  of  infantry  and  artillery. 

'J.  C.  FREMONT, 
Major  General  Commanding. 
Brigadier  General  STURGIS,  Mexico. 


TESTIMONY.  131 


General  Pope  having  gone  on  to  Macon  City  after  the  sending  of  the  above, 
rendered  a  change  of  orders  necessary  for  the  14th. 

JEFFERSON  CITY,  September  13,  1S61. 

Received  a  courier  from  Lexington  to-day;  Union  troops  burning  the  bridges 
ahead  of  Price  ;  his  force  still  estimated  10,000  to  15,000 ;  shall  send  a  regiment 
on  the  War  Eagle,  with  some  cannon,  to  Arrow  Rock  and  Glasgow ;  hope  to 
prevent  Green's  crossing. 

JEFF.  C.  DAVIS,  Colonel  Commanding. 
Major  General  FREMONT. 

JEFFERSON  CITY,  September  13,  1861. 

Express  from  Colonel  Eads,  commanding  at  Syracuse,  says  that  about  3,000 
from  Price's  column  are  advancing  to  Boonville,  and  later  information  indicates  that 
as  the  most  threatened  point.  Large  re-enforcements  for  future  operations  from 
this  point  can  no  longer  be  delayed.  A  force  of  sufficient  strength  to  give  the 
enemy  a  successful  battle  in  his  rear  would  settle  all  trouble  about  here. 

JEFF.  C.  DAVIS. 

Major  General  FREMONT. 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

St.  Louis,  September  13,  1861. 

Despatch  received.     Have  you  sent  off  the  two  regiments  as  directed  ? 

J.  F.  FREMONT, 
Major  General  Commanding. 
Colonel  JEFF.  C.  DAVIS,  Jefferson  City. 

JEFFERSON  CITY,  September  13,  1S61. 

Despatch  from  Boonville  since  6  o'clock  this  morning;  the  home  guards 
were  still  defending  their  intrenchments  ;  enemy  600  or  800  strong.  I  shall  re- 
enforce  Boonville  to-morrow,  but  think  it  probable  that  that  point  is  Price's 
aim ;  all  day  goes  to  confirm  it. 

JEFF.  C.  DAVIS. 
Major  General  FREMONT. 

JEFFERSON  CITY,  September  13,  1861. 

SIR  :  I  left  Boonville  this  morning  at  half-past  6  o'clock ;  at  that  time  the 
federal  troops,  numbering  150,  were  attacked  by  about  800  or  1,000  secession 
ists.     The  firing  continued  until  I  was  out  of  hearing  of  the  place.     What  the 
result,  I  know  not,  but  I  fear  our  troops  have  been  taken. 
Respectfully  yours, 

J.  0.  REAVERPLA,  Captain. 
Major  General  FREMONT. 

JEFFERSON  CITY,  September  13,  1861. 

Green  has  crossed  at  Arrow  Rock,  and  is  marching  on  to  Boonville.  The 
Iowa  fifth  leaves  early  to-morrow  morning,  on  the  War  Eagle*  to  that  place 
The  Indiana  regiments  I  shall  send  to  Syracuse,  and  make  a  forced  march  to 
morrow  night,  so  as  to  get  in  Green's  rear,  with  a  view  to  capture  him.  Send 
me  the  troops  and  I  will  take  care  of  this  place  and  Boonville.  Let  General 
Sturgis  operate  higher  up  the  river  and  support  Lexington.  Let  Sturgis  send 
a  courier  to  me  when  he  leaves  the  Hannibal  and  St.  Joseph  road,  informing  me 
where  he  will  strike  the  river. 

JEFF.  C.  DAVIS,  Colonel  Commanding. 

Major  General  FREMONT. 


132  TESTIMONY. 


HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

St.  Louis,  September  14,  1861. 

COLONEL  :  You  are  hereby  ordered  to  leave  immediately  with  your  regiment, 
per  railroad,  to  Jefferson  City,  and  report  yourself  to  Colonel  Jeff.  C.  Davis 
commanding. 

By  order  of  Major  General  Fremont. 

ASBOTH. 
Colonel  FRIED.  SCHAEFFER. 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

St.  Louis,  September  14,  1861. 

SIR  :  As  a  column  of  the  enemy's  forces  is  moving  upon  Lexington,  you  are 
hereby  directed  immediately  to  order  two  of  the  regiments  under  your  command 
to  the  re-enforcement  of  that  place.  Orders  have  already  been  issued  to  two 
regiments  in  this  city  to  proceed  to  Jefferson  City,  and  re-enforce  your  command. 
Brigadier  General  Sturgis,  now  at  Mexico,  will  also  repair  to  Jefferson  City 
with  his  entire  force  of  infantry  and  a  battery  of  artillery.  On  his  arrival  he 
will  assume  command  of  all  the  troops  at  that  place. 

J.  C.  FREMONT, 
Major  General  Commanding. 
Colonel  JEFF.  C.  DAVIS, 

Colonel  Commanding  at  Jefferson  City. 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

St.  Louis,  September  14,  1861. 

SIR  :  You  are  hereby  directed  to  move,  via  Utica,  with  all  practicable  speed 
to  Lexington,  on  the  Missouri  river,  with  your  force  of  infantry  and  artillery. 
You  will  send  back  the  three  companies  of  the  Fremont  Hussars,  under  Captain 
Blume,  to  St.  Louis. 

The  most  practicable  route  from  Utica  to  Lexington  for  you  will  be  by  Aus- 
'tinville,  Finney's  Grove,  and  Morton. 

J.  C.  FREMONT,  Maj.  Gen.  Commanding. 
Brig.  Gen.  STURGIS,  Mexico. 

JEFFERSON  CITY,  September  14,  1861. 

Rumor  states  that  the  troops  at  Boonville  have  surrendered ;  the  War  Eagle 
is  off  for  there;  I  shall  have  1,200  men  ready  to  march  from  Syracuse  to-night. 
The  heavy  rains  of  the  last  thirty-six  hours  have  caused  some  delay ;  push 
forward  re- enforcements. 

JEFF.  C.  DAVIS,  Colonel  Commanding. 

Major  -General  FREMONT,. 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

September  14,  1861. 

Despatch  received.  Colonel  Veetch,  25th  Indiana,  and  Colonel  Schaeffer, 
2d  Missouri,  are  now  at  depot,  to  leave  to-night  for  Jefferson  City.  Battery 
goes  to-morrow. 

I.  C.  WOODS,  Major  and  Aide-de-Camp. 

JEFFERSON  C.  DAVIS,  Jefferson  City. 

JEFFERSON  CITY,  September  14,  1861. 

Major  Eppstein  has  held  his  position  at  Boonville.  The  rebels  had  given 
up  the  fight  and  waiting  for  Green.  All  right  to-night  if  my  troops  get  in  his 


TESTIMONY.  133 

rear.  The  detachment  I  ordered  back  a  few  days  ago  to  retrieve  their  conduct, 
gave  battle  to  Green's  forces  while  crossing  the  river  at  Glasgow.  They  ex 
changed  fire  half  an  hour,  when  a  battery  opened  upon  them  and  they  retreated 
here  to-day.  Green  had  captured  the  steamer  Clara  Bell.  Probable  rebel  loss 
at  Boonville,  12  killed  and  40  wounded.  Eppstein's,  one  killed  and  four 
wounded ;  the  rebels  lost  some  at  Glasgow,  we  hear. 

JEFF.  C.  DAVIS,  Colonel  Commanding. 
Major  General  FREMONT. 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

September  14,  1861. 

Send  forward  at  once  to  junction  of  North  Missouri  road  the  necessary  trans 
portation  to  move  Brigadier  General  Sturgis,  with  his  command  of  1,700  in 
fantry  arid  a  section  of  horse  artillery,  to  Utica  on  your  road.  Answer  by 
telegraph. 

J.  C.  FREMONT,  Major  General  Commanding. 
T.  R.  HARDWOOD, 

Superintendent  Hannibal  and  St.  Joseph  Railroad,  Hannibal. 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

September  14,  1861. 

COLONEL  VEETCH  :  25th  Indiana  regiment,  under  marching  orders,  report? 
no  transportation  arrived  at  camp  at  half  past  ten  o'clock. 

I.  C.  WOODS,  Major  and  Aide-de-Camp. 

Brigadier  General  J.  McKiNSTRY, 

Quartermaster,  United  States  Army. 

HEADQUARTERS,  September  14,  1861. 

I  have  just  come  in  from  Camp  Benton ;  find  your  orders  for  battery  to  go  to 
Jefferson  City ;  what  train  takes  it  1  Where  is  Castle  1 

TURNLEY. 
Captain  KELTON. 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

St.  Louis,  September  14,  1861. 

Re-enforcements  will  be  sent  you  to-day ;  the  8th  Indiana  left  at  six  a.  m.  this 
morning  for  Jefferson  City;  other  regiments  will  follow  to-day.  Sturgis  will 
move  forward.  We  will  telegraph  you  further  respecting  his  movement.  General 
Pope,  with  some  force,  is  at  or  near  St.  Joseph. 

J.  C.  FREMONT,  Maj.  Gen.  Com'g. 
Colonel  JEFFERSON  C.  DAVIS,  Jefferson  City. 

WASHINGTON,  September  14,  1861. 

On  consultation  with  the  President  and  head  of  department,  it  Avas  deter 
mined  to  call  upon  you  for  five  thousand  well-armed  infantry,  to  be  sent  here 
without  a  moment's  delay.  Give  them  three  days'  cooked  rations.  This  draft 
from  your  forces  to  be  replaced  by  you  from  the  States  of  Illinois,  Iowa. 
Kansas,  &c.  How  many  men  have  you  under  arms  in  your  district?  Please 
answer  fully  and  immediately. 

SIMON  CAMERON,  Secretary  of  War. 
Major  General  FREMONT. 


134  TESTIMONY. 

WASHINGTON,  September  14,  1861. 

Detach  five  thousand  infantry  from  your  department,  to  come  here  without 
delay,  and  report  the  number  of  the  troops  that  will  be  left  with  you.  The 
President  dictates. 

WINFIELD  SCOTT. 
Major  General  FREMONT. 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

Si.  Louis,  September  14,  1861. 
I  am  preparing  to  obey  the  orders  received  this  evening  for  the  five  regiments. 

J.  0.  FREMONT,  Maj.  Gen.  Com'g. 
Colonel  E.  D.  TOWNSEND, 

Assistant  Adjutant  General,  Washington  City. 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

St.  Louis,  September  14,  1861. 

I  am  preparing  to  obey  the  orders  received  this  evening  from  the  Secretary 
at  War  for  the  five  regiments.  I  also  send  messenger. 

J.  C.  FREMONT,  Maj.  Gen.  Com'g. 
General  THOMAS,  Adjutant  General,  Washington  City. 

The  following  despatches  were  answers  to  inquiries  addressed  thereupon  to 
the  governors  of  various  States : 

INDIANAPOLIS,  September  14,  1861. 

We  have  received  orders  to  send  all  available  forces  to  Washington. 

0.  P.  MORTON,  Governor  of  Indiana. 

COLUMBUS,  September  15,  1861. 

No  troops  are  ordered  to  Eastern  Virginia.  All  our  troops  are  ordered  to 
Western  Virginia.  Dennison  is  in  Washington. 

W.  T.  COGGESALL. 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

September  14,  1861. 

Subjoined  is  a  list  of  our  total  force,  with  its  distribution  : 

St.  Louis  (including  home-guard) 6,899 

Under  Brigadier  General  Pope  (including  home-guard)'. 5,488 

Lexington  (including  home-guard) 2,400 

Jefferson  City  (J  home-guard) 9, 677 

Rolla 4,700 

Trenton 3,057 

Cape  Girardeau 650 

Bird's  Point  and  Norfolk 3,510 

Cairo  (including  McClernand's  brigade) 4,826 

Fort  Holt,  opposite  Cairo,  Kentucky  shore 3,595 

Paducah 7,791 

Under  General  Lane 2,200 

Monroe  city,  near  Cairo 900 

Total  of  present  and  absent  on  detached  duty 55,693 


J.  C.  FREMONT, 

Major  General  Commanding. 
Hon.  SIMON  CAMERON, 

S( wretarn  of  War.  Washington.  D.  C. 


TESTIMONY.  135 

HEADQUARTERS,  September  15,  1861. 

Embark  with  as  little  delay  as  possible  on  the  Illinois  railroad,  at  Cairo,  for 
Sandoval,  the  regiments  of  Colonel  Hecker,  twenty-fourth  Illinois  ;  Colonel 
Turcliin,  nineteenth  Illinois.  Transportation  will  await  them  there.  By  order 
of  the  President. 

Answer  on  receipt  of  this  ;  telegraph  when  they  will  be  there. 

J.  C.  FREMONT, 
Major  General  Commanding. 
Brigadier  General  U.  S.  GRANT,  Cairo* 

CAIRO,  September  15,  1861. 

Your  despatch  just  received.  Colonel  Hecker's  twenty-fourth  is  at  Fort 
Holt,  the  nineteenth  regiment  at  Fort  Jefferson.  They  will  be  despatched  at 
once. 

U.  S.  GRANT, 
General  J.  C.  FREMONT. 

WASHINGTON,  September  15,  1861. 

Your  message  received.  When  does  force  leave  for  Washington '?  Please 
answer. 

SIMON  CAMERON,  Secretary  of  War. 
General  FREMONT. 

HEADQUARTERS,  September  15,  1861. 

Colonel  Schaffer's  regiment  left  here  at  daylight  this  morning  for  Jefferson 
City.  Telegraph  me  calibre  of  guns  and  amount  ammunition  requisite.  What 
movements  do  you  make  to-day  ?  What  intelligence  have  you  from  Lexington 
and  Boouville  1 

J.  C.  FREMONT, 
Major  General  Commanding. 
JEFFERSON  C.  DAVIS,  Jefferson  City. 

HEADQUARTERS,  September  15,  1861. 

What  is  the  strength  of  Price,  according  to  latest  accounts  ? 

J.  C.  FREMONT, 
Major  General  Commanding. 
JEFFERSON  C.  DAVIS,  Jefferson  City. 

JEFFERSON  CITY,  September  15,  1861. 

Information,  reliable,  just  received  shows  Price  at  Warrensburg  with  11,000; 
Parsons  at  Georgetown  with  4,000.  Green  had  not  probably  crossed  the 
Lamine  near  Boonville  last  night,  so  I  ordered  my  troops  not  to  make  the  march 
from  Syracuse  until  to-night,  as  soon  as  he  has  crossed.  I  have  ordered  the 
bridge  destroyed.  Two  Indiana  regiments  have  arrived. 

JEFF.  C.  DAVIS. 

Major  General  FREMONT. 

JEFFERSON  CITY,  September  15,  1861. 

Reliable  information  from  the  vicinity  of  Price's  column  shows  his  force  to  be 
11,000  at  Warrensburg  and  4,000  at  Georgetown,  with  pickets  extending  in  the 
direction  of  Syracuse.  Green  is  making  for  Boonville 

JEFF.  C.  DAVIS 
Major  General  FREMONT. 


136  TESTIMONY. 


HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

St.  Louis,  September  15,  1861. 

Reliable  information  from  the  vicinity  of  Price's  column  shows  his  present 
force  to  be  11,000  at  Warrensburg  and  4,000  at  Georgetown,  with  pickets  ex 
tending  toward  Syracuse.  Green  is  making  for  Boonville  with  probable  force 
of  3,000.  Withdrawal  of  force  from  this  part  of  the  Missouri  risks  the  State ; 
from  Paducah,  loses  Western  Kentucky.  As  the  best,  I  have  ordered  two  regi 
ments  from  this  city,  two  from  Kentucky,  and  will  make  up  the  remainder  from 
the  new  force  being  raised  by  the  governor  of  Illinois. 

J.  C.  FREMONT, 
Major  General  Commanding, 
Colonel  E.  D.  TOWNSEND, 

Asst.  Adj.  Gen.  Headquarters  of  the  Army,  Washington,  D.  C. 

HEADQUARTERS,  September  15,  1861. 

What  is  the  strength  of  the  regiment  at  Centralia  ?  Are  they  armed  and 
clothed  1 

J.  C.  FREMONT, 
Major  General  Commanding. 
Hon.  RICHARD  YATES,  Springfield. 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

St.  Louis,  September  15,  1861. 

Information  of  such  positive  character  has  come  to  my  knowledge  implicating 
Colonel  F.  P.  Blair,  jr.,  1st  Missouri  volunteers,  in  insidious  and  dishonorable 
efforts  to  bring  my  authority  into  contempt  with  the  government,  and  to  under 
mine  my  influence  as  an  officer,  that  I  have  ordered  him  in  arrest,  and  shall 
submit  charges  to  you  for  his  trial. 

J.  C.  FREMONT, 
Major  General  Commanding. 
Colonel  E.  D.  TOWNSEND, 

Ass't  Adj't  General,  Headquarters  of  the  Army,  Wash  ing  ton,  D.  C. 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

St.  Louis,  September  15,  1861. 

Captain  Kean's  Indiana  battery,  six  6-pounders,  left  per  Pacific  railroad  at 
2  p.  m.  to-day. 

I.  C.  WOODS,  Major  and  Aide-de-Camp. 
JEFF.  C.  DAVIS,  Jefferson  City. 

[Memorandum.] 

General  Fremont  desires  Colonel  Eaton  to  draw  up  a  letter  to  the  War  De 
partment  at  Washington,  based  upon  the  within  letter.  Making  points  of  the 
facts  that  this  department  is  deficient  in  artillery  officers,  and  that  Major  Schoepf 
is  experienced  and  likely  to  be  efficient  in  that  arm  of  the  service;  requesting 
his  appointment. 

J.  R.  HOWARD. 

SEPTEMBER  16,  1861. 

(Request  not  granted.) 


TESTIMONY.  137 


HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

Jefferson  City,  September  16,  1861. 

Colonel  Hovey  left  by  Pacific  railroad  to-day.  Colonel  Wheatley  left  on  two 
steamers  for  Lexington  to  report  to  General  Sturgis ;  each  steamer  lias  two  ship 
guns  complete.  Colonel  Wheatley  is  to  be  ordered  to  recapture  steamers  seized 
by  Green. 

J.  C.  FREMONT, 
Major  General  Commanding. 
JEFF.  C.  DAVIS. 

JEFFERSON  CITY,  September  16,  1861. 

Boonville  tranquil.  Indiana  troops  marched  across  the  country  last  night 
from  Syracuse.  No  intelligence  from  Lexington  to-day.  Green  is  augmenting 
his  forces  from  the  other  side  of  the  river.  Secession  feeling  increasing  and 
people  rising,  particularly  in  Howard  county.  Rains  have  been  excessive  for 
the  last  four  days,  but  we  are  persevering  in  our  works. 

JEFF.  C.  DAVIS. 

General  J.  C.  FREMONT. 

JEFFERSON  CITY,  September  16,  1861. 

Have  just  received  despatches  from  Glasgow,  Arrow  Rock,  and  Boonville, 
by  the  hand  of  a  man  who  escaped  from  the  steamer  Sunshine.  This  proves  to 
be  the  boat  captured  and  used  by  Green  at  Glasgow,  and  not  the  Clara  Bell,  as 
reported.  Green  has  not  crossed  the  bridge.  This  boatman  helped  to  cross 
Green,  and  reports  the  numbers  at  3,000,  and  1,200  more  ready  to  cross — all 
horsemen,  with  two  pieces  of  artillery.  He  reports  Lexington  as  having  been 
attacked  with  10,000  men  on  Thursday,  but  held  the  work.  Subsequently  it 
was  reported  as  having  surrendered.  This  is  improbable. 

JEFF.  C.  DAVIS,  Colonel  Commanding. 

Major  General  J.  C.  FREMONT. 

HUDSON,  September  16,  1861. 

Just  arrived  here  on  my  way  to  Keokuk.     Ohio  regiments  on  their  way 

to  Utica.  If  you  can  send  Tiudall's  regiment  to  Chilicothe  immediately,  the 
sixteenth  Illinois  and  third  Iowa  can  also  be  forwarded  to  Lexington.  There 
will  be  no  more  considerable  trouble  in  north  Missouri. 

JNO.  POPE,  Brigadier  General. 

General  FREMONT. 

PALMYRA,  September  16,  1861. 

From  paper  just  handed  me  I  learn,  for  first  time,  that  important  matters  are 
occurring  at  Lexington.  The  troops  I  sent  to  Lexington  will  be  there  the  day 
after  to-morrow,  and  consist  of  two  full  regiments  of  infantry,  four  pieces  of 
artillery,  and  150  irregular  horse.  These,  with  the  two  Ohio  regiments,  which  will 
reach  there  on  Thursday,  will  make  a  re-enforcement  of  4,000  men  and  four 
pieces  of  artillery.  Do  you  wish  me  to  come  down  to  St.  Louis  or  go  to  Canton 
and  Keokuk  to  finish  matters  in  this  section  ?  The  following  force  along  this 
road  at  Hannibal :  at  Kansas,  480 ;  at  Palmyra,  320  of  twentieth  Illinois ;  at 
Hudson,  450  of  Taster's  men  ;  at  Brookfield,  650  of  Morgan's  regiment ;  at 
St.  Joseph,  coming  east,  3,000  Iowa  and  Missouri  irregular  troops.  Please 
answer  to  Quincy. 

JNO.  POPE,  Brigadier  General. 

Major  General  FREMONT. 


138  TESTIMONY. 

JEFFERSON  CITY,  September  16,  1861. 

My  spy  has  just  returned  from  Pryor  Camp,  not  far  from  Lexington.  He- 
left  Warrensburg  yesterday,  and  says  they  report  their  number  at  14,000.  The 
fight  at  Lexington  was  a  sortie  made  by  Mulligan  on  Thursday.  A  regular 
attack  had  not  been  made  until  Saturday. 

JEFF.  C.  DAVIS,  Colonel. 
General  J.  C.  FREMONT. 

JEFFERSON  CITY,  September  16,  1861. 

Send  forward  teams ;  have  not  enough  for  camp  purposes.  Forward  thirty 
sets»of  harness,  and  I  can  organize  that  many  teams  at  once.  See  Major  Neville 
at  Everett  House  for  particulars. 

JEFF.  C.  DAVIS,  Colonel  Commanding. 

Captain  JAS.  BRADSHAW,  Assistant  Quartermaster. 

HEADQUARTERS,  September  16,  1861. 
Send  back  our  engines  and  cars  as  soon  as  possible.     Answer  by  telegraph. 

J.  C.  FREMONT, 
Major  General  Commanding. 
Colonel  JEFF.  C.  DAVIS,  Jefferson  City. 

The  engine  and  cars  will  be  sent  back  promptly.  Later  intelligence  reports 
Colonel  Mulligan  as  having  repulsed  a  vigorous  attack  of  Thursday,  and  the 
fight  renewed  on  Friday.  This  news  comes  through  secession  channels.  . 

JEFF.  C.  DAVIS, 

Major  General  FREMONT. 

JEFFERSON  CITY,  September  17,  1861. 

I  yesterday  ordered  the  troops  at  Boonville  to  make  an  expedition  against 
Green,  and  sent  the  latan  as  an  additional  transport.  This  was  done  just 
before  your  despatch  was  received. 

J.  C.  DAVIS. 

General  FREMONT. 

JEFFERSON  CITY,  September  17,  1861. 

Send  forward  troops  and  supplies,  and  let  me  move  forward  to  Georgetown 
and  get  in  rear  of  enemy.  If  General  Pope  sustains  Lexington,  a  move  of 
this  kind  is  all  that  is  now  required.  I  am  determined  to  move  in  four  days. 
I  have  this  place  so  intrenched  that  a  small  force  will  suffice  to  hold  it. 

J.  C.  DAVIS,  Colonel. 

General  J.  C.  FREMONT. 

HEADQUARTERS,  September  16,  1861. 

We  were  at  this  moment  giving  you  the  order  to  move  forward  and  attack 
Georgetown.  Do  so,  and  do  not  delay  at  all  with  a  view  to  re-enforce  Lexing 
ton.  Exercise  your  own  judgment.  Send  despatches  frequently. 

J.  C.  FREMONT, 
Major  General  Commanding. 
Colonel  JEFF.  C.  DAVIS,  Jefferson  City. 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

St.  Louis,  September  17,  1861. 

I  have  detached  the  19th  and  24th  Illinois  regiments  under  your  requisition. 
They  are  in  Cincinnati  to-day.  Information  of  the  most  reliable  character 


TESTIMONY.  139 

reaches  me  that  General  Johnston  has  arrived  at  Columbus,  Kentucky,  and 
taken  command.  He  is  threatening  our  lines  with  superior  forces.  At  the  same 
time  the  enemy,  in  separate  bodies,  numbering  upward  of  20,000,  is  hovering 
between  Lexington  and  Boonville.  I  need  all  the  troops  now  here  and  ex 
pected.  I  ask  the  department  most  urgently  to  permit  me  to  retain  the  re 
mainder  of  the  5,000  infantry  called  for,  and  to  substitute  these  for  two  regi 
ments  of  Illinois  cavalry,  accepted  by  the  War  Department,  and  which  I  am 
unable  to  arm.  The  other  troops  will  take  away  just  so  many  arms  from  me, 
which  I  cannot  for  some  time  replace. 

J.  C.  FREMONT, 
Major  General  Commanding. 
Colonel  E.  D.  TOWNSEND,  A.  A.  G., 

Headquarters  of  the  Army,  Washington,  D.  C. 

JEFFERSON  CITY,  September  17,  1861. 

Have  sent  forward  Hovey's  regiment  to  Lamine.  Shall  forward  more  as  fast 
as  possible,  and  forward  supplies.  Send  Superintendent  McKissock  up  at  once. 
He  is  entirely  too  slow. 

J.  C.  DAVIS,  Colonel  Commanding. 

General  J.  C.  FREMONT. 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

St.  Louis,  September  17,  1861. 

Where  are  the  1st  and  2d  Kansas  1  Can  the  3,000  men  referred  to  in  your 
despatches  as  corning  from  St.  Joseph  go  also  to  Lexington  ? 

J.  C.  FREMONT, 
Major  General  Commanding. 
Brigadier  General  JOHN  POPE, 

Palmyra,  (to  follow  him  if  not  there.) 

CAIRO,  September  17,  1861. 

The  taking  of  two  regiments  from  this  command  makes  me  deem  it  prudent 
to  withdraw  troops  from  vicinity  of  Fort  Jefferson  to  Fort  Holt.  The  order  is 
given.  * 

LT.  S.  GRANT,  Brigadier  General. 
Major  General  FREMONT. 

HEADQUARTERS,  September  17,  1861.. 

Brigadier  General  Pope  says  a  portion  of  his  force  from  Utica  will  be  at  Lex 
ington  to-morrow,  the  18th;  balance  on  the  19th — 4,000  men  in  all. 

I.  C.  WOODS, 
Major  and  Aide-de-Camp. 
Colonel  JEFF.  C.  DAVIS,  Jefferson  City. 

WASHINGTON,  September  18,  1861. 

General  Scott  acquiesces  to  your  wishes  in  your  proposition  to  retain  troops 
riot  already  forwarded.  He  has  telegraphed  order  to  retain  the  two  regiments 
which  have  left  to  Cincinnati  to  wait  orders  for  a  few  days,  if  they  have  not 
passed  beyond  that  city. 

E.  D.  TOWNSEND. 

Major  General  FREMONT. 


140  TESTIMONY. 

JEFFERSON  CITY,  September  IS,  1861. 

Positive  news  from  Lexington  Sunday  evening.  Main  attack  had  not  been 
made.  I  have  sent  two  regiments  to  Arrow  Rock,  with  orders  to  take  part,  in  a 
day  or  two,  opposite  Glasgow.  Sent  a  regiment  to  Syracuse  last  evening.  Will 
send  more  to  Boonville.  Forward  harness  and  wagons ;  can't  do  anything  with 
mules  without  them. 

J.  C.  DAVIS,  Colonel  Commanding. 

Major  General  FREMONT. 

HEADQUARTERS,  September  18,  1861. 

"We  have  positive  information  that  the  "  Sunshine"  was  at  Cambridge  the  16th, 
disabled.  The  rebels  have  carried  off  cylinder  head,  and  throttle  valves  throAvn 
in  the  river. 

I.  C.  WOODS, 
Major  and  Aide-de-Camp. 
Colonel  JEFFERSON  C.  DAVIS,  Jtferson  City. 

[Received  at  St.  Louis  September  18,  1861.] 

FORT  LEAVENWORTH, 
September  7,  1861,  via  Omaha  and  'Burlington. 

The  communication  by  railroad  and  wire  entirely  cut  off  on  the  Hannibal  and 
St.  Joseph.  Lane  reports  enemy's  column  marching  on  Lexington.  Can  a  force 
attack  from  Jefferson  City  while  Lane  attacks  from  the  west  1 

W.  E.  PRINCE. 

Major  General  FREMONT. 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

St.  Louis,  September  18,  1861. 

SIR  :  You  are  hereby  directed  to  increase  your  forces  at  the  crossing  of  the 
Pacific  railroad  over  Lamine  creek  to  the  number  of  5,000,  adding  artillery  and 
cavalry  according  to  your  judgment,  and  march  upon  the  enemy  stationed  at 
Georgetown. 

All  the  information  received  at  these  headquarters  leads  to  the  conclusion  that 
the  force  of  the  rebels  at  that  place  does  not  amount  to  more  than  3,000  to  4,000 
men.  of  whom  most  are  poorly  armed,  and  over  whom  a  victory  may  be  certainly 
anticipated.  After  putting  them  to  flight,  take,  with  your  main  body,  the  road 
toward  Lexington,  directing  your  cavalry  to  pursue  the  enemy  some  miles  on 
their  line  of  retreat  toward  Warrensburg,  and  to  unite  again  by  the  first  cross 
road.  Brigadier  General  Sturgis,  commanding  at  Lexington,  will  be  informed 
of  this  order  and  directed  to  co-operate  with  you  in  such  a  manner  as,  if  possible, 
to  make  with  you  a  combined  attack  upon  the  enemy  that  now  surrounds  Lex 
ington. 

It  is  confidently  expected  that,  even  if  you  should  fail  to  defeat  the  enemy, 
you  will  be  at  least  strong  enough  to  break  through  his  lines  and  effect  a  junction 
with  our  forces  at  Lexington,  which,  by  your  aid  and  that  of  other  re-enforce- 
inenti  ordered  to  that  point,  will  then  be  strong  enough  not  only  to  defend  that 
place  successfully  but  to  assume  the  offensive. 

It  is  expected  that  General  Lane,  who  will  be  kept  fully  informed  of  these 
movements,  will  be  able  to  act  in  concert  with  you  from  Kansas  City;  but  should 
the  rebel  forces  change  their  line  of  operations  and  attack  that  place  you  will 
unite  with  him  and  General  Sturgis  in  its  defence. 

J.  C.  FREMONT, 
Major  General  Commanding. 

Colonel  JEFFERSON  C.  DAVIS, 

Commanding  at  Jefferson  City. 


TESTIMONY.  141 


HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMEMT, 

St.  Louis,  September  18,  1861. 

SIR  :  Colonel  Jefferson  0.  Davis,  commanding  at  Jefferson  City,  has  been 
this  day  ordered  to  increase  his  forces  at  the  crossing  of  the  Pacific  railroad  over 
Lainine  creek  to  5,000  men,  adding,  according  to  his  judgment,  artillery  and 
cavalry,  attack  the  rebels  at  Georgetown,  and  after  defeating  them  take  the  road 
to  Lexington. 

Should  he  fail  to  defeat  the  enemy  it  is  still  confidently  expected  that  he  will 
be  able  to  break  through  his  lines,  and,  in  co-operation  with  you,  make  a  com 
bined  attack  upon  the  forces  now  surrounding  Lexington. 

It  is  expected  that  General  Lane,  who  will  be  kept  fully  informed  of  these 
movements,  will  be  able  to  act  in  concert  with  you  from  Kansas  City. 

J.  C.  FREMONT, 
J\lajor  General  Commanding. 
Brigadier  General  STURGIS, 

Commanding  U.  S.  forces  at  Lexington. 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

St.  Louis,  September  18,  1861. 

SIR  :  Colonel  Jefferson  C.  Davis,  commanding  at  Jefferson  City,  has  been 
ordered  to  increase  his  forces  at  the  crossing  of  the  Pacific  railroad  over  Lamine 
creek  to  5,000  men,  adding,  according  to  his  judgment,  artillery  and  cavalry, 
attack  the  rebels  at  Georgetown,  and  after  defeating  them  take  the  road  to 
Lexington. 

Should  he  fail  to  defeat  the  enemy,  it  is  still  confidently  expected  that  he  will 
be  able  to  break  through  their  lines,  and,  in  co-operation  with  the  forces  stationed 
at  Lexington,  make  a  combined  attack  upon  the  rebel  forces  now  menacing  that 
place. 

You  are  therefore  directed  to  march  with  your  forces  on  the  State  line  road 
to  Kansas  City,  put  yourself  immediately  in  communication  with  Brigadier  Gen 
eral  Sturgis,  commanding  at  Lexington,  and  co-operate  with  him  to  defeat  the 
enemy. 

If  the  rebel  forces  should  change  their  line  of  attack,  and  advance  upon 
Kansas  City,  the  above-mentioned  commanders  will  co-operate  with  you  in  the 
defense  of  that  place. 

J.  C.  FREMONT, 
Major  General  Commanding. 
General  J.  LANE, 

Commanding  Kansas  Brigade. 

JEFFERSON  CITY,  September  18,  1861. 

News  just  received  from  Lexington — probably  reliable.  The  fight  commenced 
on  Monday;  was  very  severe  all  day.  Price  assaulted  the  works  and  was 
repulsed  with  heavy  [loss]  on  yesterday  morning.  The  fighting  was  very  feeble 
when  courier  left.  Lane  was  marching  for  Lexington,  and  was  at  Johnstown 
on  Monday  morning.  The  rebel  loss  is  reported  at  4,000 — ours  at  800.  This 
is  evidently  exaggerated. 

JEFF.  C.  DAVIS. 
Major  General  FREMONT. 


142  TESTIMONY. 


HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

St.  Louis,  September  19,  1861. 

Colonel  J.  C.  Davis,  at  Jefferson  City,  telegraphs  to  me  on  18th  as  follows : — 
(See  above  telegram.) 

From  Cincinnati  telegram  as  follows :  "  Colonels  Hecker  and  Turchin's  com 
mands  in  Camp  Dennison ;  wounded  all  in  Marine  Hospital ;  dead  buried  in 
Spring  Grove  to-day." 

J.  C.  FREMONT, 
Major  General  Commanding. 
Colonel  E.  D.  TOWXSEND, 

Adjutant  General,  Headquarters,  Washington,  D.  C. 

JEFFERSON  CITY,  September  19,  1861. 

No  further  news  from  Lexington.  McKissock,  railroad  superintendant,  in 
forms  me  that  the  bridge  will  be  brought  forward  to-day.  Means  of  transporta 
tion  is  all  required  to  move  forward.  I  have  a  number  of  mules  but  no  harness. 

JEFF.  C,  DAVIS, 

Major  General  FREMONT. 

JEFFERSON  CITY,  September  19,  1861. 

News  just  come  in  says  Lexington  is  taken.  I  hardly  think  it  reliable.  I 
have  received  your  order  directing  me  to  take  Georgetown.  This  place  is  and 
has  been,  except  a  few  hours  some  days  ago,  in  my  possession.  There  are  no 
rebel  troops  now  threatening.  I  have  and  am  sending  forward  troops,  but  I 
cannot  take  permanent  position  with  any  considerable  force  until  I  get  means, 
either  by  rail  or  wagons,  to  get  forward  supplies.  I  wrote  you  on  the  subject 
of  McKissock's  conduct  in  regard  to  the  bridge,  also  on  the  subject  of  mules 
and  wagons  and  harness.  My  troops  will  all  be  in  advance  of  the  means  of 
transportation.  Let  it  be  furnished  at  once. 

JEFF.  C.  DAVIS,  Colonel  Commanding. 

Major  General  FREMONT. 

JEFFERSON  CITY,  September  19,  1861. 
The  rumored  surrender  at  Lexington  is  this  evening  discredited. 

JEFF.  C.  DAVIS. 
Major  General  FREMONT. 

HEADQUARTERS,  JEFFERSON  CITY, 

September  19,  1861. 

GENERAL  :  The  news  last  night  from  Lexington  I  telegraphed  you.  Noth 
ing  since  has  been  received.  I  shall  continue  to  throw  forward  troops  so  as  to 
concentrate  them  in  a  few  hours  at  Georgetown.  I  have  a  small  detachment 
there  now  of  cavalry.  I  hope  you  will  send  me  more  cavalry. 

If  the  rebels  have  been  defeated  at  Lexington,  they  will,  in  my  opinion,  retire 
to  the  Osage,  in  order  to  be  supported  by  McCulloch. 

That  would  be  difficult  if  Warsaw  were  occupied,  and  I  cannot  get  there 
without  transportation.  I  am  exerting  every  effort  to  get  teams  organized  to 
make  a  move  in  that  direction.  If  I  were  now  at  Georgetown  I  could  cut  off 
his  retreat.  The  bridge  across  the  Lamine  is  now  the  great  obstacle  to  progress 
in  that  direction  to  Sedalia.  I  shall  overcome  that  as  soon  as  possible. 
I  am,  very  truly,  your  obedient  servant, 

JEFF.  C.  DAVIS. 
General  J.  C.  FREMONT,  St.  Louis,  Missouri. 


TESTIMONY.  143 


SEPTEMBER  20,  1861. 

Mr.  King  left  Lexington  last  Wednesday  niglit,  after  the  attack  by  Price, 
and  Mulligan  was  still  in  possession  of  his  fortifications ;  he  is  well  fortified  on 
a  high  bluff.  Price  made  an  attempt  to  get  possession  of  ferry-boats  and  small 
steamer,  but.  with  large  loss.  Mulligan's  intrenchments  are  good,  and  he  can 
hold  out  against  any  force  if  his  ammunition  is  not  exhausted.  Major  Sturgis 
expected  to  re-enforce  Mulligan  on  Wednesday  night,  Jim  Lane  on  Thursday 
night.  Mulligan's  batteries  could  not  defend  the  river  well,  where  the  boats 
lay  ;  that  was  the  reason  that  Price  obtained  possession  of  them.  Messenger 
saw  a  large  number  of  Price's  men  wounded  that  were  being  conveyed  up  the 
river. 

CHAS.  NOTES,  Secret  Agent. 

Major  General  FREMONT,  Headquarters,  Western  Department. 

JEFFERSON  CITY,  September  20,  1861. 

No  expedition  has  gone  from  Georgetown,  except  a  home  guard  as  scouts. 

JEFF.  C.  DAVIS,  Colonel  Commanding. 
General  J.  C.  FREMONT. 

HEADQUARTERS,  September  20,  1861. 

Can  you  break  through  the  rebel  lines  and  effect  a  junction  with  Mulligan  ? 

ASBOTH. 
Colonel  JEFF.  C.  DAVIS,  Jefferson  City. 

JEFFERSON  CITY,  September  20,  1861. 

I  can  drive  the  rebels  to  the  Osage  if  I  can  get  to  them,  but  I  have  no  means 
of  transportation  here.  My  boats  are  up  the  river  with  troops.  I  have  no 
teams. 

JEFF.  C.  DAVIS. 
General  ASBOTH. 

JEFFERSON  CITY,  September  20,  1861. 

Send  me  all  the  cavalry  you  can  spare.  I  can  furnish  them  with  carbines 
and  ammunition. 

JEFF.  C.  DAVIS, 
Acting  Brigadier  General. 
Major  General  FREMONT. 

HEADQUARTERS,  ST.  Louis,  September  20,  1861. 

How  many  carbines  and  how  much  ammunition  can  you  furnish  ? 

J.  C.  FREMONT, 
Major  General  Commanding. 
Colonel  JEFF.  C.  DAVIS,  Jefferson  City. 

JEFFERSON  CITY,  September  20,  1861. 

The  guns  I  have  are  those  issued  to  Colonel  Nugent's  Missouri  cavalry.  I 
don't  know  the  number,  but  I  can  arm  a  regiment  some  way  or  ojtlier.  The 
colonel,  when  he  left,  told  me  there  was  a  full  supply  of  ammunition. 

JEFF.  C.  DAVIS, 
Acting  Brigadier  General. 
Major  General  J.  C.  FREMONT. 


144  TESTIMONY. 


HEADQUARTERS  OF  THE  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

St.  Louis,  September  20,  1861. 

Concentrate  a  force  strong  enough,  in  your  judgment,  at  Georgetown,  and 
push  fonvard  to  relieve  Mulligan.  I  trust  that  you  can  take  provisions  for  two 
days  with  the  means  of  transportation  which  you  have.  Order  back  your  boats 
to  Jefferson  City,  and  send  provisions  and  troops  by  them  to  Lexington.  Two 
hundred  wagons  will  be  sent  from  here  to-night  to  Syracuse,  which  will  follow 
you.  Troops  are  going  from  here.  Answer. 

J.  C.  FREMONT, 
Major  General  Commanding. 
Colonel  JEFF.  C.  DAVIS,  Jefferson  City. 
• 

JEFFERSON  CITY,  September  20,  1861. 

I  will  send  on  the  troops  as  fast  as  possible.  Two  days'  provisions  from 
Syracuse  won't  answer  to  reach  Lexington  and  engage  an  enemy.  I  will  at 
tempt  it,  however. 

JEFF.  C.  DAVIS,  Acting  Brigadier  General. 

Major  General  FREMONT. 

HEADQUARTERS,  September  20,  1861. 

Despatch  received.  Take  as  much  provisions  as  will  answer.  Never  let  the 
men  go  into  action  without  food.  We,  on  our  part,  intend  to  move  promptly 
from  here.  Use  your  judgment  for  details. 

J.  C.  FREMONT, 
Major  General  Commanding. 
Acting  Brigadier  General  JEFF.  C.  DAVIS, 

Jefferson  City. 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

St.  Louis,  September  20,  1861. 

Fort  Leavenworth  despatch  received.  Will  send  instructions  as  to  Delawares. 
Where  is  the  2d  Kansas  by  to-day  ?  Where  is  General  Lane  1 

J.  H.  EATON,  Major  U.  S.  A.  and  M.  S. 
Captain  W.  E.  PRINCE. 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

St.  Louis,  September  20,  1861. 

SIR  :  It  is  reported  that  Lexington  is  surrounded  by  an  overwhelming  rebel 
force  of  16,000,  and  that  our  re-enforcements  from  tjtica  and  Liberty,  under 
command  of  Brigadier  General  Sturgis,  are  opposite  Lexington,  and  prevented 
from  crossing  the  river  by  two  rebel  batteries.  To  assist  Colonel  Mulligan  and 
his  brave  little  band  of  two  thousand,  General  Lane  will  harass  the  enemy  by 
sudden  attacks  upon  exposed  posts  upon  his  flank  and  rear ;  and  you  will  act 
according  to  the  order  of  the  18th,  and  will  endeavor  to  break  through  the 
enemy's  lines.  Should  you  not  succeed  in  effecting  a  junction  with  Colonel 
Mulligan,  at  Lexington,  you  are  to  retreat,  and  take  such  a  position  as  your 
own  strength  and  the  movements  and  force  of  the  enemy  may  render  advisable. 

Should  the  whole  force  of  the  enemy  be  concentrated  around  Lexington,  it 
may  be  sufficient  to  retreat  to  Davis's  creek,  or,  at  furthest,  to  Dunkburg,  in 
either  of  which  cases  a  junction  with  the  forces  of  General  Lane  (consisting  of 
2,200  volunteers,  with  a  large  home  guard  force)  may  be  effected. 

Should  the  rebels  hold  Warrensburg  with  a  larger  force  than  yours,  or  if 


TESTIMONY.  145 

reliable  information  should  reach  you  that  McCulloch  is  also  operating  towards 
Lexington,  you  will  take  position  at  Georgetown  or  Sedalia. 

Should  McCulloch  operate  towards  Jefferson  City,  but  not  be  able  to  reach 
that  place  before  I  can  re-enforce  it,  (and  I  will  start  on  Monday,)  it  should  not 
detain  your  forward  movements  from  Georgetown  to  Lexington. 

You  will  keep  me  constantly  informed  of  your  own  movements  and  those  of 
the  enemy,  and  will  watch  constantly  the  re-enforcements  pouring  in  on  the 
Pacific  railroad,  so  that  you  may  direct  them  immediately  to  their  destination, 
and  avoid  confusion. 

A  corps  of  observation  will  be  left  at  Holla ;  all  other  troops  now  stationed  at 
that  place  will  -also  be  drawn  to  Jefferson  City,  to  operate  with  the  main  body 
of  the  corps  of  army. 

J.  C.  FREMONT, 
Major  General  Commanding. 

Acting  Brig.  General  JEFFERSON  C.  DAVIS, 

Commanding  at  Jefferson  City. 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

St.  Louis,  September  20,  1861. 

SIR  :  It  is  reported  that  Lexington  is  surrounded  by  an  overwhelming  rebel 
force  of  16,000,  and  that  our  re-enforcements  from  Utica  and  Liberty,  under 
command  of  Brigadier  General  Sturgis,  are  opposite  Lexington,  and  prevented 
from  crossing  the  river  by  two  rebel  batteries.  To  assist  Colonel  Mulligan  and 
his  brave  little  band  of  2,000,  you  will  harass  the  enemy  as  much  as  possible 
by  sudden  attacks  upon  his  flank  and  rear. 

Should  Acting  Brigadier  General  Jefferson  C.  Davis  not  succeed  in  effecting 
a  junction  with  Colonel  Mulligan  at  Lexington,  he  will  retreat,  and  take  such  a 
position  as  his  own  strength  and  the  movements  and  force  of  the  enemy  may 
render  advisable. 

In  case  the  whole  rebel  force  is  concentrated  around  Lexington,  he  will  prob 
ably  retreat  to  Davis's  creek,  or,  at  furthest,  to  Dunkburg,  at  either  of  which 
places  a  junction  with  your  forces  may  be  effected. 

Should  the  rebels  hold  Warrensburg  with  a  larger  force  than  that  of  Acting 
Brigadier  General  Davis,  or  should  he  ascertain  that  McCulloch  is  also  ope 
rating  towards  Lexington,  he  will  take  position  at  Georgetown  or  Sedalia. 

You  will  keep  me  constantly  informed  of  your  own  movements  and  those  of 
the  enemy. 

J.  C.  FREMONT,  Major  General  Commanding. 

General  J.  LANE,  in  the  field. 

(Sent  through  Captain  Prince,  Fort  Leavenworth.) 

SEPTEMBER  20,  1861. 

How  many  horses,  wagons,  harnesses,  and  mules  have  you  ?  Give  me  the 
order,  and  I  will  make  every  effort  to  hire  teams  for  you,  if  not  on  hand. 

I.  C.  WOODS, 

Colonel,  A.  D.  C.,  and  Director  of  Transportation. 
Colonel  J.  C.  DAVIS,  Jefferson  City. 

JEFFERSON  CITY,  September  20,  1861. 

I  can  to-morrow  start  50  teams  on  the  road.  The  8th  Indiana  leaves  to 
night  for  Syracuse;  a  battery  to  morow. 

JEFF.  C.  DAVIS. 
Colonel  I.  C.  WOODS. 

Part  iii 10 


146  TESTIMONY. 


HEADQUARTERS,  September  20,  1861. 

We  have  news  of  Lexington  being  burned.  Rebels  with  guns  planted  at 
ferry;  our  troops  intrenched  on  College  Hill  and  surrounded.  Have  you 
thrown  forward  a  column  for  their  relief.  Telegraph  particulars. 

J.  H.  EATON,  Major  U.  S.  Army  and  M.  S. 
Colonel  JEFFERSON  C.  DAVIS,  Jefferson  City. 

SEPTEMBER  20,  1861. 

Mr.  E.  Farmer,  clerk  of  the  quartermaster's  department  at  Springfield,  Illi 
nois,  reports  to  me  his  arrival  in  the  city  of  St.  Louis  at  9.20  o'clock  last 
evening,  (Thursday.)  Left  Jefferson  City  at  12  o'clock  same  day.  Messenger 
at  Jefferson  City  just  arrived  from  Lexington  as  he  left.  Reports  Colonel  Mul 
ligan's  command  strongly  intrenched,  with  the  assistance  of  2,000  home  guards 
and  the  Iowa  5th  regiment,  the  latter  having  one  64-pounder  howitzer,  besides 
several  small  pieces  of  ordnance. 

Colonel  Mulligan  had  repelled  Price  and  his  command,  estimated  at  14,000 
to  20,000  strong,  and  believed  he  could  hold  and  strengthen  himself  in  the 
iutrenchments  until  re-enforced.  Major  General  Sturgis  was  expected  to  arrive 
with  from  6,000  to  8,000  by  Thursday  last.  General  Lane  reported  approach 
ing  from  the  southeast,  forty  miles  distant,  with  5,000  troops,  to  Colonel  Mulli 
gan's  assistance.  It  was  believed  that  Price  and  Rains  would  be  surrounded 
and  cut  off  from  a  retreat.  Nothing  known  of  McCulloeh's  movement  that  is 
now  reported  at  Jefferson  City. 

Yours,  £c.,  CHARLES  NOTES, 

A  Secret  Agent. 

Major  General  J.  C.  FREMONT, 

Commanding  Western  Department. 

JEFFERSON  CITY,  September  20,  1861. 

I  shall  leave  about  3,000  home  guards  and  Iowa  6th  to  take  care  of  this 
place.  I  would  recommend  some  one  of  energy  be  appointed  to  command  them. 
General  Thomas  Price,  who  is  now  in  St.  Louis,  would  be  an  excellent  man. 
They  must  be  kept  at  work  on  these  field-works,  &c. 

JEFFERSON  C.  DAVIS, 
Acting  Brigadier  General  Commanding. 
General  J.  C.  FREMONT. 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTER*  DEPARTMENT, 

St.  Louis,  September  21,  1861. 

GENERAL  :  By  a  telegram  of  to-day,  sent  to  Captain  W.  E.  Prince,  of  Fort 
Leavenworth,  the  officer  in  command  of  the  2d  Kansas  regiment  has  been 
directed  to  take  the  steamer  West  Wind,  or  any  other  steamer,  and  proceed  at 
once  carefully  down  the  river  to  join  you. 

You  will,  therefore,  send  a  messenger  up  the  river  to  communicate  to  the 
commander  of  the  2d  Kansas  regiment  such  orders  as  you  may  deem  proper  to 
secure  a  safe  landing  of  the  boat,  and  then  make  every  effort  to  cross  the  river 
and  effect  a  junction  with  Colonel  Mulligan.  Acting  Brigadier  General  Jeffer 
son  C.  Davis,  of  Jefferson  City,  will  also  endeavor,  with  his  force,  to  join  Colonel 
Mulligan  from  Georgetown  by  land,  and  from  Glasgow  by  steamer.  Every 
effort,  therefore,  should  be  made  to  retain  the  post  of  Lexington, 

J.  C.  FREMONT, 
Major  General  Commanding. 
Brigadier  General  S.  D.  STURGIS, 

Opposite  Lexington. 


TESTIMONY.  147 


HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

St.  Louis,  September  21,  1861. 

Carlin's  battery,  six  pieces,  to  remain  in  Jefferson  City ;  and  Bissell's  com 
mand,  (300  mechanics,)  for  Lamine  bridge,  left  here  2  p.  m. 

I.  0.  WOODS, 
Colonel,  and  Director  of  Transportation. 

Acting  Brigadier  General  JEFFERSON  C.  DAVIS, 

Jefferson  City. 

JEFFERSON  CITY,  September  21,  1861. 

The  War  Eagle  and  latan  have  just  returned.  The  three  Indiana  regiments 
took  possession  of  all  points  as  far  as  Glasgow,  but  unfortunately  for  their  repu 
tation  as  soldiers,  their  scouts  fired  into  each  other,  severely  wounding  Major 
Tanner  and  several  others,  and  killing  three.  They  retook  the  steamer  Sun 
shine,  ten  miles  above  Glasgow.  The  26th  Indiana  proceeded  on  for  Lexington. 

JEFFERSON  C.  DAVIS, 
Acting  Brigadier  General  Commanding. 
General  J.  C.  FREMONT. 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

St.  Louis,  September  22,  1861. 

Hold  yourself  in  readiness  to  move  forward  to  Kentucky  when  telegraphed 
for  bv  General  Anderson. 

J.  C.  FRfiMONT, 
Major  General  Commanding. 
Colonel  HECKER, 

Camp  Dennison,  near  Cincinnati. 

HEADQUARTERS,  September  22,  1861. 

I  have  placed  the  two  Illinois  regiments,  commanded  by  Colonels  Hecker  and 
Turchin,  under  your  orders.  They  are  now  at  Camp  Dennison,  Cincinnati. 
Answer. 

J.  C.  FREMONT, 
Major  General  Commanding. 
Brigadier  General  ROBERT  ANDERSON, 

Louisville,  Kentucky. 

LOUISVILLE,  KY.,  September  22,  1861. 
Accept  my  thanks  for  the  two  regiments  placed  subject  to  my  order. 

ROBERT  ANDERSON,  Brigadier  General. 
Major  General  FREMONT,  St.  Louis 

ST.  Louis,  September  22,  1861.  ) 
INDIANAPOLIS,  September  22,  1861.  ) 

I  much  regret  that  subsequent  events  have  prevented  me  from  sending  you 
the  troops.  Reliable  advisers  on  Friday  show  an  advance  on  Louisville  by  a 
force  of  not  less  than  10,000  men,  and  Anderson  had  not  more  than  3,000.  An 
derson  begged  for  troops.  Our  own  safety  required  that  they  should  be  furnished. 
We  have  sent  him  four  regiments,  and  one  to  Evansville.  We  are  out  of  arms. 
Can  you  not  lend  us  5,000  for  the  time  1  Louisville  is  considered  in  great  dan 
ger  this  morning,  and  many  doubt  whether  it  can  be  saved.  Please  send  us 
arms  by  special  train. 

0.  P.  MARTIN,  Governor  of  Indiana. 
Major  General  J.  C.  FREMONT. 


148  TESTIMONY. 


ST.  Louis,  September  22,  1861. 

You  did  not  state  how  many  men  yon  send  in  this  direction  or  when  they 
leave.  General  Fremont  says  you  make  a  mistake  in  sending  men  in  the  direc 
tion  of  Kentucky  from  your  place,  and  urges  all  the  men  to  be  sent  here  that 
you  can  raise.  Please  keep  him  posted. 

D.  G.  ROSE. 
Governor  MORTON. 

CHICAGO,  September  22,  1861. 

Great  anxiety  here  to  know  the  fate  of  the  Irish  brigade  and  Tom  Marshall's 
cavalry.  Have  they  surrendered  ? 

CHICAGO  TRIBUNE. 
Major  General  FREMONT. 

JEFFERSON  CITY,  September  22,  1861. 

Your  communication  of  the  20th,  directing  me  to  move  forward,  just  received. 
I  am  throwing  forward  troops  to  Arrow  Rock,  Boonville,  and  Syracuse  as  fast 
as  possible.  This  I  have  been  doing  since  the  18th.  Troops  cannot  reach 
Lexington  without  some  teams.  The  harness  for  these  arrived  in  part  only 
night  before  last.  Yesterday  all  that  could  be  possibly  gotten  together  were 
sent  forward  to  these  different  points.  More  is  learing  to-day  and  will  continue 
to  leave  until  I  can  move  on  Lexington. 

JEFF.  C.  DAVIS, 
Acting  Brigadier  General. 

Major  General  FREMONT. 

CHICAGO,  Septe??iber  22,  1861. 

Intense  excitement  here  to  know  the  fate  of  Colonel  Mulligan.  If  consistent, 
may  I  know  if  he  has  surrendered  ? 

OWEN  LOVEJOY. 
General  J.  C.  FREMONT. 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

St.  Louis,  September  22,  1861. 

Colonel  Mulligan  has  not  surrendered  by  latest  reports.  It  is  believed  he  is 
sustaining  himself  in  his  position.  Re-enforcements  are  moving  from  four  points 
of  the  compass — from  all  directions. 

J.  C.  FREMONT. 

Colonel  OWEN  LOVEJOY,  Chicago,  Illinois. 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

St.  Louis,  September  22,  1861. 

Your  despatch  received.  I  am  informed  by  the  President  that  the  rebels 
have  seized  Owensboro'.  Direct  Captain  Foote  to  use  gunboats  to  drive  the 
rebels  from  there  and  to  protect  the  Ohio  river.  Have  Noble's  cavalry  reached 
Fort  Massac  1  Direct  him  to  report  for  orders  to  General  Smith. 

Send  forward  three  heavy  guns  to  General  Smith,  to  be  placed  at  Smithland. 

J.  C.  FREMONT, 
Major  General  Commanding. 
Brigadier  General  U.  GRANT,  Cairo. 

WASHINGTON,  September  22,  1861. 

Governor  Morton  telegraphs  as  follows  :  Colonel  Lane,  just  arrived  by  special 
train,  represents  Owensboro',  40  miles  above  Evansville,  in  possession  of  seces- 


TESTIMONY.  149 

sionists.  Green  river  is  navigable.  Owensboro'  must  be  seized.  We  want  a 
gunboat  sent  up  from  Paducah  for  that  purpose.  Send  up  the  gunboat  if,  in 
your  discretion,  you  think  it  right.  Perhaps  you  had  better  order  those  in 
charge  of  the  Ohio  river  to  guard  it  vigilantly  at  all  points. 

A.  LINCOLN. 
Major  General  FREMONT. 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

St.  Louis,  September  22,  1861. 

Your  despatch  received.  I  have  immediately  ordered  Captain  Foote  with 
gunboat  to  dislodge  the  rebels  from  Owensboro',  and  will  take  measures  to  guard 
the  Ohio. 

Have  placed  my  two  Illinois  regiments  at  Camp  Dennison,  near  Cincinnati, 
at  the  disposal  of  General  Anderson,  and  so  informed  him  by  telegraph. 

T    c<    TT|"R^Arrk"\rrr 
J .  \j.  x  Ix-cjiVlUJN  1 , 

Major  General  Commanding. 
A.  LINCOLN,  President,  Washington. 

JEFFERSOF  CITY,  September  22,  1861. 

Price  has  arrived,  and  I  have  turned  over  the  home  guards  and  the  fortifi 
cations  to  his  charge.  This  will  enable  me  to  move  forward  myself  to-night  or 
to-morrow.  If  you  are  coming  on  to-morrow  I  will  proceed  to  Arrow  Root,  and 
start  from  there  to  Marshall.  If  you  do  not  come,  it  will  be  better  for  me  to 
start  from  Syracuse  on  the  march.  Please  answer  at  once. 

JEFF.  C.  DAVIS, 

Acting  Brigadier  General  Commanding. 
Major  General  FREMONT. 

JEFFERSON  CITY,  September  22,  1861. 

I  am  informed  that  the  Lamine  bridge  will  be  finished  on  Tuesday.  News 
from  Lexington  this  evening  states  that  place  not  taken  up  to  Friday. 

JEFF.  0.  DAVIS, 

Acting  Brigadier  General  Commanding. 
Major  General  J.  C.  FREMONT. 

JEFFERSON  CITY,  September  22,  1861. 

Reliable.  U.-  D.  Fields,  of  Lexington,  released  prisoner  from  Price's  army, 
here  to-night,  reports  fighting  at  Lexington  Thursday  noon.  Mulligan  not 
taken ;  thinks  if  water  holds  out  he  is  safe  for  some  days  yet.  If  efficient  and 
prompt  movements  be  made  he  may  be  saved.  Everything  depends  on  what 
we  can  do  in  the  next  few  days.  McCulloch  last  Monday  in  Barton  county, 
moving  on  Lexington.  He  must  be  drawing  close  on  by  this  time.  Price's 
force  estimated  at  nearly  20,000. 

THOS.  L.  PRICE. 

Major  General  J.  C.  FREMONT. 

BROOKFIELD,  September  22,  1861. 

I  have  just  arrived  here  from  Quincy,  and  have  100  of  our  men  that  were  in 
the  battle  at  Lexington ;  2,000  more  are  at  Hamilton,  fifty  miles  west  of  this. 
Colonel  Mulligan  surrendered  at  4  p.  m.  Friday.  Water  cut  off.  The  entire 
command,  after  surrendering,  were  disarmed ;  non-commissioned  officers  and  pri 
vates  sworn  and  released ;  commissioned  officers  are  held  as  prisoners.  Federal 
loss,  39  killed  and  120  wounded ;  rebels,  1,400  killed  and  wounded.  I  send 


150  TESTIMONY. 

provisions  forward  to  our  gallant  soldiers  that  have  not  been  fed  for  two  days. 
They  were  not  re-enforced. 

B.  M.  PRENTISS. 
Major  General  J.  C.  FREMONT. 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

St.  Louis,  September  23,  1861. 

GENERAL:  Your  despatch  received.  The  surgeons  of  my  staff  and  the  sani 
tary  commission  are  directed  to  communicate  with  you  in  regard  to  the  wounded. 
Keep  me  fully  informed  of  facts  in  relation  to  them,  so  that  then-  wants  may  be 
provided  for  as  promptly  as  possible. 

J.  C.  FREMONT,  Major  General. 

Brigadier  General  B.  M.  PRENTISS,  Quincy,  Illinois. 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

St.  Louis,  September  22,  1861. 

GENERAL  :  As  Lexington  surrendered  on  Friday,  and  a  combined  attack  on 
the  rebel  force  will  be  made  without  delay  by  my  command,  you  are  hereby 
directed  to  prevent,  by  all  means,  the  enemy  crossing  the  Missouri  river;  to 
co-operate  with  me  upon  my  approach,  and  to  keep  me,  as  I  advance,  constantly 
informed,  by  frequent  reports,  of  the  strength  and  movements  of  the  enemy. 

J.  C.  FREMONT,  Major  General  Commanding. 

Brigadier  General  STURGIS. 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

St.  Louis,  September  22,  1861. 

GENERAL  :  Lexington  having  surrendered,  a  combined  attack  upon  the  rebels 
infesting  the  country  between  Springfield  and  Lexington  will  be  made  by  the 
troops  under  my  command  without  delay.  You  are  directed  to  watch  the  enemy 
as  narrowly  as  possible,  to  hold  Kansas  City  at  all  hazards,  and  to  keep  me  con 
stantly  informed  of  his  and  your  movements. 

J.  C.  FREMONT,  Major  General  Commanding. 
General  J.  LANE,  Commanding  Kansas  City. 

HEADQUARTERS,  September  22,  1861. 

Lexington  surrendered  on  Friday  afternoon  for  want  of  water.  Hold  George 
town  and  Glasgow.  Sturgis  will  prevent  the  enemy's  crossing  the  river.  Lane 
will  watch  Kansas  City  and  defend  it  if  attacked. 

J.  C.  FREMONT,  Major  General  Commanding. 

Acting  Brigadier  General  JEFF.  C.  DAVIS,  Jefferson  City. 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

St.  Louis,  September  23,  1861. 

I  have  telegram  from  Brookfield  that  Lexington  has  fallen  into  Price's  hands, 
he  having  cut  off  Mulligan's  supply  of  water.  Re-enforcements,  four  thousand 
strong,  under  Sturgis,  by  capture  of  ferry-boats,  had  no  means  of  crossing  the 
river  in  time.  Lane's  force  from  the  southwest,  and  Davis's  from  southeast, 
upwards  of  eleven  thousand  in  all,  could  not  get  there  in  time.  I  am  taking  the 
field  myself,  and  hope  to  destroy  the  enemy  either  before  or  after  the  junction 
of  forces  under  McCulloch. 

Please  notify  the  President  immediately. 

J.  C.  FREMONT,  Major  General  Commanding. 
Colonel  E.  D.  TOWNSEND,  A.  A.  G., 

Headquarters  of  the  Army,  Washington,  D.  C.         ^ 


TESTIMONY.  151 


WASHINGTON,  September  23,  1861. 

"What  further  news  have  you  from  Lexington  1     Can  you  give  us  results  ? 

SIMON  CAMERON  Secretary  of  War. 
Major  General  FREMONT. 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

St.  Louis  September  23,  1861. 

Nothing  since  my  despatch  of  this  morning;  our  loss,  thirty-nine  killed  and 
one  hundred  and  twenty  wounded ;  loss  of  enemy,  one  thousand  four  hundred 
killed  and  wounded.  Our  non-commissioned  officers  and  privates  sworn  and 
released;  commissioned  officers  held  as  prisoners.  Our  troops  are  gathering 
around  the  enemy.  I  will  send  you,  from  the  field,  more  details  in  a  few  days. 

J.  C.  FREMONT,  Major  General  Commanding. 
Hon.  SIMON  CAMERON, 

Secretary  of  War,  Washington  City. 

HEADQUARTERS  OF  THE  ARMY, 
Washington,  D.  C.,  September  13,  1861. 

Your  despatch  of  this  day  is  received.  The  President  is  glad  you  are  has 
tening  to  the  scene  of  action.  His  words  are,  he  expects  ^ou  to  repair  the  dis 
aster  at  Lexington  without  loss  of  time. 

WINFIELD  SCOTT. 
Major  General  FREMONT,  Headquarters. 

[Private.] 

WASHINGTON,  D.  C.,  September  2,  1861. 

MY  DEAR  SIR  :  Two  points  in  your  proclamation  of  August  30  give  me 
some  anxiety. 

First.  Should  you  shoot  a  man,  according  to  the  proclamation,  the  confederates 
would  very  certainly  shoot  our  best  men  in  their  hands,  in  retaliation  ;  and  so, 
man  for  man,  indefinitely.  It  is,  therefore,  my  order  that  you  allow  no  man  to 
he  shot,  under  the  proclamation,  without  first  having  my  approbation  or  consent. 

Second.  I  think  there  is  great  danger  that  the  closing  paragraph,  in  relation 
to  the  confiscation  of  property,  and  the  liberating  slaves  of  traitorous  owners, 
will  alarm  our  southern  Union  friends,  and  turn  them  against  us  ;  perhaps  ruin 
our  rather  fair  prospect  for  Kentucky.  Allow  me,  therefore,  to  ask  that  you 
will,  as  of  your  own  motion,  modify  that  paragraph  so  as  to  conform  to  the 
first  and  fourth  sections  of  the  act  of  Congress  entitled  "  An  act  to  confiscate 
property  used  for  insurrectionary  purposes,"  approved  August  6,  1861,  and  a 
copy  of  which  act  I  herewith  send  you.  This  letter  is  written  in  a  spirit  of 
caution,  and  not  of  censure.  I  send  it  by  a  special  messenger,  in  order  that  it 
may  certainly  and  speedily  reach  you. 

Yours,  very  truly, 

A.  LINCOLN. 

Major  General  FREMONT. 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

St.  Louis,  September  3,  1861. 

MY  DEAR  SIR  :  Your  letter  of  the  2d,  by  special  messenger,  I  know  to  have 
been  written  before  you  had  received  my  letter,  and  before  my  telegraphic  de 
spatches  and  the  rapid  development  of  critical  conditions  here  had  informed  you 
of  affairs  inihis  quarter.  I  had  not  written  to  you  fully  and  frequently ;  first, 


152  TESTIMONY. 

because  in  the  incessant  change  of  affairs  I  would  be  exposed  to  give  you  con 
tradictory  accounts ;  and,  secondly,  because  the  amount  of  the  subjects  to  be 
laid  before  you  would  demand  too  much  of  your  time. 

Trusting  to  have  your  confidence,  I  have  been  leaving  it  to  events  themselves 
to  show  you  whether  or  not  I  was  shaping  affairs  here  according  to  your  ideas. 
The  shortest  communication  between  Washington  and  St.  Louis  generally  in 
volves  two  days,  and  the  employment  of  two  days  in  time  of  war  goes  largely 
towards  success  or  disaster.  I  therefore  went  along  according  to  my  own  judg 
ment,  leaving  the  result  of  my  movements  to  justify  me  with  you.  And  so 
in  regard  to  my  proclamation  of  the  30th.  Between  the  rebel  armies,  the  pro 
visional  government,  and  home  traitors,  I  felt  the  position  bad  and  saw 
danger.  In  the  night  I  decided  upon  the  proclamation  and  the  form  of  it.  1 
wrote  it  the  next  morning  and  printed  it  the  same  day.  I  did  it  without  con 
sultation  or  advice  with  any  one,  acting  solely  with  my  best  judgment  to  serve 
the  country  and  yourself,  and  perfectly  willing  to  receive  the  amount  of  censure 
which  should  be  thought  due,  if  I  had  made  a  false  movement.  This  is  as 
much  a  movement  in  the  war  as  a  battle,  and  in  going  into  these  I  shall  have 
to  act  according  to  my  judgment  of  the  ground  before  me,  as  I  did  on  this 
occasion.  If,  upon  reflection,  your  better  judgment  still  decides  that  I  am 
wrong  in  the  article  respecting  the  liberation  of  slaves,  I  have  to  ask  that  you 
will  openly  direct  me  to  make  the  correction.  The  implied  censure  will  be 
received  as  a  soldier4  always  should  the  reprimand  of  his  chief.  If  I  were  to 
retract  of  my  own  accord  it  would  imply  that  I  myself  thought  it  wrong,  and 
that  I  had  acted  without  the  reflection  which  the  gravity  of  the  point  demanded. 
But  I  did  not.  I  acted  with  full  deliberation,  and  upon  the  certain  conviction 
that  it  was  a  measure  right  and  necessary,  and  I  think  so  still. 

In  regard  to  the  other  point  of  the  proclamation  to  which  you  refer,  I  desire 
to  say  that  I  do  not  think  the  enemy  can  either  misconstrue  or  urge  anything 
against  it,  or  undertake  to  make  unusual  retaliation.  The  shooting  of  men  who 
shall  rise  in  arms  against  an  army  in  the  military  occupation  of  a  country  is 
merely  a  necessary  measure  of  defence,  and  entirely  according  to  the  usages  of 
civilized  warfare.  The  article  does  not  at  all  refer  to  prisoners  of  war,  and 
certainly  our  enemies  have  no  ground  for  requiring  that  we  should  waive  in 
their  benefit  any  of  the  ordinary  advantages  which  the  usages  of  war  allow  to 
us.  As  promptitude  is  itself  an  advantage  in  war,  I  have  also  to  ask  that  you 
will  permit  me  to  carry  out  upon  the  spot  the  provisions  of  the  proclamation  in 
this  respect.  Looking  at  affairs  from  this  point  of  view,  I  am  satisfied  that 
strong  and  vigorous  measures  have  now  become  necessary  to  the  success  of  our 
arms ;  and  hoping  that  my  views  may  have  the  honor  to  meet  your  approval, 
I  am,  with  respect  and  regard,  very  truly  yours, 

J.  C.  FREMONT. 

The  PRESIDENT. 

[Private.] 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

September  8,  1861. 

MY  DEAR  SIR  :  I  send  by  another  hand  what  I  ask  you  to  consider  in  re 
spect  to  the  subject  of  the  note  by  your  special  messenger. 

In  this  I  desire  to  ask  your  attention  to  the  position  of  affairs  in  Kentucky. 
As  the  rebel  troops,  driven  out  from  Missouri,  had  invaded  Kentucky  in  con 
siderable  force,  and  by  occupying  Union  City,  Hicknian,  and  Columbus,  were 
preparing  to  seize  Paducah  and  attack  Cairo,  I  judged  it  impossible,  without 
losing  important  advantages,  to  defer  any  longer  a  forward  movement.  For 
this  purpose  I  have  drawn  from  the  Missouri  side  a  part  of  the  force  which  had 

* 


TESTIMONY.  153 

been  stationed  at  Bird's  Point,  Cairo  and  Cape  Girardeau,  to  Fort  Holt  and 
Paducah,  of  which  places  we  have  taken  possession.  As  the  rebel  forces  out 
number  ours,  and  the  counties  of  Kentucky  between  the  Mississippi  and  Ten 
nessee  rivers,  as  well  as  those  along  the  latter  and  the  Cumberland,  are  strongly 
secessionist,  it  becomes  imperatively  necessary  to  have  the  co-operation  of  the 
loyal  Union  forces  under  Generals  Anderson  and  Nelson,  as  well  as  of  those 
already  encamped  opposite  Louisville,  under  Colonel  Rousseau.  I  have  re-en 
forced,  yesterday,  Paducah,  with  two  regiments,  and  will  continue  to  strengthen 
the  position  with  men  and  artillery.  As  soon  as  General  Smith,  who  commands 
there,  is  re-enforced  sufficiently  to  enable  him  to  spread  his  forces,  he  will  have 
to  take  and  hold  May  field  and  Lovelaceville,  to  be  in  the  rear  and  flank  of 
Columbus,  and  to  occupy  Smithland,  controlling  in  this  way  the  mouths  of  both 
the  Tennessee  and  the  Cumberland  rivers.  At  the  same  time  Colonel  Rosseau 
should  bring  his  force,  increased,  if  possible,  by  two  Ohio  regiments,  in  boats 
to  Henderson,  and  taking  the  Henderson  and  Nashville  railroad,  occupy  Hop- 
kinsville,  while  General  Nelson  should  go  with  a  force  of  5,000  by  railroad  to 
Louisville,  and  from  there  to  Bowling  Green.  As  the  population  in  all  the 
counties  through  which  the  above  railroads  pass  are  loyal,  this  movement  could 
be  made  without  delay  or  molestation  to  the  troops.  Meanwhile  General  Grant 
would  take  possession  of  the  entire  Cairo  and  Fulton  railroad,  Piketon,  New- 
Madrid  and  the  shore  of  the  Mississippi  opposite  Hicknian  and  Columbus.  The 
foregoing  disposition  having  been  effected,  a  combined  attack  will  be  made  upon 
Columbus,  and  if  successful  in  that,  upon  Hickman,  while  Rousseau  and  Nelson 
will  move  in  concert,  by  railroad,  td  Nashville,  Tennessee,  occupying  the  State 
capital,  and,  with  an  adequate  force,  New  Providence.  The  conclusion  of  this 
movement  would  be  a  combined  advance  toward  Memphis,  on  the  Mississippi, 
as  well  as  the  Memphis  and  Ohio  railroad,  and  I  trust  the  result  would  be  a 
glorious  one  to  the  country.  In  a  reply  to  a  letter  from  General  Sherman,  by 
the  hand  of  Judge  Williams,  in  relation  to  the  vast  importance  of  securing  pos 
session  in  advance  of  the  country  lying  between  the  Ohio,  Tennessee  and  Mis 
sissippi,  I  have  to-day  suggested  the  first  part  of  the  preceding  plan.  By  ex 
tending  my  command  to  Indiana,  Tennessee  and  Kentucky,  you  would  enable 
me  to  attempt  the  accomplishment  of  this  all-important  result;  and  in  order  to 
secure  the  secrecy  necessary  to  its  success,  I  shall  not  extend  the  communica 
tion  which  I  have  made  to  General  Sherman,  or  repeat  it  to  any  one  else. 
With  high  respect  and  regard,  I  am,  very  truly,  yours, 

J.  C.  FREMONT. 
The  PRESIDENT. 

[Extracts  from  letters  of  Hon.  M.  Blair,  Postmaster  General.] 

WASHINGTON,  September  3,  1861. 

"Meigs  begged  me  this  afternoon  to  get  you  to  order  15-inch  guns  from 
Pittsburg  for  your  gunboats.  He  says  that  the  boats  can  empty  any  battery 
the  enemy  can  make  with  such  guns.  He  advises  that  you  contract  for  them 
directly  yourself,  telling  the  contractor  you  will  direct  your  ordnance  officer  to 
pay  for  them." 

******** 

"  I  think  you  will  find  General  Hunter  an  able,  and  at  the  same  time  an 
agreeable,  co-operator.  He  has  considerable  energy  and  much  good  sense,  and 
his  influence  with  the  President  may  be  useful  to  secure  you  support  here." 


154  TESTIMONY. 


WASHINGTON,  February  5,  1862. 
Honorable  MONTGOMERY  BLAIR  sworn  and  examined. 

By  the  chairman: 

Question.  We  have  been  ordered  to  inquire  as  to  the  war  in  the  western  de 
partment.  It  is  a  very  general  subject,  but  we  know  that  you  are  very  fully 
acquainted  with  it,  and  you  will  please,  therefore,  tell  us,  in  your  own  way,  what 
you  may  consider  pertinent  to  the  inquiry. 

Answer.  I  have  taken  special  interest  in  the  western  department.  I  resided 
in  Missouri  many  years.  This  and  my  brother's  position  there  created  this  in 
terest,  and  for  that  reason  I  became  active  in  reference  to  military  affairs  there 
even  before  the  change  of  administration.  Having  learned  from  my  brother  the 
design  of  the  conspirators  to  seize  the  arsenal,  I  induced  General  Scott  to  order 
General  (then  Captain)  Lyon  from  Fort  Scott  to  St.  Louis,  knowing  Lyon's 
determination  of  character.  I  acted  here  in  concert  with  the  tried  men  in  St. 
Louis,  and  none  have  ever  been  more  thoroughly  tried.  They  spoke  to  me 
generally  through  my  brother,  who  has  'had  their  confidence  more  than  any  other 
person  for  many  years.  But  I  had  many  other  correspondents  in  the  State.  I 
obtained,  at  my  brother's  instance,  and  wrote  the  orders  for  arming  the  troops 
there,  for  superseding  Harney  because  he  disobeyed  it  or  put  obstacles  in  the 
way  of  executing  it,  for  the  capture  of  Camp  Jackson,  and  under  which  he  was 
about  to  capture  Governor  Jackson  and  his  legislature  at  Jefferson,  when  Harney 
was  permitted,  without  my  knowledge,  to  reappear  on  the  scene,  supersede 
Lyon,  and  suspend  his  operations  for  about  a  month,  and  till  Harney  could 
be  again  got  rid  of.  Harney,  on  being  superseded  the  first  time,  came  on  to 
Washington  and  wrote  and  published  a  letter  protesting  his  loyalty.  I  did  not 
believe  and  do  not  now  believe  he  was  disloyal,  but  his  associations  were  with 
a  class  whose  sympathies  or  fears  enabled  the  conspirators  to  dupe  them  into  the 
belief  that  Lyon  and  those  who  were  not  so  deceived  were  the  dangerous  men. 
to  the  peace  of  the  country.  It  was  most  unfortunate  that  just  after  Lyon  struck 
his  first  blow,  and  before  he  could  finish  the  work  by  the  capture  of  the  con 
spirators  at  Jefferson  City,  that  Harney  was  sent  back  to  supersede  him  by  Mr. 
Cameron,  without  the  knowledge  of  the  President.  After  it  was  notorious  that 
Price  was  organizing  a  military  force,  under  a  law  which  Harney  himself  had 
pronounced  unconstitutional,  he  was  influenced  by  the  class  of  persons  I  have 
mentioned  to  treat  with  Price,  who  was  Jackson's  major  general,  under  it. 
And  even  after  Harney  was  again  superseded  for  this  and  other  mistakes,  and 
Lyon  had  fought  their  organized  army  at  Boonville,  many  sincere  Union  men 
of  that  class,  here  and  in  Missouri,  continued  to  oppose  his  policy  and  his  being 
retained  in  the  command  of  the  department;  and  it  was  by  such  influences 
Missouri  was  put  in  McClellan's  department,  although  McClellan  was,  at  the 
time  occupied  in  Western  Virginia,  and  Lyon  was  operating  in  Western  Missouri, 
and  was  an  older  soldier  and  more  experienced  commander  in  the  field  than 
McClellan.  I  made  many  efforts  but  failed,  even  though  seconded  warmly  by 
Governor  Chase,  to  get  the  general-in-chief  to  revoke  this  order.  It  was  neces 
sary  to  have  a  general  in  the  department,  and  as  this  prejudice  against  Lyon 
prevented  his  having  the  place,  and  as  General  Fremont  had  a  reputation  suf 
ficiently  great  to  secure  it,  I  and  all  the  advocates  of  Lyon's  policy  were  grati 
fied  in  having  it  assigned  to  him.  I  believed  that  he  would  not  only  sustain 
Lyon's  vigorous  policy,  but  give  fresh  impulse  to  it.  The  sequel  proved  that 
those  of  us  who  were  most  solicitous  for  his  promotion  overestimated  his  quali 
fications  for  military  command. 

As  soon  as  he  was  appointed  I  urged  him  to  go  to  his  department.  I  did  so 
both  on  my  own  judgment  and  because  the  President  expressed  to  me,  every 


TESTIMONY  155 

day  he  delayed,  a  growing  solicitude  for  Lyon's  command.  Frdmont,  however, 
after  his  appointment,  went  to  the  city  of  New  York  and  remained  some  time — 
I  forget  how  long.  It  seemed  to  me  a  very  long  and  most  unaccountable  delay. 
The  President  questioned  me  every  day  about  his  movements.  I  told  him  so 
often  that  Fremont  was  off  or  was  going  next  day,  according  to  my  information, 
that  I  felt  mortified  when  allusion  was  made  to  it,  and  dreaded  a  reference  to 
the  subject.  Finally,  on  the  receipt  of  a  despatch  from  Lyon  by  my  brother, 
describing  the  condition  of  his  command,  I  felt  justified  in  telegraphing  General 
Fremont  that  he  must  go  at  once.  But  he  remained  till  after  Bull  Bun, 
and  even  then,  when  he  should  have  known  the  inspiration  that  would 
give  the  rebels,  he  travelled  leisurely  to  St.  Louis.  He  stopped,  as  I 
learned,  for  the  night  on  the  mountains  and  passed  a  day  at  Columbus. 
And  after  all,  when  he  reached  St.  Louis,  he  did  not  even  attempt  to  succor 
Lyon,  the  object  which  was  nearest  the  heart  of  the  President  and  the  whole 
country,  and  the  most  obvious  necessity  to  all  observers.  In  urging  him  to  go 
at  once,  I  told  him  I  would  attend  to  everything  for  him  here,  and  frqni  my 
greater  familiarity  with  the  bureaus  and  departments,  I  thought  I  could  do 
better  for  him  than  he  could  do  for  himself.  I  kept  this  promise.  I  spent  the 
greater  part  of  my  time,  from  the  date  of  his  appointment  till  September,  in 
forwarding  his  wishes  in  that  respect.  I  did  not  succeed  always  to  my  satisfac 
tion,  but  my  whole  heart  was  in  the  work,  so  much  so  that  I  scolded  or  growled, 
as  General  Cameron  called  it,  unreasonably  at  delays  and  obstacles.  That  the 
administration  did  everything  it  could  in  fact  to  sustain  Fremont,  the  committee 
may  judge  by  the  fact  that  on  one  occasion  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  sent 
Fremont  a  considerable  sum  of  money,  being  every  dollar  there  was  at  the  time 
in  the  treasury.  We  did  not  meet  his  demands,  it  is  true,  as  I  wanted  them  to 
be  met  at  the  time ;  nevertheless  he  obtained  actually  an  immense  force  and 
means,  but  made  no  effective  use  of  them  for  the  public  service,  as  I  soon  began 
to  discover.  With  the  news  of  the  death  of  Lyon,  and  thence  on  till  about  the 
end  of  August,  information  came  from  the  most  reliable  men  in  Missouri,  showing 
this.  The  retreat  of  Lyon's  command  from  Springfield  produced  the  result 
which  he  had  foretold  in  a  paper  laid  before  Fremont  about  the  26th  of  July, 
by  Colonel  Phelps.  Price  advanced ;  his  adherents  rose ;  and  the  State  was 
"  devastated."  Finally,  on  the  1st  September,  my  brother  wrote  the  letter  to 
me  which  has  been  published,  showing  that  he,  too,  was  forced  to  concur  in  the 
general  opinion  of  the  well-informed  men  of  the  State,  that  Fremont  was  making 
no  use  of  the  means  put  into  his  hands  by  the  people,  the  banks,  the  States, 
and  general  government,  to  repress  the  rebellion.  I  laid  this  letter,  and  the 
letters  previously  received  from  other  gentlemen,  before  the  President.  He 
directed  General  Meigs  and  myself  to  proceed  to  St.  Louis.  We  arrived  there 
on  the  12th  September.  Meigs  made  some  inquiries  in  regard  to  the  quarter 
master's  department.  I  waited  on  General  Fremont  and  stated  the  anxiety  felt 
by  the  President  at  the  condition  of  his  department,  and  inquired  of  him  what 
orders  he  had  given  to  meet  the  movement  of  Price  on  Lexington,  the  extent  of 
his  force,  and  what  he  proposed  to  do.  As  respected  the  orders  already  given, 
he  said  he  had  instructed  Colonel  Jefferson  C.  Davis,  commanding  at  Jefferson 
City,  to  take  care  of  the  Upper  Missouri.  To  the  question  whether  he  had 
given  any  specific  instructions  in  view  of  Price's  advance,  he  replied  he  had  not. 
I  then  asked  whether  Davis  had  reported  to  him  what  he  intended  to  do.  He 
replied  that  he  had  not.  He  stated  in  detail  the  number  and  position  of  his 
troops.  He  had,  according  to  my  recollection,  more  than  20,000  men  in  Mis 
souri  at  his  disposal,  for  the  protection  of  Lexington,  and  means  to  put  them 
there  in  less  than  a  week.  To  the  question  what  he  proposed  to  do,  he  replied 
by  sending  for  General  Asboth,  who  brought  in  a  brief  paper  addressed  to 
General  Hunter,  entitled  "  dispositions  for  the  reoccupation  of  Springfield." 
Having  learned  that  General  Hunter  was  to  command,  I  proposed  that  the 


156  TESTIMONY. 

general,  who  was  seated  in  the  passage  at  the  time  I  came  to  the  house,  should 
be  called  in  to  take  part  in  the  conversation.  He  acceded  to  this,  and  General 
Hunter  came  in,  I  expressed  the  opinion  that  Price  was  at  that  moment  before 
Lexington,  and  probably  bombarding  it.  He  was  announced  as  at  Warrens- 
burg,  only  40  miles  off,  before  I  left  Washington.  I  thought  that  a  movement 
on  Springfield  was  not  the  proper  way  to  meet  the  emergency.  That  all  his 
disposable  force  should  be  sent  at  once  to  Lexington.  General  Hunter  concurred 
in  this,  thought  the  disposable  force,  if  so  applied,  ample,  and  wanted  the  com 
mand.  It  was  a  far  greater  force,  and  much  better  armed  than  Price's  army, 
and  was  four  times  greater  than  the  force  with  which  Lyon  had  defeated  a  larger 
army  under  Price  at  Springfield,  than  he  had  at  Lexington.  General  Fremont 
made  no  reply.  He  seemed  to  be  bewildered.  Afterwards  he  seemed  to  adopt 
the  suggestion  made  to  him  by  General  Hunter  and  myself,  but  did  not  move 
with  promptitude,  and  not  at  all  until  he  had  got  an  army  of  near  40,000  men, 
which  was  certainly  three  times  greater  than  there  was  the  least  necessity  for, 
and  than  has  "been  since  deemed  necessary  by  General  Halleck.  It  must  have 
been  known  at  St.  Louis  that  Price  was  moving  on  Lexington""for  a  week  before 
this  conversation,  which  was  on  the  13th  of  September,  I  think,  and  he  was 
there  for  nineteen  days  afterwards.  Being  convinced  that  General  Fremont  was 
unequal"  to  so  great  a  command,  I  joined  in  recommending  his  removal  from  the 
western  department.  But  after  stating  the  facts  and  giving  my  opinion,  1  have 
deemed  it  proper  on  all  accounts  there  to  leave  the  matter,  and  have  since  for 
borne  to  mention  the  subject  to  the  President. 

By  Mr.  Odell : 

Question.  What  do  you  know  about  the  expenditure  of  money  in  Missouri  by 
General  Fremont  ? 

Answer.  No  particulars.  I  knew  before  Fremont  went  to  St.  Louis  that  he 
was  not  a  capable  man  in  money  transactions,  and  never  supposed  that  he  would 
interfere  in  that  business  in  Missouri. 


WASHINGTON,  February  7,  1862. 
Hon.  FRANK  P.  BLAIR  sworn  and  examined. 

By  the  chairman: 

Question.  Will  you  state,  in  your  own  way,  what  you  know  concerning 
the  administration  of  the  military  department  of  the  west  ? 

Answer.  I  was,  as  is  well  known  to  the  committee,  living1  in  that  depart 
ment,  at  St.  Louis,  at  the  beginning  of  the  outbreak  of  this  rebellion.  As 
soon  as.  Mr.  Lincoln  was  elected,  and  the  demonstrations  were  made  at  the 
south  to  break  up  the  government — seizing  the  forts,  arsenals,  armories,  and 
the  treasure  everywhere  that  belonged  to  the  country — I  knew  very  well 
that  it  was  the  design  of  the  secessionists  in  Missouri  to  seize  the  arms  and 
munitions  of  war  in  St  Louis  belonging  to  the  government,  and  also  the 
treasure  belonging  to  the  government,  of  which  there  was  a  considerable 
amount  there.  I  made  representations  at  once  to  persons  here  in  Washington 
in  regard  to  it. 

In  addition  to  that,  having  no  sort  of  confidence  in  Mr.  Buchanan's  admin 
istration,  and  believing  from  what  had  transpired  that  he  was  rather  con 
niving  at  these  seizures  than  otherwise,  I  felt  that  it  was  necessary  that  we 
should  take  some  steps  for  our  own  protection.  And  the  Union,  men  in  St. 
Louis  raised  a  considerable  force  of  men,  and  put  them  under  regular  drill. 
As  the  winter  progressed  both  parties  commenced  arming  in  St.  Louis,  one 
with  the  purpose  of  seizing  the  arsenal,  where  there  were  60,000  stand  of 


TESTIMONY.  157 

arms  and  munitions  of  war  of  more  than  a  million  of  dollars  in  value.  We 
raised,  principally  among  the  Germans,  a  large  force — probably  nearly  equal 
to  four  regiments. 

About  the  middle  of  January,  I  think,  Captain  Nathaniel  Lyon  was  ordered 
to  St.  Louis  from  Kansas  with  his  company.  I  believe  my  brother  was  the 
means  of  having  him  ordered  there.  He  was  ordered  there  because  Major 
Bell,  who  was  then  in  command  of  the  arsenal,  was  not  regarded  as  a  safe 
man.  In  fact,  he  had  avowed  his  intention,  if  an  overwhelmning  force  de 
manded  the  surrender  of  the  arsenal,  to  surrender  it.  He  afterwards  resigned 
his  commission  in  the  army,  and  went  probably  over  to  the  secessionists.  I 
never  have  heard  of  him  since. 

Captain  Lyon  came  down  there,  and  we  immediately  communicated  with 
him.  We  received  the  assurance  from  him  that,  whether  the  government 
ordered  him  to  give  arms  to  the  citizens  or  not,  if  we  had  such  an  organiza 
tion  as  I  assured  him  we  had,  if  the  arsenal  was  attacked  he  would  consider 
it  his  duty  to  deliver  arms  to  the  citizen^  and  receive  their  assistance  to 
repel  any  attack  that  might  be  made.  I  took  him  to  see  our  regiments  and 
to  review  them.  He  agreed  to  take  command  of  them,  without  any  authority 
from  the  government,  and  to  arm  them. 

This  state  of  affairs  went  on.  The  secessionists  in  my  State  called  a  con 
vention,  and  the  Union  men  determined  to  contend  for  the  mastery  in  that 
convention  These  troops  that  we  raised  in  the  city  were  raised  not  only  with 
the  view  of  defending  the  arsenal,  but  also  to  protect  the  Union  men,  in  their 
privilege  of  voting,  from  the  violence  which  was,  threatened.  The  city  of  St. 
Louis  gave,  I  think,  5,000  or  6,000  majority  for  the  unconditional  Union 
ticket  against  the  pretended  conditional  Union  ticket,  but  which  was,  in 
fact,  a  secession  ticket.  The  decisive  result  in  St.  Louis,  with  the  unex 
pected  Union  majorities  throughout  the  State  for  the  convention,  checked 
ior  a  moment  the  tide  of  secession  in  the  State,  and  no  doubt  delayed  their 
determination  to  seize  the  arsenal,  which  was  their  primary  object,  so  as  to 
arm  themselves  and  deprive  the  northwest  of  arms. 

I  mention  these  matters  more  particularly,  because  I  want  to  do  justice 
to  General  Lyon,  to  whose  efforts  I  think  the  government  owes  the  salvation 
of  our  State.  I  think  the  State  of  Missouri  would  now  be  in  the  condition 
of  Georgia  if  he  had  not  come  there.  The  stand  which  he  took  came  to  be 
understood  by  the  secessionists  in  our  midst.  He  was  regarded  as  the  great 
obstacle  in  their  way,  and  efforts  were  made  to  have  him  superseded  and  sent 
away  from  there.  These  efforts  were  insidiously  made,  and  he  was  at  one 
time,  actually  after  Mr.  Lincoln  came  into  the  government,  ordered  away 
upon  the  pretence  of  a  court  of  inquiry  in  Kansas.  I  think  it  was  in  some 
remote  place  out  there.  It  was  upon  some  old  affair  which  had  occurred  six 
months  before,  and  of  which  no  notice  was  taken  at  all  until  it  got  to  be 
known  that  he  was  an  obstacle  in  the  way  of  the  secessionists.  As  soon  as 
the  matter  was  represented  to  the  government,  however,  the  order  was  in 
stantly  countermanded,  and  he  was  allowed  to  remain  in  command  there. 

When  Fort  Sumter  fell,  the  governor  of  our  State  refused  to  respond  to 
the  call  of  the  President  for  volunteers,  and  sent  him  an  insulting  despatch  of 
refusal.  I  was  here  at  the  time  of  the  fall  of  Fort  Sumter.  I  returned  home 
and  immediately  sent  a  despatch  to  the  Secretary  of  War,  informing  him 
that  if  he  would  receive  volunteers,  we  would  raise  the  quota  from  Missouri, 
notwithstanding  the  governor  had  refused  to  furnish  them.  A  despatch  im 
mediately  came  from  the  Secretary  of  War — the  response  was  almost  in 
stantaneous — saying  that  volunteeres  would  be  accepted  and  mustered  into 
service.  We  brought  our  men  up  to  be  mustered  in,  and  General  Harney, 
who  was  then  in  command  of  that  department,  refused  to  have  them  mus 
tered  in  or  armed.  The  riot  in  Baltimore  having  at  that  time  broken  up 


158  TESTIMONY. 

railroad  and  telegraph  communication  between  Washington  and  the  north, 
by  way  of  Baltimore,  I  telegraphed  the  fact  of  the  refusal  of  General  Harney 
to  Governor  Curtin,  of  Pennsylvania,  then  at  Harrisburg,  and  requested 
him  to  seed  it  through  to  Washington  by  an  express.  He  did  so,  and  re 
turned  an  answer  that  the  government  relieved  General  Harney  from  the 
command  there,  and  directed  the  men  to  be  taken  into  service.  In  one  week 
we  mustered  in  four  regiments,  which  was  the  quota  of  Missouri.  I  had 
sent  on  a  memorial  asking  the  government  to  give  us  five  other  regiments 
as  home  guards,  which  was  granted;  and  in  a  week  more  we  mustered 
them  all  in. 

In  the  meantime  the  secessionists  in  the  State  were  making  every  prep 
aration  for  carrying  out  their  schemes.  The  legislature  had  been  called 
together  in  extra  session,  and  were  sitting  with  closed  doors,  passing  acts 
all  looking  to  the  secession  of  the  State  and  preparations  for  that  event. 
Their  troops  were  being  marshalled  in  what  they  called  camps  of  instruc 
tion  throughout  the  State.  At  St.  Louis  they  had  one  of  those  camps,  called 
Camp  Jackson,  which  was  situated  within  the  city  limits.  They  called  to 
gether  a  body  of  men,  among  others,  men  they  had  been  mustering  in  during 
the  winter,  called  minute  men,  and  such  of  the  old  volunteer  State  militia  as 
they  could  induce  to  go  into  their  organization,  after  weeding  out  the  Union 
men.  They  were  receiving  arms  from  the  south.  They  received  a  large 
assortment,  a  cargo  of  arms  from  the  Baton  Rouge  arsenal,  which  had  been 
seized  by  the  secessionists.  I  think  they  sent  up  9  cannon,  600  or  700  stand 
of  arms,  and  other  descriptions  of  arms,  such  as  sabres  and  pistols. '  This 
cargo  of  arms  was  landed  on  the  levee  at  St.  Louis,  I  think,  on  Thursday, 
the  9th  day  of  May.  They  had  passed  Cairo  safely;  they  did  not  appear  to 
make  very  strict  examination  there,  but  let  these  packages  of  arms  pass,  as 
they  were  marked  "  marble."  They  were  landed  on  our  levee,  and  carried 
by  the  city  police  out  to  Camp  Jackson  and  deposited  there,  and  they  raised 
a  grand  shout  of  jubilee  over  it. 

Captain  Lyon  was  then  in  command  of  the  department,  there  being  no 
officer  senior  to  him  in  the  department,  Harney  having  been  relieved  of  his 
command  and  called  to  Washington.  As  soon  as  this  landing  of  arms  from 
the  south  was  made  known  to  Captain  Lyon,  he  determined  to  take  this 
camp,  take  those  there  prisoners  and  take  their  arms  from  them.  The 
arms  were  landed  on  the  9th  of  the  month.  The  next  day  Captain  Lyon 
ordered  out  his  command,  marched  them  to  Camp  Jackson,  and  gave  the 
rebels  there  15  minutes  to  surrender  unconditionally.  They  surrendered, 
and  he  marched  them  to  the  arsenal  and  took  away  from  them  all  their 
arms  of  every  kind  and  description — both  those  which  they  had  had 
brought  up  from  Baton  Rouge,  and  those  they  had  obtained  in  other  ways. 
There  was  immediately  an  effort  made  to  have  Captain  Lyon  superseded  in 
his  command;  and  another  effort  was  made  on  the  part  of  some  of  us  to 
have  the  government  acknowledge  his  services  by  promotion.  General 
Harney,  by  some  unexpected  means,  returned  the  next  day  to  the  city  of 
St.  Louis,  and  assumed  the  command  of  the  department.  It  was  Lyon's 
intention  to' have  seized  the  legislature  on  the  next  day.  They  had  got  an 
inkling  of  the  fact,  and  had  burned  the  railroad  bridges.  But  Lyon's  deter 
mination  was  to  have  taken  steamboats  and  gone  up  and  seized  the  legis 
lature  and  the  governor  of  the  State,  because  we  had  absolute  knowledge 
of  the  fact  that  they  were  contriving  all  sorts  of  treasonable  schemes. 
Harney,  however,  got  back  the  next  day,  and  although  I  have  always 
believed,  and  still  believe,  he  was  a  Union  man,  yet  he  did  not  think  there 
was  any  necessity  for  doing  this  to  save  the  Union ;  thought  it  was  not  best 
to  make  any  body  mad  by  interfering  with  the  schemes  of  these  secession 
ists.  The  truth  was,  that  General  Harney,  whilst  a  loyal  man  himself  as  I 


TESTIMONY.  159 

believe,  and  always  shall  believe,  unless  I  have  other  evidence,  had  friends 
and  connexions  who  were  men  that,  whilst  professing  to  be  Union  men, 
sympathized  silently  with  this  movement  against  the  government;  and 
they  probably  imposed  upon  his  better  judgment,  and  led  him  to  believe 
that  these  men  did  not  mean  anything  by  all  this  business  they  were  carry 
ing  on,  but  would  agree  to  some  compromise,  lay  down  their  arms,  and 
become  good  citizens  again  if  we  did  not  do  anything  to  irritate  them.  In 
accordance  with  these  views  Harney  attempted  to  pacify  the  State  by  an 
agreement  with  the  governor,  who  was  represented  in  the  conference  by 
General  Price.  They  entered  into  an  agreement,  the  exact  terms  of  which 
I  do  not  now  remember,  not  having  the  agreement  before  me.  I  was 
familiar  with  it.  It  was  understood  that  the  government  would  make  no 
further  attempt  to  put  down  this  spirit  in  Missouri  by  force.  On  the  other 
hand,  the  secessionists  through  General  Price,  agreed  that  the  State  gov 
ernment  would  cease  its  preparations.  It  was  notorious,  however,  to  all  of 
us  who  had  any  observation  of  events  there,  that  they  did  not  cease  at  all. 
They  went  on  organizing  with  great  rapidity  throughout  the  State  under  a 
secret  act  of  the  legislature,  which  compelled  them  to  swear  allegiance  to 
the  State  government  alone,  without  any  reference  to  the  general  govern 
ment;  they  selected  and  appointed  their  officers,  all  of  a  stripe  they  could 
rely  upon.  Union  men  were  constantly  being  driven  from  their  homes, 
and  came  down  to  make  their  complaints.  General  Harney  was  told  of  all 
this,  but  he  thought  it  was  incredible  that  there  was  any  such  bad  faith  on 
the  part  of  these  people.  He  would  refer  the  complaints  to  General  Price, 
who  made  plausible  excuses,  &c.,  &c.,  and  this  thing  went  on  until  the 
government  here  at  Washington  found  that  the  policy  of  General  Harney 
would  not  suit  them,  and  they  relieved  him  again  from  his  cornmand  there. 

They  had  previously  made  Captain  Lyon  a  brigadier  general  of  volunteers. 
When  Harney  was  relieved,  General  Lyon  immediately  set  to  work  to  for 
ward  the  preparation  of  Union  troops  as  far  as  he  could.  And  it  was  so 
evident  that  it  was  his  design  to  maintain  the  supremacy  of  the  general 
government  at  all  hazards,  that  there  was  another  overture  made  from 
Jackson,  the  governor  of  the  State,  through  General  Price,  and  both  of  them, 
at  the  request  of  their  friends,  came  down  under  a  safeguard  from  General 
Lyon  to  make  another  attempt  at  negotiation  with  him,  having  been  so  suc 
cessful  with  General  Harney.  I  was  present  on  the  occasion.  General  Lyon 
told  them  they  need  not  be  apprehensive  of  any  man  being  molested  in  any 
way  so  long  as  he  made  no  effort  against  the  government  and  the  country. 
He  told  them  that  he  believed  in  the  supremacy  of  the  general  government, 
and  that  it  was  his  duty  to  maintain  that  supremacy,  and  he  would  do  it, 
and  would  allow  nothing  to  stand  in  his  way  of  doing  it.  They  broke  off 
upon  that,  and  said  that  unless  he  would  agree  that  the  federal  troops  should 
not  be  moved  through  the  State  without  their  consent,  and  many  other 
things  of  that  kind,  they  would  have  to  prepare  to  defend  themselves.  He 
told  them  that  if  they  had  any  designs  against  the  government  they  had 
better  prepare.  They  left,  burning  down  the  railroad  bridges  again  to  pre 
vent  his  following  them. 

The  day  afterwards  General  Lyon  embarked  his  troops  on  boats  and  fol 
lowed  them  to  Jefferson  City,  where  they  had  a  considerable  force.  They, 
dispersed,  however,  before  we  reached  there,  and  went  to  Boonville, 
some  fifty-odd  miles  further  up  the  river.  There  they  collected  troops,  and 
gave  put  that  they  were  going  to  make  a  stand.  General  Lyon  pursued 
them  immediately,  as  soon  as  he  could  make  disposition  of  his  troops  to  hold 
Jefferson  City,  leaving  a  portion  of  his  troops  there,  and  reached  Boonville 
with  about  1,700  men  on  the  17th  of  June,  having  left  St.  Louis  on  the  12th. 
We  found  the  enemy  drawn  up  a  few  miles  below  Boonville.  We  landed, 


160  TESTIMONY. 

pitched  into  them,  and  cleaned  them  out  in  about  two  and  a  half  hours. 
There  were  three  thousand  of  them.  We  killed  a  great  many  of  them,  took 
a  great  many  with  their  arms,  and  scattered  them  in  every  direction. 

General  Lyon's  plan  was  this  :  Before  he  left  St.  Louis  he  had  sent  Gen 
eral  Sigel  with  about  two  regiments  out  by  what  is  known  as  the  south 
western  branch  of  the  Pacific  railroad.  He  intended  that  force  to  mov.e 
down  towards  Springfield,  to  cut  off  re-enforcements  and  arms  which  we 
knew  were  being  sent  into  the  State  from  Arkansas.  Having  failed  to  get 
them  sent  in  by  way  of  St.  Louis,  they  sent  them  in  in  that  way.  While 
this  force  under  Sigel  was  to  go  down  there,  General  Lyon  intended  to  pur 
sue  with  his  force  and  strike  the  enemy  in  the  rear. 

At  the  same  time  he  sent  orders  to  our  troops  at  Fort  Leavenworth.  I  do 
not  know  exactly  who  was  the  commanding  officer  at  Fort  Leavenworth  at 
that  time  ;  but  I  know  that  subsequently  Major  Sturgis — now  General 
Sturgis — was  in  command,  and  led  the  troops,  under  orders  from  Lyon,  in 
the  first  place,  down  to  Kansas  City  to  attack  a  body  of  men  who  were 
known  to  have  been  collected  irfJackson  county,  which  is  the  count}7  in 
which  Kansas  City  is  situated.  A  large  force  was  also  collected  at  Lexing 
ton,  which  is  in  the  county  below.  The  force  at  Fort  Leavenworth  was 
ordered  to  Kansas  City  to  strike  at  these  men  ;  but  they  never  waited  for 
the  attack,  but  fled  towards  the  south,  Jackson  and  his  men  having  fled  in 
that  direction. 

The  order  was  to  pursue  them.  General  Lyon  made  as  rapid  prepara 
tions  as  possible  to  pursue  with  his  own  body  of  men,  to  unite  with  the  rest 
at  or  near  Springfield.  I  believe  that  the  committee  all  know  that  in  the 
flight  of  this  body  of  men,  Sigel,  who  had  penetrated  the  southwestern  part  of 
the  State,  fought  a  battle  with  them  at  Carthage,  but  they  were  too  large  in 
number  for  his  force;  in  fact  they  were  in  overwhelming  numbers;  they 
joined  all  their  commands  there;  they  had  those  there  that  had  been  beaten 
by  General  Lyon  at  Boonville,  those  who  had  fled  from  Lexington  and  from 
Jackson  county,  and  parties  which  had  fled  from  the  north  side  of  the  river, 
which  had  been  occupied  about  that  time,  under  orders  from  General  Lyon, 
by  some  Iowa  regiments.  Colonel  Curtis,  now  General  Curtis,  of  the  2d 
Iowa  regiment,  Colonel  Bates,  and  I  think  a  portion  of  the  Illinois  regiments, 
occupied  the  northern  part  of  the  State.  The  whole  of  the  rebels  who  had 
been  gathered  in  these  camps  of  instruction  fled  off  towards  the  south;  they 
were  met  there  at  Carthage  by  Sigel,  and  he  had  an  engagement  which 
lasted  the  greater  portion  of  the  day.  He  killed  a  great  number  of  them, 
and  succeeded  in  drawing  off  his  force,  with  a  loss  of  not  more  than  two  or 
three  men,  in  the  face  of  a  very  overwhelming  force  of  the  enemy.  Even 
as  early  as  at  that  time  McCulloch  had  penetrated  into  Missouri,  and  had 
captured  one  company  of  SigePs  men  who  were  posted  at  a  small  town 
below  Carthage,  near  Arkansas. 

General  Lyon  in  making  this  movement  talked  it  all  over  with  me  before 
he  made  the  plan  of  the  campaign.  He  expected  to  strike  a  decisive  blow 
before  these  men  could  mass  themselves  together  anywhere,  or  overrun  the 
State  "while  they  were  in  scattered  bodies.  He  expected  that  even  with  the 
small  force  that  he  had  and  was  able  to  spare  he  could  drive  them  out  of 
the  State;  and  he  had  no  doubt  but  what  he  should  succeed,  because  the 
President  having  called  for  a  large  body  of  troops,  and  having  the  whole 
northwest  to  draw  upon,  he  had  very  little  doubt  of  being  sufficiently  re- 
enforced  so  as  to  be  enabled  to  hold  his  position  in  the  southwest.  After 
having  cleared  the  State  of  secessionists,  before  they  could  raise  any  great 
army  in  the  southwest  to  attack  him  there,  he  had  no  doubt  of  being  re- 
enforced  in  overwhelming  numbers  from  the  northwestern  States.  He  calcu 
lated  with  confidence  upon  being  supported.  That  was  his  plan,  and  so  far 


TESTIMONY.  161 

as  he  was  concerned,  I  believe  everybody  knows  his  plan  was  executed  with 
vigor,  promptitude,  and  success.  That  he  was  not  supported  was  not  his 
fault,  for  he  ceased  to  be  the  commander  of  the  department,  even  before  the 
appointment  of  Frdmont.  There  was,  among  a  class  of  our  Union  people, 
great  distrust  and  great  apprehension  felt  of  him,  on  account  of  his  vigor 
and  earnestness,  and  they  protested  against  his  having  the  command  of  the 
department. 

By  Mr.  Odell: 

Question.  The  Union  people  had  a  distrust  of  General  Lyon  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  it  comes  from  a  class  of  people,  of  men  who  liked  the 
Union  very  much,  but  did  not  see  the  necessity  of  fighting  for  it,  who 
thought  the  best  way  to  put  down  the  rebellion  was  to  make  a  show  of  force, 
but  not  to  use  it  at  all. 

s  By  Mr.  Johnson. 

Question.  Carrying  on  war  without  fighting  ? 

Answer.  There  were  a  great  many  who  fell  into  that  error,  who  were  as 
good  Union  men  as  anybody.     I  do  not  make  any  charges  against  them. 
But  that  was  not  General  Lyon's  plan,  and  he  was  obnoxious  to  that  kind 
of  criticism.     Many  said  he  was  alienating  the  people,  making  enemies  to 
the  nation,  by  the  rigor  of  his  movement,  and  the  promptitude  with  which 
he  drove  these  people  before  him.     The  State  of  Missouri  was,  by  an  order 
from  the  War  Department,  attached  to  General  McClellan's  command,  he 
being  at  that  time  in  Cincinnati,  and  soon  afterwards  he  took  the  field  in 
person  in  the  mountains  of  Western  Virginia.     It  was  impossible  for  General 
Lyon  to  communicate  with  him.     It  was  impossible  for  General  McClellan 
to  know  what  General  Lyon  wanted,  and  to  give  him  a  proper  support.     My 
brother  and  myself  had  conceived  a  very  different  opinion  of  General  Lyon 
from  that  which  was  held  by  the  persons  of  whom  I  have  spoken.     We 
thought  he  was  the  right  man  in  the  right  place.     We  had  very  strongly 
urged  upon  the  President  his  appointment  as  brigadier  general.    We  thought 
he  was  the  best  man  to  command  that  department,  and  insisted  upon  his 
being  allowed  to  command  it.     But  when  we  were  overborne  by  representa 
tions  made  by  others  to  the  President,  and  it  was  determined  that  he  should 
not  command  it,  we  thought  it  best  to  have  some  one  appointed  to  the  com 
mand  who  would  carry  out  the  same  policy,  and  who  would  take  the  field 
in  person.     Hence,  we  both  urged  the  appointment  of  General  Frdmout.     I 
do  not  know  whether  anything  we  said  had  any  influence  at  all  upon  that 
appointment.     I  am  inclined,  however,  to  think  that  it  did.     We  not  only 
wanted  him  appointed,  but  we  wanted  him  there.     He  went  to  New  York, 
however,  and  remained  there  for  some  time.     I  had  left  Boonville;  had  left 
the  column  under  General  Lyon  to  come  here  to  Congress.     I  received  a 
despatch  from  General  Lyon,  dated  either  the  17th  or  19th  of  July.     I  am 
inclined  to  think  it  was  the  17th.     The  despatch  stated  that  he  was  threat 
ened  by  a  force  of  30,000  men,  and  he  must  be  overwhelmed  unless  he  was 
supported.     I  got  my  brother — who  was  a  member  of  the  cabinet,  and  I 
thought  would  speak  with  more  authority — to  send  that  despatch  verbatim 
to  General  Fremont  in  New  York,  with  an  additional  message,  urging  him 
to  go  to  Missouri.     I  believe  he  started  almost  immediately  after  receiving 
that  despatch.     At  any  rate  he  reached  St.  Louis  on  the  26th  of  July.    There 
were  rumors  then  of  an  attack  to  be  made  upon  Cairo  by  General  Pillow; 
and  it  was  also  rumored  that  General  Hardee,  in  the  southeastern  part  of 
the  State,  would  make  an  attack  upon  Pilot  Knob,  where  we  had  a  military 
station  and  a  small  force.     But  General  Fremont  was  met  by  messengers 
from  General  Lyon,  reiterating  exactly  what  he  had  stated  in  his  despatch 
Part  iii 11 


162  TESTIMONY. 

to  me.  There  were  several  messengers  from  General  Lyon  to  General  Fre 
mont,  urging  the  sending  him  re-enforcements  and  sustaining  him  at  Spring 
field,  predicting  that  if  he  was  not  supported  he  could  not  hold  his  ground 
there  successfully  against  such  odds. 

By  Mr.  Julian: 

Question.  What  date  was  that  ? 
Answer.  The  '26th  of  July. 

By  Mr.  Odell: 

Question.  Was  Fremont  there  then  ? 

Answer.  He  was  there  then;  he  got  there  on  that  day,  I  think.  As  a 
matter  of  course,  I  state  now  what  I  have  heard  of  other  men.  I  can  give 
their  names:  Captain  Cavender,  who  was  a  captain  in  my  regiment,  which 
was  at  Boonville,  had  accompanied  Lyon  down  to  Springfield.  He  came  up 
and  was  in  St.  Louis  at  the  time  General  Frdmont  reached  there.  He  bore 
a  message  to  Frdmont,  as  he  himself  told  me,  stating  the  condition  of  affairs 
at  Springfield;  that  General  Lyon  had  but  6,000  effective  men  with  him,  and 
that  the  enemy  had  over  20,000  men,  as  there  was  no  doubt  about  it,  the 
fact  having  been  well  ascertained.  Colonel  Farrar,  who  was  then  on  Gen 
eral  Lyon's  staff,  as  an  aide-de-camp,  was  also  in  St.  Louis,  having  started 
from  Springfield  a  few  days  later  than  Captain  Cavender.  He  was  charged 
by  General  Lyon  to  state  his  condition  to  General  Fremont,  and  he  told  the 
same  story,  and  urged  the  same  state  of  facts.  Hon.  John  S.  Phelps,  a 
member  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  whose  home  was  at  Springfield, 
and  who  had  taken  up  arms  for  the  government,  and  was  the  colonel  of  a 
regiment — he  came  up  to  St.  Louis,  on  his  way  to  Jefferson  city,  to  attend 
a  meeting  of  the  convention  which  met  there  early  in  August,  and  also 
coming  on  to  Washington  to  take  his  seat  here,  which  he  afterwards  did. 
He  came  from  General  Lyon's  camp  and  went  to  General  Fremont  and  told 
the  same  story.  And  there  were  other  persons,  not,  I  believe,  directly  from 
General  Lyon,  but  men  who,  living  in  the  city  of  St.  Louis,  some  of  them 
were  greatly  interested  in  our  affairs  there,  and  having  heard  the  statement 
of  facts  as  they  existed  in  the  southwest,  thought  it  their  duty  to  call  upon 
General  Fremont  and  tell  him  of  it.  I  understood  from  Captain  Cavender 
that  General  Fremont  promised  to  support  General  Lyon.  But  he  seems  to 
have  thought  that  the  greatest  peril  to  his  command  was  in  the  direction  of 
the  southeast,  at  Cairo.  And  he  went  down  to  Cairo  himself,  taking  with 
him,  I  think,  four  regiments  of  infantry;  and  he  sent  another  regiment,  Col 
onel  Baylies's  regiment,  to  Cape  Girardeau,  which  is  sixty  miles  above  Cairo. 
He  had  abundant  force  under  his  command  to  have  relieved  General  Lyon. 
There  were  nine  regiments  at  that  time  in  northern  Missouri,  where  there 
were  no  secessionists  embodied  in  the  northern  part  of  the  State  on  the  line 
of  the  railroads. 

Question.  What  do  you  mean  by  northern  Missouri  ? 

Answer.  I  mean  that  part  of  the  State  north  of  the  Missouri  river.  There 
were  no  forces  of  the  secessionists  embodied  at  that  time  in  any  of  that  part 
of  the  State.  Or  if  there  was,  they  were  too  insignificant  to  attract  any  at 
tention  or  do  any  harm. 

By  Mr.  Johnson: 

Question.  Were  there  regiments  where  they  could  be  ordered  to  General 
Lyon's  relief  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  there  were  nine  of  them  there.  And  there  was  also  one 
regiment,  at  the  time  he  arrived  in  St.  Louis,  at  Rblla,  which  is  120  miles 
from  Springfield,  on  the  direct  road  to  Springfield. 


TESTIMONY  163 

By  Mr.  Odell: 

Question.  Who  was  in  command  of  that  regiment  ? 

Answer.  Colonel  Wyman.  I  think  it  was  the  12th  or  13th  Illinois  regi 
ment.  At  the  time  General  Fre'mont  reached  St.  Louis  that  regiment  was 
then  at  Rolla.  Another  regiment,  the  7th  Missouri,  Colonel  Stevenson,  was 
subsequently  sent  to  Rolla.  It  was  stationed  at  Boonville  when  General 
Fremont  reached  St.  Louis,  and  he  ordered  it  to  Rolla,  with  a  view,  it  is 
supposed,  of  ordering  it  down  to  support  Lyon.  It  would  have  gone  from 
Boonville  direct,  and  reached  Springfield  just  as  soon  as  from  Rolla.  And 
there  was  no  enemy  intervening  between  Boonville  and  Springfield.  And 
there  was  a  great  deal  better  road  there,  a  little  further  from  Springfield 
than  Rolla  was.  I  have  heard  it  stated  that  he  gave  an  order  to  Stevenson 
to  repair  to  Rolla  from  Boonville  Stevenson  said  that  he  was  a  great  deal 
delayed  in  getting  there  by  not  having  transportation;  and  when  he  got  to 
Rolla  there  was  no  transportation  to  take  him  on.  He  got  there  on  the  6th 
of  August,  as  I  have  understood  from  Colonel  Stevenson.  There  was  trans 
portation  which  came  into  Rolla  from  the  southwest.  Wagons  had  been 
hired  by  the  quartermaster's  department  to  take  provisions  down  to  Spring 
field,  as  I  have  understood,  and  as  I  have  no  doubt  is  the  fact,  having  seen 
the  paper  discharging  one  of  these  wagons  from  service.  The  quartermaster 
discharged  the  wagon  from  service  after  it  came  in.  There  were  thirty  or 
forty  wagons  came  into  Rolla  on  or  about  the  4th  of  August,  and  they  were 
discharged  from  service  and  sent  down  to  St.  Louis — transportation  enough 
to  have  taken  both  regiments  off. 

Question.  Were  they  discharged  after  General  Fre'mont  had  given  orders 
to  those  regiments  to  go  to  the  relief  of  General  Lyori  ? 

Answer.  I  do  not  know  that  he  ever  gave  any  such  order.  Colonel  Ste- 
renson  told  me  that  he  never  got  such  an  order,  and  I  never  heard  it 
alleged  that  Colonel  Wyman  was  so  ordered.  Colonel  Stevenson  was 
ordered  to  Rolla,  as  he  said,  he  supposed  with  a  view  of  being  ordered  on 
to  Springfield.  But  I  have  never  heard  that  he  was  ordered  to  Springfield; 
but,  on  the  contrary,  I  heard  from  Stevenson  that  he  was  not  ordered  on  to 
Springfield  after  he  reached  Rolla,  and  he  had  no  transportation  of  any  kind 
to  take  him  forward. 

Question.  You  say  that  Stevenson  said  he  had  no  transportation  to  take  him 
forward  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Who  ordered  the  transportation  back  to  St.  Louis  from  Rolla  ? 

Atiswer.  The  quartermaster.  I  know  the  fact  to  be  that  that  transporta 
tion  was  discharged  from  service.  It  was  transportation  that,  under  Gen 
eral  Lyon's  orders,  was  hired.  He  was  not  able  to  avail  himself  of  the 
purchase  of  wagons  to  obtain  transportation,  and  in  the  great  hurry  in 
which  he  sent  Sigel  and  the  rest  of  that  command  oat  to  the  southwest  he 
ordered  wagons  to  be  hired  in  the  city  by  Quartermaster  Saxton  and  Quar 
termaster  Carey  Gratz.  He  ordered,  in  my  hearing,  that  they  should  employ 
this  transportation  for  that  purpose,  and  it  was  employed.  And  I  knew  the 
fact  to  be  that  some  30  or  40  wagons  reached  Rolla,  returning  from  Spring 
field,  on  the  4th  of  August,  and  they  were  discharged  and  sent  down  to 
St.  Louis,  although  the  owners  of  the  transportation  were  very  anxious 
that  it  should  be  kept  in  the  service. 

By  Mr.  Gooch: 

Question.  Had  General  Fremont  any  knowledge  of  the  fact  that  that 
transportation  was  there  and  had  been  discharged  ? 

Answer.  I  do  not  know.  I  do  not  think  he  knew  anything  about  it.  My 
impression  is,  that  he  does  not  know  anything  about  it,  and  did  not  know 
anything  about  it. 


164  TESTIMONY. 

By  Mr.  Odell: 

Question.  Who  was  responsible  for  that  discharge  ? 

Answer.  I  think  he  ought  to  have  known  it,  and  ought  to  have  seen  not 
only  that  troops  were  sent  down  to  re-enforce  General  Lyon,  but  that  they 
should  have  the  means  of  doing  it.  I  think  that  he  had  ample  notice  of  Lyon's 
danger,  enough  troops  to  have  relieved  him,  and  plenty  of  time  to  do  it  in. 
But  he  failed  to  do  it  by  not  ordering  the  troops  there,  for  if  he  did  order 
any  troops  at  all,  I  have  never  heard  it  alleged  that  he  ordered  more  than 
one  regiment,  and  that  was  Stevenson's. 

By  Mr.  Johnson: 

Question.  And  this  transportation  which  was  discharged  there  could  have 
been  used  to  take  these  regiments  on  ? 

Answer.  Undoubtedly.  They  got  there  on  the  4th  of  August,  and  there 
were  six  days  between  that  and  the  10th  when  the  battle  was  fought.  It 
could  have  been  used  for  that  purpose. 

By  Mr.  Odell: 

Question.  The  distance  from  Rolla  to  Springfield  was  120  miles  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Any  railroad  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir;  it  was  a  bad  road.  The  battle  need  not  have  been 
fought  on  the  10th,  and  it  wculd  not  have  been  fought  on  the  10th  if  they 
had  had  any  assurance  of  re-enforcements.  It  was  fought  in  utter  despe 
ration  of  any  relief  from  any  quarter,  and  in  order  to  save  himself  and  save 
his  army.  I  have  understood  from  surviving  officers,  who  were  present 
there,  that  he  made  his  determination  to  strike  a  blow  so  desperate  that, 
if  he  failed  to  drive  them  before  him,  they  could  not  follow  his  army  if  he 
was  obliged  to  retreat. 

Question.  I  asked  you  the  distance  with  reference  to  whether  there  was 
sufficient  time,  after  General  Frdmont  knew  of  General  Lyon's  condition,  for 
those  regiments  to  have  reached  him  ? 

Answer.  I  have  a  letter  here  from  John  M" .  Palmer.  I  will  state,  before  I 
read  this  letter,  that  after  reaching  St.  Louis  General  Fremont  drew  off  one 
of  these  regiments  from  North  Missouri,  as  I  understand,  to  go  down  with 
him  to  Cairo.  I  think  one  of  those  regiments  were  a  portion  of  the  force 
under  General  Pope's  command  in  North  Missouri.  I  do  not  know  whether 
all  of  them  were;  and  I  "do  not  know  exactly  what  regiment  they  were;  I 
cannot  recall  them.  But  my  opinion  is — I  think  I  have  heard  it  so  stated,  cer 
tainly  that  has  been  my  impression  about  it — that  one  of  those  nine  regi 
ments  were  taken  by  Fre'mont  to  Cairo.  He  drew  them  from  Pope's  com 
mand,  and  shipped  them  on  eight  steamboats,  and  took  them  down  to  Cairo. 
They  were  infantry  regiments. 

By  the  chairman: 

Question.  Then  he  left  five  regiments.     Where  were  they  ? 

Answer.  They  were  stationed  on  the  railroads  up  there;  all  communi 
cating  by  river  and  railroad  with  St.  Louis.  They  could  all  have  been 
brought  to  St.  Louis  in  24  hours.  There  was,  in  addition  to  that,  Colonel 
Mulligan's  regiment  at  Jefferson  City.  There  were,  also,  in  St.  Louis  or  near 
St.  Louis,  five  regiments  that  were  called  Home  Guards,  men  who  had  been 
mustered  into  service  by  General  Lyon  under  the  order  of  which  I  have 
previously  spoken. 

By  Mr.  Odell: 

Question.  Were  they  disposable  to  be  sent  out  of  St.  Louis  ? 
Answer.  Yes,  sir;  they  had  been  sent  out  of  St.  Louis  frequently  by  Gene 


TESTIMONY.  165 

ral  Lyon  to  occupy  different  points  in  the  State,  and  could  have  been  made 
use  of  for  that  purpose.  If  it  had  been  intended  to  send  Stevenson's  regi 
ment  to  Springfield  it  need  not  have  been  brought  to  Roll  a,  but  could  have 
been  sent  more  expeditiously  and  securely  from  Boonville,  where  it  was 
stationed.  The  road  from  there  was  much  better  than  from  Rolla  to 
Springfield,  and  the  distance  was  not  much  greater.  Instead  of  that  it 
was  carried  down  the  river  by  steamboat.  There  were  a  great  many  de 
lays  in  getting  steamboat  transportation,  and  then  it  was  taken  by  railroad 
to  Rolla,  where  it  got  on  the  6th  of  August. 

Question.  Were  there  any  means  of  transportation  at  Boonville,  to  have 
taken  the  regiment  from  Boonville  to  Springfield  ? 

Answer.  The  country  is  of  such  a  character,  it  being  a  wealthy  country 
and  highly  improved,  that  there  would  have  been  no  difficulty  in  an  emer 
gency  in  impressing  teams  enough  or  in  marching  through  the  country  with 
out  any  teams,  because  you  could  always  calculate  upon  getting  sub- 
'feistence  through  that  country,  which  is  one  of  the  best  cultivated  portions 
of  Missouri.  In  fact,  Lyon  got  all  his  transportation  there,  I  think,  with 
which  he  marched  south.  The  country  surrounding  Boouville  is  about  the 
wealthiest  and  best  cultivated  in  the  State.  I  have  already  mentioned 
that  there  was  a  regiment  in  St.  Louis,  Colonel  Baylies's  regiment  of  rifles, 
which  was  sent  down  on  the  6th  of  August  to  Cape  Girardeau;  that  regi 
ment  was  available  to  have  been  sent  to  Rolla  and  to  Springfield;  and 
what  makes  the  thing  perfectly  conclusive  is  that,  as  soon  as  the  news  of 
the  battle  reached  St.  Louis,  four  regiments  from  Illinois  that  were  in  North 
Missouri  were  instantly  sent  to  Rolla.  They  could  just  as  well  have  been 
sent  before  and  better;  because,  after  that  battle,  the  secession  element  in 
the  State — throughout  the  State — was  in  a  perfect  ferment,  and  the  troops 
could  better  have  been  spared  before  the  battle  than  after  it.  The  seces 
sionists  commenced  organizing  in  every  part  of  the  State  as  soon  as  the 
result  of  the  battle  was  known. 

By  the  chairman: 

Question.  What  necessity  was  there  for  General  Lyon  to  fight  the  battle 
there  against  such  odds,  and  what  objection,  under  the  circumstances,  to 
his  retreating;  what  obstacle  in  the  way  of  his  retreat? 

Answer.  This  is  the  state  of  facts:  He  had  no  cavalry  at  all,  except  a 
few  companies  of  regular  cavalry,  while  the  enemy  had  5,000  cavalry,  and 
the  rest  infantry.  A  very  large  proportion  of  their  force  was  mounted.  It 
would  have  been  impossible  for  him  to  have  retreated  before  such  a  force. 
They  could  have  cut  him  off  and  destroyed  him  on  the  retreat  by  the  nature 
of  the  country  through  which  he  had  to  pass.  It  is  a  broken  country,  cut 
up  by  streams,  some  rapid  and  large  streams,  such  as  the  Gasconade  river. 
The  country  is  very  broken,  hilly,  and  wooded;  and  General  Hardee  was  to 
have  cut  him  off  at  the  Gasconade,  and  would  have  done  so  if  Price  had 
been  able  to  pursue. 

Question.  I  should  have  supposed  that  would  have  made  against  their 
cavalry. 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  but  it  would  have  compelled  Lyon  to  have  marched  his 
troops  in  a  long  line  extending  over  seven  miles.  It  would  have  been  easy 
enough  for  their  cavalry  to  have  come  up  with  them  and  held  them  in  that 
disordered  condition  until  the  balance  of  the  infantry  regiments  could  have 
pursued  and  engaged  them  whenever  they  saw  proper  to  engage  them,  on 
any  spot  of  ground  they  chose.  They  would  have  been  encumbered,  also, 
with  the  women  and  children  of  the  Union  people  of  Springfield  and  the 
southwest,  and  their  baggage,  as  they  were  in  their  march  encumbered  with 
these  people.  Thousands  of  them  fled,  while  the  secessionists  remained 


166  TESTIMONY. 

there.  That  was  General*  Lyon's  judgment  about  it,  and  I  adduce  these 
facts  in  justification  of  his  judgment.  And  there  is  another  thing  to  be  said 
about  it:  he  had  a  great  reluctance  to  do  any  retreating  at  all. 

The  chairman:  I  like  him  for  that,  certainly. 

The  witness:  And  he  believed,  I  expect,  (in  fact,  I  have  no  doubt  about 
it,)  that  he  could  vanquish  them  on  that  field;  and  if  he  had  lived  I  do  not 
believe  our  army  would  ever  have  moved  from  the  field,  which  was  fairly 
won.  One  or  two  more  regiments  would  have  been  all  that  he  would  have 
asked. 

The  chairman:  I  guess  he  would  have  whipped  them  as  it  was  if  he  had 
lived. 

The  witness:  He  did  whip  them;  they  were  driven  from  the  field;  our 
army  remained  masters  of  the  field.  As  much  as  I  have  read  about  battles 
in  this  country,  from  the  accounts  I  have  received  of  that  fight  at  Spring 
field,  I  do  not  believe  there  ever  was  such  another  fight  on  the  continent  of 
America.  There  were  23,000  men  of  the  enemy.  Our  men  attacked  them 
about  daylight,  and  they  fought  until  11  o'clock.  At  11  o'clock  there  was 
not  an  enemy  to  be  seen.  They  were  repulsed  by  our  troops  three  several 
times.  When  they  had  brought  up  fresh  troops,  they  were  repulsed  and 
driven  out  of  sight  each  time;  and  on  the  third  and  last  assault,  which  was 
a  desperate  one,  and  almost  a  hand-to-hand  encounter,  our  men  succeeded 
in  driving  them  out  of  sight,  until  they  could  not  see  where  they  were;  and 
the  victory  was  ours,  and  belongs  to  our  army.  There  was  lost  in  killed 
and  wounded  pretty  nearly  one-third  of  our  forces.  My  regiment,  the  first 
Missouri  regiment,  went  into  the  battle  with  about  700  men,  and  there 
were  315  of  them  killed  and  wounded.  One  of  the  Kansas  regiments 
suffered  about  an  equal  loss.  The  killed  and  wounded  of  the  enemy  is  only 
conjectural,  because  the  reports  which  they  have  made  about  it  are  abso 
lutely  false.  They  must  have  lost  4,000  or  5,000  men  in  killed  and  wounded. 
I  have  since  seen  published  in  the  newspapers  a  string  of  their  officers 
killed  and  wounded  at  that  fight.  I  saw  it  published  in  the  New  York 
Herald ;  and  there  were  over  fifty  officers  that  were  killed  and  wounded 
that  were  named  in  that  list,  a  great  many  of  whom  I  knew  well.  I  know 
the  fact  to  be  that  they  were  killed.  It  was  a  very  destructive  fight  to 
them,  and  also  to  our  own  people,  who  had  to  withstand  attack  after  attack 
from  fresh  troops. 

;     By  Mr.  Odell  : 

Question.  What  do  you  make  our  force  to  have  been  ? 

Answer.  The  force  we  had  then  in  the  field  and  in  the  fight  was,  I  think, 
about  5,000  men.  There  were,  I  think,  about  1,200  or  1,400  men  under 
Sigel,  and  about  3,800  men  under  Lyon.  They  attacked  in  two  columns. 
The  enemy  succeeded  in  defeating  Sigel's  column. 

By  Mr.  Chandler  : 

Question.  Do  you  know  whether  Sigel's  column  ever  rallied  and  came  into 
action  again  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir;  it  was  scattered  and  driven  off.  The  camp  which  the 
enemy  occupied  on  Wilson's  creek  extended,  they  tell  me,  from  four  to  five 
miles  in  length;  and  the  attack  was  made  at  the  two  opposite  ends  of  the 
camp;  Lyon  at  one  end  and  Sigel  at  the  other.  At  first  Sigel's  attack  was 
successful;  he  drove  off  the  enemy  and  occupied  their  camp,  which  he  set  on 
fire.  The  enemy  rallied  and  scattered  him  with  overwhelming  numbers,  and 
his  men  were  considerably  scattered,  I  am  told.  The  enemy  succeeded  in 
capturing  five  of  his  six  cannon,  scattered  his  men  and  drove  them  off,  taking 
a  great  many  prisoners;  I  think  twf  hundred  or  three  hundred  prisoners; 


TESTIMONY  167 

and  then  the  whole  fight  was  maintained  by  the  column  under  Lyon.  I 
am  told  that  Lyon  was  killed  about  9  o'clock  in  the  day.  He  had  been 
wounded  twice  before,  once  in  the  head  and  once  in  the  leg,  a  ball  cutting 
him  through  the  scalp,  and  one  passing  through  his  leg.  He  was  shot 
down  at  the  head,  I  think,  of  one  of  the  Iowa  regiments,  or  one  of  the 
Kansas  regiments,  I  am  not  certain  which,  leading  an  attack;  he  was 
shot  through  the  breast.  His  death  was  not  known  for  some  time,  except  to 
a  few  officers.  Finally,  when  the  enemy  were  driven  clear  off  the  field, 
Major  Sturgis  was  the  senior  officer  in  command,  the  lieutenant  colonel  of 
my  regiment  having  been  wounded,  and  the  colonel  and  lieutenant  colonel 
of  each  of  the  Kansas  regiments  having  been  wounded  and  shot  down.  The 
colonel  of  the  Iowa  regiment  never  went  into  the  field;  I  think  he  was  sick. 
Major  Sturgis  was  the  commanding  officer.  A  council  of  war  was  called, 
and  it  was  determined,  as  the  ammunition  of  the  men  was  pretty  nearly  ex 
hausted,  there  being  left  not  more  than  two  or  three  rounds  to  a  man,  that 
,they  should  at  least  fall  back  until  they  ascertained  what  had  become  of 
SigePs  column.  They  fell  back  upon  a  more  commanding  position,  from 
which,  after  looking  over  the  whole  ground,  ascertaining  that  SigePs  men 
were  really  driven  back  entirely,  and  that  they  could  expect  no  support 
from  him,  they  determined  to  fall  back  upon  Springfield,  which  they  reached 
about  midnight,  having  left  it  a  little  after  dusk  the  night  before.  The 
distance  was  twelve  miles.  The  enemy  never  made  the  least  attempt 
to  follow  them.  The  officers  say  that  if  they  had  been  re-enforced  upon 
their  return  from  Springfield — the  transportation  of  Ben  McCulloch's  and 
Price's  army  having  been  destroyed  in  the  battle  and  their  army  being  so  cut 
up — it  was  their  determination  to  have  turned  back  and  renewed  the  fight. 
But  they  reached  Rolla  without  being  re-enforced  by  a  single  man.  They 
found  six  regiments  at  Holla,  four  of  which  had  been  sent  there  after  the 
battle,  and  two  of  which,  Wyrnari's  and  Stevenson's,  were  there  before  the 
battle;  Wyman's  having  been  there  probably  a  month;  a  great  while  at  any 
rate.  It  is  my  opinion,  formed  from  conversation  with  many  persons  in  the 
service  out  there,  that  no  effort  of  any  kind  was  made  to  re-enforce  Lyon; 
certainly  none  which  deserved  to  be  called  an  effort.  Yet  the  means  were 
ample,  the  time  was  sufficient,  and  the  notice  was  ample.  I  doub^  very 
much  whether  the  general  commanding  there  had  any  appreciation  of  the 
importance  of  the  matter,  even  after  he  had  all  the  information  that  every 
body  else  had  upon  the  subject.  Cairo  was  fortified,  -had  heavy  artillery, 
heavy  ordnance — the  kind  of  ordnance  mounted  usually  in  such  works — and 
was  defended  by  six  or  eight  regiments.  It  was  within  reach  by  railroad 
and  river  of  re-enforcements  from  the  entire  northwest,  and  could  have  been 
re-enforced  from  Philadelphia  before  Pillow  could  have  moved  up  from  New 
Madrid  against  it,  and  before  he  could  have  waded  the  Mississippi  or  the  Ohio 
to  have  attacked  those  fortifications  there.  It  was  a  simple  absurdity  to  have 
considered  that  the  point  of  danger.  If  those  four  regiments  had  been  all 
that  he  had  the  disposition  of,  it  was  a  simple  absurdity  to  relieve  Cairo, 
fortified  and  defended  as  it  was,  by  its  natural  position  at  the  junction  of 
the  Ohio  and  Mississippi  rivers,  with  the  immense  armament  it  had  there, 
sufficient  to  have  defended  it 'against  all  the  river  craft  the  rebels  had  on  the 
river  and  on  the  ocean.  It  was  a  simple  piece  of  absurdity  to  send  four 
regiments  of  infantry  down  there,  if  they  had  been  all  that  we  had  in  the 
city,  or  in  his  department,  instead  of  sending  them  to  Lyon. 

By  Mr.  Odell: 

Question.  You  stated  that  he  went  himself  with  these  four  regiments  to 
Cairo  ? 

Answer.  He  did  go  with  them. 

Question.  Do  you  know  what  time  be  went 


168  TESTIMONY 

Answer.  I  think  he  started  on  the  1st  of  August;  that  is  my  impression. 

Question.  And  he  was  notified  of  Lyon's  condition  on  the  26th  of  July  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  previous  to  that.  He  was  notified  of  it  before  he  left 
New  York.  He  was  notified  by  a  despatch  from  Lyon  to  me,  which  my 
brother  sent  to  him.  He  had  full  notice  of  that  before  he  left  New  York. 
And  what  shows  that  he  had  the  regiments  to  send  to  him  was  that  these 
same  regiments,  which  were  in  North  Missouri  before  the  battle,  he  sent  to 
Eolla  after  the  news  of  the  battle  reached  him,  and  they  reached  Rolla  a 
week  afterwards.  They  could  have  been  just  as  well  sent  before,  and  better 
spared. 

Question.  As  a  military  man,  it  is  clearly  your  opinion  that  the  regiments 
he  himself  took  to  Cairo  should  have  been  sent  to  Lyon's  relief? 

Answer.  Undoubtedly;  that  is  my  opinion.  I  do  not  know  whether  it  is 
worth  anything  or  not,  but  I  give  my  reasons  for  it. 

By  the  chairman: 

Question.  This  idea  occurs  to  me.  The  enemy  were  over  20,000  strong, 
and  Lyon  had  only  5,000  men.  Now,  all  the  re-enforcements  General  Frd- 
niont  could  have  sent  to  him  would  have  still  left  Lyon  vastly  inferior  to 
the  enemy  ? 

Answer.  There  is  a  doubt  about  that.  It  would  have  left  him  inferior  in 
numbers,  perhaps,  and  yet  he  might  have  been  very  superior,  for  he  man 
aged  to  beat  them  with  5,000. 

Question.  Would  not  that  be  a  difficulty  with  military  men;  would  it  not 
be  considered  rash  to  re-enforce  him  with  an  amount  of  men  that  would 
leave  him  still  weaker  than  the  enemy  ? 

By  Mr.  Johnson: 

Question.  If  that  had  been  the  determination  upon  the  part  of  the  com- 
mander-in-chief,  should  he  not  have  notified  General  Lyon  of  that  ? 
Answer.  He  said  he  would  re-enforce  him. 

By  the  chairman: 

Question.  I  should  say  that  a  military  man  should  have  said,  "  I  cannot 
re-enforce  you ;  you  must  retreat."  That  is  what  I  think.  I  do  not  know 
anything  about  that,  however. 

Answer.  In  reply  to  that,  I  would  say  this,  that  if  he  had  four  regiments 
that  were  disposable  they  should  have  been  sent  where  they  were  wanted 
rather  than  where  they  were  not  wanted.  Now,  it  must  be  a  pretty  clear 
case,  I  think,  that  those  four  regiments  of  infantry  could  not  have  been  any 
great  addition  to  the  fortifications  at  Cairo,  where  they  had  mounted  such 
heavy  ordnance,  and  where  they  had  such  strong  works,  and  where  the 
natural  position  was  so  strong  that  it  was  almost  impossible  to  take  it. 

By  Mr.  Chandler: 

Question.  Do  you  know  what  the  force  was  there  at  Cairo  at  that  time  ? 

Answer.  My  general  idea  about  it  is  that  there  were  six  or  eight  regi 
ments  there  at  Cairo.  I  have  a  letter  here  from  General  Palmer,  to  which  I 
have  already  referred.  I  will  read  it: 

"  ST.  Louis,  MISSOURI,  November  22,  1861. 

"DEAR  SIR:  On  the  5th  July,  1861,  the  14th  regiment  of  Illinois  volun 
teers  (900  strong)  crossed  the  Mississippi  river,  and  on  the  13th  moved 
from  Hannibal  to  Macon  City,  and  remained  there  and  at  Eevick  and  Stur 
geon,  on  the  North  Missouri  railroad,  until  the  9th  of  August,  and  on  the 
10th  reached  Jefferson  barracks.  When  this  regiment  left  Hannibal,  the 


TESTIMONY  169 

3d  Iowa  and  the  16th  Illinois  were  on  the  line  of  the  Hannibal  and  St. 
Joseph  railroad.  On  the  13th  July  Colonel  Turchin's  Illinois  regiment  came 
into  the  State  of  Missouri.  On  the  14th  Colonel  Grove's  21st  Illinois  was 
at  Palmyra,  at  which  place  Colonel  Turchin  was  stationed.  On  the  31st  of 
July  I  found  at  Mexico  Colonel  Marshall's  1st  Illinois  cavalry,  and  one 
battalion  of  the  15th  Illinois,  Colonel  Becker's  regiment  having  left  the 
same  place  a  few  days  before.  During  the  month  of  July  the  following 
regiments  were  in  North  Missouri,  and  within  twenty-four  hours  of  St.  Louis: 

'   "  14th  Illinois  volunteers,  Palmer 900  strong. 

"  16th  Illinois  volunteers,  Smith 800 

"  19th  Illinois  volunteers,  Turchin 800  " 

"  15th  Illinois  volunteers,  Turner 800  " 

"  21st  Illinois  volunteers,  Grant 800  " 

"  1st  Illinois  cavalry,  Marshall 600 

>  "  24th  Illinois,  Hecker 900  " 

"  3d  Iowa,  Williams 100  " 


"  Total 6,300  men. 


"All  these  regiments  were  then  full,  and  the  estimate  of  their  actual 
strength  is  low. 

"  Very  truly,  yours, 

"J.  M.  PALMER. 
Colonel  F.  P.  BLAIR. 

"  P.  S. — If  it  be  inquired  what  all  these  regiments  were  doing,  the  answer 
is,  eating  their  rations  and  holding  railroads. 

"J.  M.  PALMER." 

There  was,  in  addition  to  these  regiments,  a  battalion  under  Major  Hunt, 
at  Hannibal,  of  three  companies.  There  was  a  battalion  of  four  companies 
at  St.  Joseph's,  under  Colonel  Peabody,  and  all  available  at  that  time.  If 
we  had  succeeded  in  completely  driving  and  routing  the  enemy  under  Price 
at  Springfield,  I  do  not  believe  there  would  have  been  any  occasion  for 
another  regiment  in  North  Missouri. 

Question.  Do  you  know  which  of  these  regiments  went  to  Cairo  ? 

Answer.  I  know  that  some  of  them  went,  but  I  do  not  now  know  which 
they  were.  This  force  was  in  North  Missouri,  that  I  know  of.  Then  there  were 
Baylies's  regiment  in  St.  Louis  ;  Stevenson's  regiment  at  Boonville  ;  Wy- 
man's  regiment  at  Rolla  ;  Mulligan's  regiment  at  Jefferson  City  ;  and  five 
regiments  of  Home  Guards  in  St.  Louis,  or  about  St.  Louis.  Some  of  them 
might  have  been  a  little  distance  off.  Those  regiments  were  available  without 
weakening  the  force  either  at  Pilob  Knob,  Cape  Girardeau,  Bird's  Point,  or 
Cairo  ;  and  I  think,  if  he  had  been  disposed  to  help  Lyon,  to  re-enforce  him, 
and  had  told  the  governors  of  Illinois  and  Indiana  of  the  fact,  he  c6uld  have 
got  twenty  regiments  in  time.  I  know  very  well  that  in  a  week  or  two 
afterwards — a  week,  I  think — certainly  not  more  than  ten  days  after  this 
battle  was  fought — they  sent  eight  regiments  and  two  batteries  from  In 
diana  to  him.  If  the  condition  of  Lyon  had  been  made  known  to  the  gov 
ernor  of  Illinois  and  the  governor  of  Indiana,  and  a  demand  made  for  troops, 
either  to  go  to  Cairo,  so  that  he  could  have  gone  with  what  he  had  in  Mis 
souri  to  the  aid  of  Lyon,  or  to  have  sent  them  directly  from  those  States  to 
the  aid  of  Lyon,  I  believe  he  could  have  got  anywhere  from  twenty  to  thirty 
regiments  from  those  two  States  in  time. 


170  TESTIMONY. 

By  Mr.  Odell : 

Question.  Were  these  regiments  you  "have  referred  to  as  being  at  these 
different  localities  armed  at  that  time  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  I  heard  of  this  disaster  to  our  arms  on  my  way  to  St. 
Louis  ;  and  I  think  it  will  be  easily  understood  by  those  who  know  my  re 
lations  to  General  Fremont  previously,  that  I  was  very  loth  to  attribute  any 
blame  to  him  ;  and  it  was  not  until  I  had  ascertained  to  my  own  satisfac 
tion,  from  information  which  came  to  me,  in  many  instances  unsolicited,  that 
he  had  troops  at  his  disposal,  that  the  truth  forced  itself  upon  my  mind  that 
he  was  responsible  for  that ;  that  my  opinions  of  him,  which  were  favorable 
previously,  were  shaken  and  changed  ;  and  then  I  confess  that  what  I  ob 
served  of  General  Fremont  in  the  after  conduct  of  the  war  was  anything 
but  reassuring. 

He  surrounded  himself  by  the  worst  men  that  probably  any  man  ever  had 
the  misfortune  to  be  surrounded  by — men  whose  whole  history,  I  believe, 
as  far  as  I  have  heard  anything  said  about  them,  go  to  show  that  they  did 
not  have  the  public  interest  at  heart  at  all,  but  were  seeking  their  private 
ends  at  the  expense  of  the  government ;  and  a  very  singular  circumstance 
occurred  there,  which  probably  is  worthy  of  mention  ;  I  do  not  recollect 
when  it  was,  but  it  was  some  time  after  the  disaster  at  Springfield.  It  was 
rumored  that  Jeff.  Thompson  was  cutting  up  some  of  his  antics  down  in  the 
southeastern  part  of  the  State.  General  Fremont  ordered  a  concerted  move 
ment  from  Cairo,  under  General  Grant,  and  from  Pilot  Knob,  under  General 
Prentiss,  to  go  down  and  catch  him.  The  order  to  General  Prentiss  was 
sent  down,  as  a  matter  of  course,  by  the  Iron  Mountain  railroad,  and  the 
order  to  General  Grant  was  sent  down  by  his  chief  of  staff,  in  the  same 
way;  and  these  orders  would  necessarily  have  been  compelled  to  go  through 
the  enemy's  lines  to  have  reached  General  Grant,  instead  of  sending  the 
order  around  by  the  Illinois  railroad,  or  down  the  river,  so  as  to  insure  Gen 
eral  Grant  getting  his  orders  about  as  early  as  General  Prentiss  got  his 
orders  at  Pilot  Knob.  As  a  matter  of  course,  General  Grant  did  not  get  his 
order,  and  the  movement  was  not  executed,  growing  out  of  the  ignorance  of 
the  chief  of  staff  of  the  mere  geography  of  the  country. 

It  was  very  well  understood  in  Missouri,  after  this  fight  at  Springfield, 
that  the  secessionists  had  taken  heart,  were  encouraged,  and  were  rising  up 
in  every  part  of  the  State.  In  fact,  they  were  so  emboldened  that  very  soon 
afterwards  they  began  to  attack  our  people  at  the  different  positions  that 
had  been  assigned  them,  where  they  had  been  perfectly  secure  before.  There 
was  an  attempt  made  upon  the  force  at  Boonville,  or  in  the  intrenchments 
near  there,  which  was  beaten  off  by  the  Home  Guards.  There  was  an  attack 
made  at  Lexington  that  was  beaten  off  by  the  three  or  four  companies  then 
inside  the  intrenchments  there,  and  Colonel  Marshall,  with  his  Illinois  cavalry 
regiment,  was  sent  up  to  the  relief  of  Lexington.  Mulligan's  regiment  was 
sent  up  there,  Mulligan  commanding  the  post;  and,  as  I  have  understood — 
and  I  believe  such  was  the  case — Mulligan  was  instructed  to  hold  Lexing 
ton.  It  was  then  understood  that  Lexington  was  to  be  invested  by  Price. 
Mulligan  went  there  and  took  possession,  probably  a  week  or  so — I  do  not 
recollect  the  dates,  nor  is  it  material — before  Price  appeared  before  Lexing 
ton.  It  was  understood  that  he  was  working  his  way  around  there  by  the 
head  of  the  Osage,  to  get  into  that  country  which  was  so  rich,  and  in  which 
supplies  were  so  abundant.  Mulligan  was  instructed,  as  I  have  understood, 
and  as  I  believe,  to  hold  Lexington  until  he  was  relieved.  He  had  ample 
means  of  escape,  even  when  Price  was  within  ten  miles  of  the  place.  He 
had  steamboats  at  his  command,  and  could  have  moved  across  the  river  and 
saved  his  whole  command,  if  he  had  not  obeyed  orders;  but  instead  of  that 
he  obeyed  orders,  and  remained  there.  Price's  army  was  so  large  that  he 


TESTIMONY.  171 

soon  succeeded  in  getting  between  Mulligan  and  the  river,  and  destroying 
the  boats.  Mulligan  was  then  regularly  invested  and  cut  off  from  water, 
and  remained  there  so  invested  and  fighting  for  nine  days,  when  he  surren 
dered,  from  sheer  starvation  and  exhaustion. 

General  Fremont  had  troops  enough  in  St.  Louis,  at  Rolla,  at  Jefferson 
City,  and  all  along  the  line  of  road,  and  in  North  Missouri,  to  ha.ve  relieved 
him.  In  fact,  he  either  intended  to  relieve  him  when  he  ordered  him  to  hold* 
Lexington  until  he  was  relieved,  and  believed  that  he  was  strong  enough  to 
do  it,  or  he  did  not  intend  to  relieve  him,  but  intended  that  he  should  be 
taken  One  or  the  other  horn  of  the  dilemma  he  must  take.  I  understand 
that  General  Fremont  says  that  about  the  time  he  was  going  to  move  to  re 
lieve  him,  five  regiments  were  ordered  here.  But  it  is  a  matter  of  history 
that  he  did  not  move  a  single  regiment  out  of  Missouri  to  fill  that  order; 
and  the  order  was  not  received  by  Fremont  till  three  or  four  days  after  Price 
had  invested  Lexington. 

By  Mr.  Odell  : 

Question.  The  order  that  came  from  here  to  send  on  five  regiments  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir  ;  he  sent  two  regiments  from  Cairo  or  Paducah,  I  think, 
arid  the  other  three  were  regiments  which  had  just  then  completed  their 
organization  at  or  near  Chicago,  or  somewhere  in  the  interior  of  Illinois,  but 
he  did  not  weaken  his  command  in  Missouri  one  man — not  one.  That  is  a 
matter  of  history,  and  clears  up  that  excuse.  The  order  was  soon  counter 
manded,  and  only  two  regiments  left  the  department,  those  from  Paducah 
and  Cairo,  and  those  only  got  to  Cincinnati  and  were  sent  to  BuelPs  depart 
ment  in  Kentucky. 

I  do  not  know  the  number  of  men  Fremont  had  in  Missouri  at  that  time. 
I  simply  know  that  he  had  a  large  force  there.  I  think  he  had  5,000  or 
6,000  men  at  least  at  Holla,  which  was  on  the  railroad,  and  who  could  have 
been  sent  up  to  Jefferson  City  and  above  that  by  railroad.  I  know  there 
must  have  been  at  least  8,000  or  10,000  in  St.  Louis,  because  he  inaugurated 
Benton  barracks  the  Wednesday  before  the  Friday  on  which  Mulligan  sur 
rendered.  That  inauguration  was  to  have  taken  place  on  Monday,  but  it 
rained  on  Monday  and  the  ceremonies  were  postponed.  It  rained  on  Tues 
day,  and  the  pageant  was  again  put  off ;  but  on  Wednesday  the  ceremony 
came  off.  General  Fremont  was  there  and  reviewed  what  the  newspapers 
stated  were  from  8,000  to  10,000  men  ;  arid  there  were  several  regiments 
in  the  city  which  were  not  included — that  were  not  there  at  all.  My 
regiment,  what  was  left  of  it,  was  within  two  miles  of  this  ceremony,  and 
although  they  were  willing  to  have  participated  in  it,  they  were  not  there. 
I  mention  this  simply  to  show  that  the  whole  force  was  not  at  this  ceremony. 

Question.  You  say  that  this  took  place  on  the  Wednesday  before  Mulli 
gan's  surrender,  on  Friday  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir  ;  and  the  fight  went  on  for  nine  days  before  he  sur 
rendered.  I  know  it  lasted  that  long,  and  no  troops  were  moved,  as  far  as 
I  know  or  have  ever  been  able  to  ascertain,  until  the  surrender  was  made, 
unless  they  were  troops  on  the  north  side  of  the  river  which  came  down 
under  Sturgis  and  found  no  means  of  crossing.  I  have  been  informed  by  a 
gentleman,  whose  name  is  Shaffer,  now  on  General  Hunter's  staff,  that  after 
the  surrender  occurred  he  left  Rolla  with  General  Hunter  and  went  to  Jef 
ferson  City,  and  there  had  to  wait  a  few  hours  to  get  Colonel  Jeff.  C.  Davis's 
quarters,  who  was  reported  by  General  Fremont  on  the  same  day  to  have 
moved,  and  to  have  with  Lane  11,000  men  south  of  the  river  and  below 
Price's  army.  Yet  Price  remained  in  Lexington  ten  days  and  moved  off  un 
molested  by  anybody,  and  St.  Louis  by  river  and  railroad  is  not  four  days 
from  Lexington  ;  a  swift  boat  could  make  it  in  two  days. 


172  TESTIMONY. 

Question.  You  can  get  from  St.  Louis  to  Lexington  in  two  days  ? 

Answer.  You  can  go  within  sixty  miles  of  it  by  railroad,  and  then  be  so 
far  south  of  it  that  an  army  there  would  have  to  make  very  good  time  to 
get  south  of  you  ;  or  you  can  go  directly  to  Lexington  by  steamboat.  The 
very  slowest  boats  go  there  in  four  days  from  St.  Louis.  The  reviewing  of 
the  troops  at  Benton  barracks  was  intended  for  Monday,  but  postponed  until 
Wednesday  on  account  of  the  rain.  Now,  if  he  had  started  troops  from  St. 
Louis  on  Monday  they  could  have  got  there  in  time. 

Question.  Did  General  Fremont  know  anything  about  General  Mulligan's 
condition  ? 

Answer.  He  knew  a  great  deal  about  it,  and  could  have  known  more  if  he 
had  not  refused  to  see  peopl^  who  did  know.  I  have  a  paper  in  my  pocket 
which  is  a  curiosity.  A  man,  commanding  the  steamboat  Sunshine,  a  gov 
ernment  transport,  came  down  with  despatches  from  Mulligan  to  Jefferson 
C.  Davis,  at  Jefferson  City,  giving  a  statement  of  his  condition.  He  had  a 
guard  of  ten  or  twelve  men  with  him.  The  boat  was  seized  at  Glasgow  by 
a  party  of  secessionists  under  Martin  Green,  brother  of  ex-senator  Green, 
and  another  fellow,  who  made  a  great  deal  of  noise  there,  whose  name  I  have 
forgotten.  They  had  some  5,000  men,  and  seized  the  boat  and  made  it  ferry 
them  across  the  river  to  Glasgow.  They  were  going  to  re-enforce  Price's 
army.  They  kept  the  boat,  but  the  captain  made  his  escape  and  came  down 
to  St.  Louis.  He  sent  up  this  paper  to  General  Fre'inont  when  he  got  to 
St.  Louis : 

"Captain  George  W.  Willard,  of  steamboat  Sunshine,  taken  by  State  troops 
at  Glasgow,  has  despatches  from  Colonel  Mulligan  to  Colonel  Jefferson  C. 
Davis,  at  Jefferson  City,  sent  by  his  guard,  and  secreted  by  me  when  the 
guard  were  taken  prisoners." 

The  reply  on  the  same  piece  of  paper  is  :  "  Captain,  a  train  leaves  to-mor 
row  for  Jefferson  City,  by  which  you  can  forward  the  despatches  or  go.  If 
you  are  not  of  the  army  you  can  leave  the  despatches  here.  Should  be 
pleased  to  see  you  to-morrow." 

This  is  signed  by  the  secretary.  He  refused  to  see  him  then,  but  said  he 
would  see  him  to-morrow. 

Question.  This  Jefferson  Davis  is  one  of  our  men  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  This  is  Jefferson  C.  Davis,  of  Indiana,  colonel  com 
manding  at  Jefferson  City.  I  will  state  this  further  :  that  if  General  Fre"- 
moiit  did  not  know  the  condition  of  Colonel  Mulligan,  he  was  ignorant  of 
what  every  man  in  St.  Louis  knew,  and  what  the  newspapers  published 
every  morning  about  the  condition  of  that  command.  It  was  well  known 
there.  It  was  known  two  weeks  previous  that  Price's  army  was  advancing. 
It  was  known  exactly  when  he  reached  Warrensburg  ;  it  was  known  exactly 
when  he  invested  the  town  of  Lexington  ;  it  was  known  that  they  had  large 
numbers,  &c.  All  this  was  well  understood  in  St.  Louis,  and  known  to 
everybody,  if  it  was  not  known  to  the  general  commanding. 

There  is  one  thing  very  certain  upon  this  point,  without  being  any  mili 
tary  authority  myself,  or  pretending  to  any  military  knowledge.  Mulligan 
and  Marshall  and  others  were  in  the  trenches  at  Lexington  with  2,300  men, 
and  they  had  orders  to  hold  it  until  they  were  re-enforced  or  relieved,  and 
the  general  who  gave  that  order  without  knowing  that  he  could  relieve  them 
is  responsible  for  what  occurred,  because  Mulligan  could  have  gone  across 
the  river  and  escaped  with  his  whole  command,  and  with  his  entire  property 
that  he  had  there,  even  after  the  advance  guard  of  Price  appeared  in  town. 
Nothing  could  have  stopped  him.  He  had  the  boats  at  his  command,  and 
could  have  taken  off  his  troops  without  difficulty,  had  he  not  obeyed  orders 
to  hold  the  place  until  re-enforced  or  relieved. 

General  Fremont  despatched  to  the  President — that  is,  I  saw  the  despatch 


TESTIMONY  173 

published — as  soon  as  the  news  of  the  surrender  of  Lexington  reached  the 
city,  that  he  had  4,000  men  on  the  north  side  of  the  river  moving  down  on 
Price,  and  11,000  under  Lane  and  Davis  south  of  the  river,  and  he  was  about 
taking  the  field  himself,  and  hoped  to  cut  Price  off.  Yet  Price  actually  re 
mained  in  Lexington  ten  days  after  the  surrender,  arid  was  not  cut  off. 
Now,  the  fact  is  that  Davis  had  not  moved;  the  fact  is  that  Lane  had  not 
moved,  and  they  were  not  south  of  Price  at  all  with  11,000  men.  The  fact 
is  that  Sturgis  had  only  1,200  men,  and  no  means  of  crossing  the  river.  It 
might  have  occurred  to  anybody  that  such  would  have  been  the  case;  that  it 
was  impossible  to  cross  such  a  river  as  the  Missouri  in  the  face  of  a  supe 
rior  enemy.  And  instead  of  taking  the  field,  as  he  said  when  he  sent  that 
despatch,  General  Fremont  remained  in  St.  Louis  several  days  afterwards. 
He  then  went  to  Jefferson  City,  and  stayed  there  over  a  week.  He  went  to 
Tipton,  and  stopped  there  another  week.  And  he  remained  some  time  at 
Warsaw,  building  a  bridge,  and  finally  got  down  to  Springfield,  I  think,  in 
about  a  month  from  the  time  that  he  left  St.  Louis. 

By  Mr.  Johnson: 

Question.  Where  was  Price  then,  when  he  got  to  Springfield  ? 

Answer.  Price  was  between  seventy  and  eighty  miles  south  and  west  of 
him.  He  never  gained  a  foot  on  him. 

Question.  As  the  two  armies  marched,  Price  rather  increased  the  distance 
between  them,  did  he  ?  How  is  that  ? 

Answer.  I  do  not  know  whether  he  did  or  not.  He  increased  it  when  he 
wanted  to  increase  it;  he  stopped  whenever  he  had  occasion  to  stop  any 
where  for  anything;  he  did  not  seem  to  be  in  much  of  a  hurry.  Yet  when 
Fremont  got  down  to  Springfield  he  seemed  to  think,  he  imagined,  he  had 
the  hallucination,  that  the  enemy  were  about  to  attack  him,  and  he  sent 
messenger  after  messenger  back  to  Hunter  to  come  up,  and  Hunter  did 
make  forced  marches  and  came  up  and  found  Fremont  in  a  perfect  panic 
about  fighting  a  battle  with  Price,  who  was  seventy  miles  off  from  him. 
The  most  remarkable  characteristic  of  the  man  seeming  to  be  an  insensi 
bility  to  fear  when  others  were  in  danger;  he  seemed  to  have  no  apprecia 
tion  of  the  danger  in  which  Lyon  was  and  Mulligan  was;  when  others  were 
exposed  to  great  and  imminent  danger,  he  thought  they  could  do  well 
enough;  but  was  in  a  perfect  panic  of  fear  when  he  himself  was  in  the  field, 
and  the  enemy  seventy  miles  off,  and  he  himself  surrounded  by  35,000  or 
40,000  men,  well  armed  and  equipped,  and  with  eighty  cannon.  I  don't  mean 
by  this  that  he  was  in  "  bodily  fear,"  but  that  he  was  paralyzed  by  his  in 
capacity  to  deal  with  great  affairs,  overwhelmed  by  a  responsibility  to 
which  he  was  unequal. 

As  a  matter  of  course,  I  state  these  things  upon  what  I  have  heard  from 
officers  who  were  there.  So  far  as  the  report  or  rumor  about  his  expecting 
a  battle  the  next  day  is  concerned — which  rumor  is  a  matter  of  history  and 
perfectly  notorious  in  Missouri — it  is  a  fact  just  as  well  known  that  the 
enemy  were  nowhere  within  three  days'  march  of  him.  I  have  heard,  and 
I  think  it  can  be  substantiated,  that  he  was  very  reluctant  to  give  up  his 
command.  He  knew  the  President  had  given  that  order,  yet  he  was  present 
at  a  mutinous  meeting  of  his  officers,  in  which  those  officers,  those  personally 
attached  to  him  and  around  him,  were  shouting  "Hurra  for  Fremont,  and 
down  with  Hunter;"  and  he  was  bowing  to  them  with  approbation  while 
these  expressions  of  mutiny  were  going  on;  and  the  newspapers  in  his 
interest  in  Missouri,  German  and  English,  were  every  day  fulminating 
threats  that  the  army  would  resist  and  would  not  accept  any  other  general; 
whereas  he  had  suppressed  several  newspapers,  one  at  least,  that  had  been 
a  stanch  supporter  of  the  Union  ;  suppressed  it  for  a  mild  criticism  upon 


174  TESTIMONY. 

the  fall  of  Lexington  ;  stopped  its  publication  and  imprisoned  its  editors. 
He  allowed  those  newspapers  in  his  own  interest  to  threaten  the  govern 
ment  that  the  army  would  revolt  and  mutiny  if  he  was  superseded  ;  per 
mitted  it  to  be  done,  and  is  responsible  for  it,  because  he  did  not  prevent  it. 

By  Mr.  Odell : 

Question.  What  paper  do  you  refer  to  ? 

Answer.  The  St.  Louis  Republican,  the  St.  Louis  Democrat  and  the  An- 
zieger  des  Westers,  &c.  » 

Question.  I  mean  the  paper  suppressed  because  it  criticised  the  matter  of 
Lexington. 

Answer.  The  Evening  News,  a  stanch  Union  paper  in  the  very  darkest 
hours  of  our  trouble.  He  suppressed  it  and  imprisoned  its  editor  for  a 
respectful  criticism  upon  his  military  ability. 

Question.  When  did  he  receive  the  order  to  give  up  his  command  ? 

Answer.  That  was  about  the  first  of  November  ;  I  think  about  that  time. 

Question.  Just  at  that  time  how  far  was  the  enemy  from  his  position  ? 

Answer.  Well,  sir,  it  was  from  sixty  to  seventy  miles  ;  that  is  as  well 
known  as  it  was  known  that  he  was  at  Springfield  at  the  head  of  our  army. 

Question.  At  what  point  was  the  enemy  ? 

Answer.  Somewhere  near  Carsville,  in  one  of  those  southwestern  counties. 

By  Mr.  Gooch  : 

Question.  Was  there  any  considerable  portion  of  the  enemy's  forces  in  his 
immediate  vicinity  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir  ;  there  is  no  pretence  that  there  was  by  anybody  that  I 
have  ever  heard  of,  and  I  have  conversed  with  a  great  many  officers  that 
was  there  at  the  time.  I  have  seen  large  numbers  of  them,  some  of  the 
most  intelligent  and  the  best  informed.  His  paroxysms  there  were  the 
subject  of  universal  ridicule  among  intelligent  men.  A  great  many  thought 
he  wanted  to  retain  the  command,  and  as  it  was  published  in  the  newspapers 
that  he  was  not  to  be  relieved  if  he  was  in  the  presence  of  the  enemy,  he 
made  this  pretence.  My  own  opinion  is  that  he  did  not  know  any  better. 
General  Hunter  told  me  that  on  the  night  he  arrived  there,  after  getting  in 
formation  of  his  appointment  to  the  command,  he  reached  the  town  and 
asked  for  General  Fremont,  and  found  him  at  his  headquarters  surrounded 
by  his  brigadier  generals  and  generals  of  divisions,  with  a  plan  all  marked 
out  for  a  battle  to  occur  the  next  day  at  Wilson's  creek.  It  was  a  beautiful 
plan  of  battle,  and  he  says  he  had  no  doubt  if  he  had  not  arrived  there  that 
night  and  taken  the  command  the  army  would  have  marched  the  nexfe 
morning  to  Wilson's  creek  to  battle,  the  only  enemies  there  being  the  dead 
bodies  of  the  secessionists  left  there  by  Lyon. 

By  Mr.  Johnson: 

Question.  Was  it  in  the  direction  of  the  enemy  ? 
Answer.  Yes,  sir;  it  was  in  the  direction,  I  think. 

By  Mr.  Odell: 

Question.  How  far  was  it  from  where  they  were  to  Wilson's  creek  ? 
Answer.  Well,  sir,  I  suppose  it  was  twelve  miles  from  Springfield. 

By  Mr.  Johnson: 

Question.  And  in  the  direction  of  the  enemy,  who  were  some  sixty  or  sev 
enty  miles  off? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir,  according  to  my  understanding  of  it.  I  made  a.  remark 
about  General  Fremont  now  that  may  be  considered  rather  harsh  and  un- 


TESTIMONY.  1 75 

j  ustifiable.  I  do  not  mean  to  impute  to  him  any  personal  apprehension  by 
what  I  have  saicl.  I  do  not  want  it  taken  in  that  sense.  I  said  that  he 
showed  great  insensibilit3T  to  fear  when  other  people  were  exposed  to  dan 
ger,  as  in  the  ease  of  Lyon  and  in  the  case  of  Mulligan,  and  made  no  effort 
to  relieve  them;  but  that  he  was  in  a  perfect  paroxysm  of  apprehension  at 
being  threatened  with  his  own  command;  urging  Hunter  to  come  up  by 
forced  marches,  when  in  fact  he  was  in  no  danger.  He  had  an  army  there 
capable  of  coping  with  all  the  secessionists  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Missis 
sippi.  What  I  mean  is  that  he  was  conscious  of  his  own  incapacity,  and 
overwhelmed  by  apprehension  growing  out  of  this  consciousness. 

His  disregard  of  danger  threatening  others  is  illustrated  by  what  occurred 
at  Fredericktown.  He  was  then  some  25  miles  south  of  Tipton,  off  the 
railroad  line  and  off  the  telegraph  line,  when,  on  the  15th  of  October,  news 
was  received  in  St.  Louis  that  Jeff.  Thompson  had  burned  the  Big  River 
bridge  on  the  Iron  Mountain  railroad,  the  largest  bridge  on  that  road,  cut 
ting  off  a  detachment  of  our  troops,  some  1,500,  then  at  Pilot  Knob.  Imme 
diately  Captain  McKeever,  who  was  his  adjutant  general,  sent  a  despatch 
on  the  same  day  to  Grant  to  send  troops  up  from  Cape  Girardeau  to  cut  off 
Thompson.  Colonel  Carlin,  who  was  in  command  at  Pilot  Knob,  telegraphed 
for  re-enforcements.  General  Curtis  and  McKeever,  together,  made  great 
efforts,  and  got  off  the  8th  Wisconsin  and  Boyd's  Missouri  regiment,  and  a 
battery  from  my  regiment  under  Major  Schofield,  to  go  down  this  road  and 
pass  around  this  burned  bridge,  and  thus  proceed  to  Pilot  Knob  to  the  aid 
of  Colonel  Carlin. 

In  the  House,  the  other  day,  two  columns  of  despatches,  purporting  to 
give  an  account  of  that  affair,  were  read  by  Colonel  Shanks,  or  caused  to  be 
read  by  him.  But  there  was  a  singular  omission.  They  purported  to  be 
extracted  from  General  Fremont's  register  of  despatches,  and  to  give  a  full 
and  complete  account  of  the  affair.  There  was  an  omission  of  one  despatch 
which  General  Curtis  received  from  General  Fremont  on  the  21st  of  October, 
as  soon  as  he  could  reasonably  be  expected  to  hear  of  this  affair  of  the 
burning  of  this  bridge  and  the  threatening  attack  of  Jeff.  Thompson  on 
Colonel  Carlin,  and  of  the  movement  of  troops  under  the  orders  of  McKeever 
for  their  relief,  given  without  Fremont's  knowledge.  That  despatch  ordered 
back  the  re-enforcements  and  upbraided  Carlin  for  not  himself  having  taken 
care  of  all  the  bridges  between  St.  Louis  and  Pilot  Knob,  some  ninety  miles  to 
be  guarded  by  1,500  men,  and  at  the  same  time  cope  with  Jeff.  Thompson,  who 
had  some  3,000  or  4,000  men.  Re- enforcements  were  sent  by  McKeever, 
Grant,  and  Curtis ;  but  the  order  to  withdraw  the  re-enforcements  came  from 
Fremont,  and  that  order  was  omitted  from  the  list  of  despatches.  General 
Curtis  gave  me  the  despatch  which  is  so  singularly  omitted  from  General 
Fremont's  narrative  of  events.  I  have  the  despatches  here.  One  is  a  de 
spatch  from  Carlin  asking  for  re-enforcements;  the  second  is  a  despatch  from 
Brigadier  General  McKinstry  to  Captain  McKeever,  by  which  it  appears 
that  General  Fremont  was  not  in  a  position  on  the  15th  of  October  to  hear 
of  the  occurrence,  there  being  no  telegraph  from  Syracuse,  or  from  any  part 
of  this  railroad  line  south  to  where  Fremont  had  gone,  25  miles  south.  As 
will  be  seen  by  these  despatches,  McKeever  and  Curtis  co-operated  in  send 
ing  down  the  troops  from  St.  Louis  to  the  assistance  of  Carlin.  McKeever 
on  that  day,  when  Fremont  was  25  miles  south  of  Syracuse,  ordered  Grant  to 
send  up  re-enforcements  from  Cape  Girardeau,  and  they  did  go  under  Colonel 
Plummer  and  cut  off  Jeff.  Thompson. 


176  TESTIMONY. 

By  the  chairman: 

Question.  Where  were  you  during  this  period  ? 

Answer.  I  was  in  St.  Louis.     On  the  21st  this  order  came  from  Frdmont: 
"  Order  all  the  troops  you  have  sent  on  the  Iron  Mountain  road  back  to 
Bentqn  barracks.     The  whole  affair  has  been  grossly  exaggerated.     Colonel 
Carlin  should  have  kept  the  road  open  without  any  additional  force. 
"By  order  of — 

"GENERAL  FREMONT." 

And  signed  by  Captain  McKeever,  as  assistant  adjutant  general.  This 
despatch  was  not  sent  by  McKeever  and  could  not  have  been  because  he  had 
co-operated  in  sending  down  these  very  troops. 

The  battle  was  fought  the  next  day  at  Fredericktown,  against  at  least 
3,000  of  Jeff.  Thompson's  men,  and  he  was  completely  routed  by  an  equal 
force  of  our  people;  and  it  was  then  convenient  for  General  Fremont  to 
claim  that  victory,  which  happened  to  be  the  only  one  for  the  federal  troops 
during  his  time  there. 

I  had  made  up  my  mind  before  the  fall  of  Lexington  that  the  command 
was  too  large  for  General  Frdmont,  and  I  communicated  that  fact  to  my 
brother,  expressing  the  hope  that  he  would  communicate  the  fact  to  the 
government,  so  that  they  could  act  upon  it.  I  did  not  have  any  unkind 
feelings  to  General  Fremont;  I  did  not  make  the  communication  in  that 
sense.  But  I  had  some  interest  in  my  own  State,  and  some  in  the  govern 
ment.  And  I  had  come  to  that  conclusion  from  my  observation  of  things,  • 
and  facts  that  had  come  to  my  knowledge,  some  of  which  are  named  in  the 
letter,  and  some  of  which  I  did  not  name  in  the  letter  at  all.  I  came  to  the 
conclusion  that  he  was  unfit  for  that  command,  and  I  stated  that  fact  to  my 
brother,  and  Mrs.  Fremont  came  on  here  and  went  to  see  the  President,  and 
subsequently  went  to  see  my  father  and  asked  him  about  it.  And  he  com 
municated  the  fact  to  Mrs.  Fremont  that  I  had  written  such  a  letter,  and  im 
mediately  upon  her  return  to  St.  Louis  I  was  arrested.  That,  as  well  as  I 
can  recollect,  was  about  the  middle  of  September.  The  charges  were  not 
preferred  for  some  time  afterwards.  The  charges  he  preferred  were  that  I 
had  written  this  letter  and  had  communicated  with  the  President  and  had 
shaken  the  confidence  of  the  President  in  the  general  commanding  out  there; 
I  was  charged  with  insubordination.  Upon  the  charges  being  sent  forward 
here,  General  Scott  dismissed  them  as  being  frivolous  and  untenable.  Prior 
to  that,  however,  General  Fremont  wrote  me  a  letter,  stating  that  I  had 
made  unfounded  accusations  against  him  to  the  government,  but  he  released 
me  from  arrest  at  the  request  of  my  brother. 

I  then  wrote  to  the  adjutant  general  and  sent  the  communication  through 
him,  stating  that  I  felt  myself  called  upon  to  make  good  these  accusations, 
which  General  Fremont  pronounced  unfounded.  I  wrote  that  I  would  pre 
fer  charges  as  soon  as  I  could  get  them  in  form.  Whereupon  I  was  re- 
arrested  for  doing  what  every  well  informed  person  knows  I  had  a  perfect 
right  to  do,  to  prefer  charges  against  him  or  anybody  else  in  the  army. 

By  Mr.  Odell: 

Question.  Did  you  prefer  charges  against  him  ? 

Answer.  I  did. 

Question.  What  became  of  them  ? 

Answer.  They  are  on  file  in  the  War  Department.  I  have  held  myself  ready 
to  make  them  good  whenever  General  Fremont  asks  for  a  trial,  or  the  govern 
ment  chooses  to  order  one,  whenever  the  government  is  in  condition  to  supply 
officers  high  enough  in  rank  to  be  ordered  on  the  trial.  If  the  charges  are  ever 
brought  to  trial  I  hold  myself  in  readiness  to  make  them  good.  I  will  simply 


TESTIMONY.  177 

state  here  at  this  point  that  I  did  not  make  any  charges  in  the  letter  which  I 
wrote,  and  which  has  been  published,  affecting  General  Fremont's  private 
character  at  all.  I  said  nothing  that  could  have  been  construed  as  growing 
out  of  any  unkind  spirit  towards  him,  which  I  did  not  have  at  that  time.  I 
have  not  sought  to  make  this  controversy — never  given  a  turn  to  this  matter 
to  make  it  a  personal  affair  between  General  Fremont  and  myself.  The  whole 
of  that  grew  out  of  his  arrest  of  me,  which  was  converted  into,  or  had  the 
aspect  of,  a  personal  affair  between  himself  and  myself,  by  reason  of  the  arrest 
and  the  subsequent  proceedings  under  that  arrest,  upon  charges  which, 
when  preferred,  were  pronounced  frivolous  by  the  general-in-chief.  I  had  on 
disposition  to  quarrel  with  him.  Certainly  it  was  a  very  great  humiliation 
to  me  to  have  come  to  the  conclusions  which  I  did  about  it.  It  could  not 
have  been  a  matter  of  any  congratulation  to  me  to  make  a  breach  with  a 
man  whose  friend  I  had  been,  and  although  I  am  under  no  obligations  of 
any  kind  to  him,  and  never  was,  yet,  with  whose  family — Colonel  Benton's 
family — I  had,  ever  since  I  can  recollect,  maintained  the  warmest  relations. 
Both  of  the  families,  not  only  myself,  but  my  own  family  and  my  father's 
family,  all  of  us  maintained  the  warmest  and  kindest  relations,  personally 
and  politically,  with  General  Fremont's  and  Colonel  Benton's  families. 

Question.  Do  you  remember  the  date  of  that  letter  which  you  sent  here  ? 

Answer.  I  think  it  was  dated  the  1st  of  September — about  that  time. 
The  letter  has  been  published,  arid  it  states  what  I  thought  proper  to  lay 
before  the  government.  There  was  a  great  deal  said  about  the  frauds  in 
contracts  at  that  time,  by  those  people  who  were  surrounding  him  there. 
Those  Californians  had  come  and  settled  down  there  like  obscene  birds  of 
prey.  It  was  notorious  that  they  enjoyed  his  special  confidence  and  favor; 
that  is,  they  had  them  at  his  instance;  that  was  well  known.  But  I  did 
not  at  that  time  wish  to  disparage  him  in  any  way  that  affected  him 
personally,  because  I  did  not  wish  to  speak  about  anything  from  which  any 
unkind  or  personal  feeling  can  be  argued.  The  grounds  I  alleged  as  to 
his  incompetency  were  public  grounds,  and  all  the  rancor  and  all  the 
littleness  that  has  grown  out  of  this  controversy,  has  arisen  by  his  own 
act.  in  treating  charges  of  a  public  nature  as  a  private  feud,  and  acting  upon 
it  in  that  way.  I  never  had  any  private  grief  against  General  Fremont  up 
to  that  time. 

Question.  Had  you  any  difference  with  him  ? 

Answer.  None. 

Question.  Not  upon  any  subject  ? 

Answer.  None. 

Question.  Business  relations  ? 

Answer.  Not  upon  any  earthly  subject.  At  the  time  I  wrote  that  letter, 
and  for  long  afterwards — many  days,  weeks  afterwards — I  never  had  asked 
him  a  favor  that  he  hesitated  to  grunt  for  one  instant.  I  was  compelled,  as 
the  representative  of  the  district,  and  as  a  citizen,  and  from  the  supposed 
relations  between  us — I  was  applied  to  again  and  again  by  persons  to  re 
commend  them  to  him  for  contracts.  I  never  asked  him  to  give  anybody  a 
contract  that  he  did  not  give  it  without  the  slightest  hesitation — never.  I 
did  not  ask  him  for  many.  I  asked  him  for  some  when  I  understood  that  he 
was  disposing  of  them ;  when  I  understood  that  they  were  not  going  through 
the  quartermaster's  department;  that,  as  a  matter  of  favor,  he  was  giving 
them  to  the  men  from  California,  men  from  New  York,  and  from  those  dis 
tant  cities,  where  the  people  had  not  felt  the  slightest  effect  in  their  busi 
ness,  or  very  little,  from  the  devastations  of  the  war.  And  when 'people 
whom  I  represented  'in  Congress  had  lost  nearly  everything,  whose  business 
had  been  all  destroyed  and  they  were  reduced  to  poverty;  when  these  men 

Part  iii 12 


178  TESTIMONY. 

came  to  me  and  asked  me  to  represent  the  facts  of  what  they  were,  what 
they  had  suffered,  what  they  had  done  for  the  Union  cause,  and  that 
they  had  as  good  right  to  have  these  government  contracts  if  they  were 
given  out  of  favor,  or  a  right  to  compete  for  them  if  given  out  in  the  usual 
way,  then  I  could  not  refuse  to  ask  for  them.  And  those  were  the  only 
grounds  upon  which  I  did  ask  for  them.  And  I  take  occasion  to  say  again 
that  he  never  refused  them.  I  never  asked  him  to  appoint  anybody  to  office 
that  he  did  not  appoint  him. 

Question.  Do  you  speak  now  of  all  the  time  ? 

Answer.  I  mean  up  to  the  time  of  my  arrest.  I  never  asked  him  for  any 
thing  subsequent  to  that.  I  of  course  never  had  any  communication  with 
him  other  than  official  communication  subsequent  to  that. 

Question.  I  do  not  mean,  of  course,  by  my  question  that  you  askeA  him 
for  contracts  personally,  but  in  behalf  of  friends. 

Answer.  I  understand  that.  I  went  to  him  and  made  these  representa 
tions  to  him,  and  recommended  persons  to  him  as  officers  that  I  knew  would 
be  serviceable  to  the  country  and  to  him,  most  of  which  recommendations  lie 
adopted.  If  he  did  refuse  any,  it  was  such  a  small  affair  that  it  has  left  no 
trace  upon  my  memory.  After  this  breach  occurred,  these  newspapers  in 
the  city  attacked  me,  imputed  personal  motives  to  me  for  my  conduct,  said 
that  I  was  disappointed  in  not  controlling  everything — asserted  it  over  and 
over  again.  And  I  knew  perfectly  well  that  these  accusations  had  his 
sanction.  And  I  knew  at  the  same  time  that  if  he  did  not  absolutely  dictate 
those  things — 1  knew  from  the  style  of  the  articles  in  the  newspapers,  with 
which  style  I  was  perfectly  familiar;  I  knew  from  the  nature  of  the  accusa 
tions  themselves,  and  from  other  circumstances — that  he  or  some  of  his  im 
mediate  staff  or  surroundings  were  instigating  those  attacks  upon  me.  I 
knew  at  the  same  time  that  they  were  all  false,  and  that  he  knew  it.  One 
of  those  accusations  was  that  I  wanted  to  be  a  brigadier  general,  or  wanted 
to  be  a  general  in  his  place.  Well,  I  had  in  the  first  place  been  offered  it  by 
the  government — by  those  who  had  a  right  to  confer  such  a  place.  I  had 
been  offered  the  position  of  general,  and  declined  it.  It  was  when  General 
Lyori  was  made  a  general.  They  offered  to  make  me  a  general  instead  of 
him.  I  knew  he  could  do  more  service  to  the  country  and  was  better  fitted 
for  it,  and  I  recommended  him.  And  General  Fremont  wrote  a  letter  to  my 
brother — I  think  it  was  dated  on  the  8th  of  September,  long  after  the  letter 
that  I  wrote  here  to  Washington — in  which  he  stated  to  my  brother  that  he 
had  frequently  urged  me  to  receive  high  position  in  the  army,  and  that  I 
had  declined  it.  So  that  he  knew  the  accusation  was  not  true. 

Question.  Do  you  remember  any  application  of  yours,  in  behalf  of  friends, 
for  a  large  contract  of  clothing,  &c.,  which  was  not  granted  ? 

Answer.  I  recollect  the  only  large  contract  that  I  ever  asked  him  for  for 
clothing.  It  must  have  been  that  one,  for  I  never  asked  him  for  any  other. 
I  recollect  that  so  far  from  not  granting  it,  he  approved  it.  And  I  can  refer  you 
now  to  the  very  application  in  the  report  of  the  committee  of  the  other  house, 
with  "  I  approve  "  indorsed  on  it.  It  was  refused  by  McKinstry.  You  will 
find  in  that  report  the  only  contract  I  ever  asked  for.  I  went  to  him  subse 
quently,  after  McKinstry  refused  to  give  this  contract,  and  there  was  some 
modification  of  it.  The  contract  was  at  the  prices  paid  others  at  the  eastern 
cities  here.  I  asked  him  for  that.  I  went  and  saw  him;  and  so  far  from 
refusing  it,  he  indorsed  his  approval  upon  it  instantly.  And  I  gave  it  to  my 
friend,  John  Howe,  who  went  up  and  gave  it  to  McKinstry.  Mr.  Howe  had 
had  a  quarrel  with  McKinstry — he  thought  McKinstry  was  not  loyal — and 
McKinstry  would  not  then  give  him  anything.  I  then  went  to  General 
Fremont  about  it.  McKinstry  then  made  a  publication  about  it — made  a 
blow  over  it  in  all  the  telegraphic  despatches  to  the  east,  to  get  a  little 


TESTIMONY.  179 

reputation  as  being  a  man  who  had  stipulated  for  only  the  prices  given  at 
the  eastern  depots. 

Question.  Do  you  recollect  how  many  suits  of  clothing  it  was  for  ? 

Answer.  I  do  not.  It  was  for  a  large  amount.  The  application  was 
made  on  behalf  of  one  gentleman  residing  in  St.  Louis  and  another  gentlo- 
man  residing  in  Chicago;  and  it  was  thought  that  it  was  but  reasonable 
that  those  two  cities  should  have  a  lot  of  clothing  to  be  made  up,  and  thus 
furnish  employment  for  the  families  of  our  absent  soldiers  who  were  in  the 
field  against  the  enemy. 

By  Mr.  Julian: 

Question.  Did  General  Frdmont  give  you  all  that  you  asked  ? 
Answer.  Everything. 
Question.  Without  any  hesitation  ? 

Answer.  Without  any  hesitation,  not  only  in  the  matter  of  this  contract, 
>but  in  every  other. 

By  Mr.  Odell: 

Question.  Did  these  parties  get  this  contract? 

Answer.  They  did  not.  It  was  modified,  and  only  a  portion  of  it  was 
given  to  Mr.  Howe. 

Question    A  portion  was  given  to  Mr.  Howe  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  he  was  satisfied  with  it.  I  insisted  upon  it  after  Mc- 
Kinstry's  refusal  and  publication.  I  was  determined  he  should  have  it. 
He  did  modify  it  in  this  shape  and  give  it. 

Question.  Modified  it  as  to  quantity  or  as  to  price  ? 

Answer.  As  to  quantity. 

Question.  Was  that  before  or  after  you  had  written  your  letter  to  your 
brother  ? 

Answer.  It  was  before. 

Question.  In  the  first  place,  it  was  granted  for  the  whole  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  and  subsequently  granted  as  to  a  part  to  Mr.  Howe. 

Question.  And  Mr.  Howe  executed  the  contract  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  and  I  believe  got  paid  for  it. 

By  Mr.  Gooch: 

Question.  The  limitation  of  the  amount  was  made  by  McKinstry  and  not 
by  Fremont  ? 

Answer.  Made  by  McKinstry.  The  whole  resistance  to  the  contract,  to 
their  obtaining  it  to  the  full  amount,  was  made  by  McKinstry.  Fremont 
signed  the  original  contract  as  originally  asked  for;  approved  it  without 
any  sort  of  hesitation. 

By  Mr.  Johnson: 

Question.  Which  was  granting  all  that  you  asked  in  the  aggregate  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  and  the  contract,  I  expect,  can  be  shown  with  his  sig 
nature  upon  it,  in  his  own  handwriting,  because  I  saw  him  put  it  there 
myself 

By  Mr.  Odell: 

Question.  What  do  you  know  about  the  difficulty  of  access  to  General 
Fremont  ? 

Answer.  I  never  had  any  myself.  He  gave  a  special  order  that  I  should 
be  admitted  to  see  him  whenever  I  came.  But  I  know  that  it  was  almost 
impossible  for  any  one  to  see  him  who  was  not  so  accredited;  and  the  sort  of 
people  that  did  have  access  to  him  were  of  such  a  class  that  I  was  very 
much  ashamed  after  a  while  to  exercise  the  privilege  that  was  accorded  to 
me  in  their  company.  The  first  day  that  I  went  to  see  him  after  I  arrived 


180  TESTIMONY 

there  he  gave  orders  to  his  guard  to  admit  me  whenever  I  called.  It  was 
a  very  onerous  duty  for  me.  Almost  everybody  would  come  to  me  and  say 
they  could  not  get  access  to  him,  and  that  they  knew  I  could.  Many  of  the 
best  men  in  the  country  would  go  there  and  be  denied  admittance — be  de 
nied  an  interview.  Men  came  there  proffering  to  raise  regiments — men 
that  I  know  were  fully  able  to  do  it,  and  were  good  men,  and  they  could 
not  get  to  see  him.  Governors  of  States,  congressmen,  colonels  of  regi 
ments,  men  bearing  information  from  the  disturbed  portions  of  the  State, 
•  right  from  the  hostile  part  of  our  State,  would  come  with  information  to 
him,  and  could  not  get  a  glimpse  of  him.  I  know  several  instances  of  that 
kind. 

Question.  Was  not  the  pressure  upon  him,  natural  to  his  official  position, 
such  as  to  justify  the  difficulty  in  getting  to  see  him  ? 

•  Answer.  I  do  not  know.  He  assumed  to  do  duties  that  he  had  no  business 
to  do;  that  he  was  not  charged  to  do  by  the  government.  He  assumed  to 
do  all  the  contracting — to  give  out  all  the  contracts.  He  assumed  the 
duties  of  the  commissary,  quartermaster,  and  all  the  other  departments, 
and,  of  course,  was  occupied  by  these  contractors,  when  they  ought  to  have 
been  turned  over  to  other  officers. 

Question.  Was  that  the  general  course  of  his  business,  or  only  occasional? 

Answer.  He  seemed  to  be  chiefly  so  engaged. 

Question.  Do  you  mean  to  say  that  as  a  general  thing  the  men  who  ob 
tained  contracts  for  supplies  for  the  army  of  any  description  would  have  to 
go  to  him  rather  than  to  the  quartermaster  or  the  commissary  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  I  mean  to  say  so;  that  that  was  the  general  fact.  I 
know  I  was  urged  again  and  again,  by  men  that  I  refused  to  do  it  for,  to 
go  to  him  for  those  matters.  In  some  cases  I  would  write  to  the  quarter 
master  and  ask  him  to  give  them  a  contract,  if  he  could  do  so,  to  the  advan 
tage  of  the  public  service.  There  is  a  fact  that  I  want  to  place  upon  record 
in  my  testimony.  I  want  to  state  this  for  the  information  of  the  committee. 
I  have  seen  a  statement  of  the  receipts  and  disbursements  made  in  St.  Louis 
from  January,  1861,  to  January,  1862,  an  authenticated  statement  of  that 
kind,  and  up  to  August  the  disbursements  of  this  year  were  less  than  of  the 
year  previous.  I  make  this  statement  in  this  shape  as  affecting  General 
Lyon.  Whilst  he  may  have  been  said  to  run  in  debt,  and  did  run  in  debt, 
(because  the  troops  were  not  paid  at  all;  my  regiment  was  not  paid  until 
October;  never  got  a  cent;  never  got  any  clothes  from  the  government; 
never  got  anything  from  the  government,)  this  only  goes  to  show  how  a 
man  who  was  in  earnest  to  work  for  the  government  could  work  and  did 
work  for  the  government.  Whilst  General  Lyon  was  there  the  expenditures 
made  by  the  government  were  less  than  in  the  year  previous.  Since  that 
time  the  expenditures  have  amounted  up  enormously! 

Question.  Do  you  know  the  aggregate  amount  of  that  statement  ? 

Answer.  I  do  not. 

Question.  You  said  you  had  seen  the  statement,  and  I  did  not  know  but 
what  you  remembered  the  figures. 

Answer.  I  know  that  in  the  years  1860-61,  the  expenditures  were 
$7,000,000,  and  this  year  they  are  over  $25,000,000,  and  the  greater  portion 
of  it  has  been  expended  there  since  August — the  great  bulk  of  it;'  that  is, 
up  to  August  it  was  not  so  large  as  it  was  in  the  year  previous.  It  only 
goes  to.  show  this  :  I  know  that  General  Fremont's  friends  had  made  the 
complaint  that  he  had  no  money  and  could  not  do  anything,  and  could  not 
be  expected  to  do  anything;  that  the  government  had  neglected  him.  I 
understand  that  he  has  shown  a  letter  in  his  statement — I  do  not  get  this 
frofoi  any  member  of  the  committee — written  by  Lyon,  heaping  coals  of  fire 
on  General  Scott's  head  for  not  supporting  him,  throwing  the  blame  on 


TESTIMONY.  181 

Scott  for  his  overthrow  there,  and  saying  that  Scott  did  nothing  to  support 
him;  and  it  is  argued  from  this  that  Fremont  would  have  supported  him  if 
he  had  had  the  means.  Now  the  fact  is  that  Fremont  had  large  means  to 
supply  him,  and  of  his  large  means  in  men  and  money,  JBO  far  from  doing 
anything  to  compare  in  brilliancy  with  what  was  done  by  Lyon,  he  undid 
everything  that  was  done  by  Lyon;  had  even  to  exchange  the  prisoners 
that  Lyon  had  taken  at  Camp  Jackson  for  the  men  taken  prisoners  at  Lex 
ington  under  his  command.  He  undid  all  that  was  done  by  Lyon;  at  the 
same  time  Lyon  had  no  sort  of  aid  in  money  rendered  him  by  the  govern 
ment,  while  the  other  man  had  an  abundance  of  everything,  so  much  so  that 
he  used  it  very  profligately  in  dispensing  it  to  unworthy  people;  that  con 
tract  which  he  made  with  Beard,  dated  on  the  25th  day  of  September,  for 
building  fortifications  around  St.  Louis  which  were  nearly  completed,  one- 
half  of  which  had  been  built  by  the  officers,  under  their  superintendance, 
and  upon  which  Beard  had  never  hired  a  man  to  strike  a  lick;  it  was  all 
covered  by  his  contract,  and  charged  for  at  prices  four  times  what  it  cost  to 
build  them.  That  has  been  testified  to  by  those  who  know  the  facts  in  the 
case — that  this  contract  was  made  by  McKinstry,  under  the  special  orders 
of  General  Fremont;  the  prices  paid  for  the  different  species  of  work  having 
been  fixed  by  Frdmont  himself,  and  incorporated  by  McKinstry  under  his 
orders.  The  work  done  by  officers  of  the  army,  and  to  some  extent  by  the 
soldiers,  or  which  had  been  completed  by  them,  this  man's  contract  covered, 
and  he  charged  at  least  four  times  the  prices  paid  for  it. 

By  Mr.  Odell : 

Question.  Do  you  mean  to  say  that  General  Fremont  himself  fixed  the 
prices  ? 

Answer.  I  mean  to  say  that  the  testimony  shows  that.  I  do  not  know  the 
fact  myself  from  my  own  knowledge. 

Question.  You  mean  that  the  prices  fixed  were  fixed  by  General  Fremont, 
and  not  by  the  quartermaster — that  that  is  the  testimony  generally  1 

Answer.  I  mean  to  say  that. 

By  the  chairman : 

Question.  You  do  not  mean  to  say  that  from  your  own  knowledge  ? 
Answer.  I  mean  to  say  it  from  the  knowledge  of  those  who  have  testified 
to  it,  and  who  know  the  facts. 

The  chairman:  That  testimony  we  must  get  otherwhere. 

The  witness :  I  can  get  the  testimony  for  you  here  if  you  want  it. 

By  Mr.  Odell : 

Question.  All  my  question  implied  was  simply  this:  I  understand  you  to 
say  that  McKinstry  was  furnished  by  Fremont  with  the  figures  at  which  this 
was  paid  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  I  wanted  to  know  if  you  did  mean  to  say  that  ? 

Answer.  I  meant  to  say  that;  and  if  you  want  the  parties  who  can  testify 
to  that  fact,  of  their  own  knowledge,  I  will  give  you  the  names  of  the  men. 

The  chairman:  Give  us  the  names  of  the  men. 

The  witness:  I  will  send  their  names  to  you.  Mr.  Clements,  the  clerk  of 
McKinstry,  has  stated  the  fact  on  oath  before  the  Van  Wyck  committee. 

By  Mr.  Gooch : 

Question  Do  you  know  whether  there  was  any  necessity  for  building  the 
last  five  forts  in  a  very  short  time,  such  as  would  justify  the  building  them 
at  the  prices  paid  ] 

Answer.  I  know  there  was  no  necessity  for  building  the  forts  there  at  any 


182  TESTIMONY. 

time.  St.  Louis  never  was  threatened  by  anybody  after  General  Lyon  caged 
all  those  fellows  at  Camp  Jackson.  There  is  one  point  about  that  testimony. 
I  have  understood  that  it  has  been  alleged  that  General  Lyon  would,  if  he 
had  had  the  means,  have  fortified  the  city,  and  that  he  selected  those  sites 
for  fortifications.  I  do  not  know  the  fact  to  be  that  he  would  not  have  done 
it;  but  I  will  state  what  I  believe  is  pretty  well  known:  that  I  was  as  con 
stantly  arid  as  confidentially  with  General  Lyon  as  any  other  man  throughout 
the  whole  period  covering  his  command  there,  and  1  never  heard  him  once 
utter  a  single,  solitary  word  about  fortifying  the  city  of  St.  Louis.  He  did 
talk  about  fortifying  the  hill  immediately  above  the  arsenal,  for  the  protec 
tion  of  the  arsenal.  The  arsenal  was  in  very  low  ground,  and  commanded 
by  these  elevations.  He  intended  to  seize  those  elevations,  which  was  the 
key  to  the  possession  of  the  arsenal,  and  hold  them.  I  know  that  to  be  true. 
But  as  for  fortifying  any  other  part  of  the  city,  I  do  not  believe  it  to  be  true; 
for  I  think  it  very  improbable  that  he  would  contemplate  anything  of  the  sort 
without  speaking  to  me  about  it.  And  the  only  time  the  city,  was  ever  in 
danger  from  anybody,  as  far  as  rny  judgment  is  worth  anything*,  was  when 
General  Lyon  was  there.  The  whole  expenditure  was  useless — a  mere  job, 
and  intended  for  that. 

By  Mr.  Johnson  : 

Question.  What  has  been  the  amount  expended  in  that  way,  estimated  at  ? 
Answer.  $360,000. 

By  Mr.  Julian  : 

Question.  Who  were  these  bad  men  that  General  Fremont  surrounded 
himself  by  ? 

Answer.  There  were  five  or  six  from  California — I  do  not  remember  the 
number  exactly — men  who  are  in  the  worst  possible  repute  in  California,  and 
whose  names  figure  pretty  largely  in  the  public  prints:  Palmer,  Beard,  Has- 
kell,  and  others  who  were  on  his  staff,  some  of  whom  were  connected  with 
him  officially,  and  at  the  same  time  had  contracts  under  him — men  of  no  re 
pute,  or  very  bad  repute,  in  California,  for  their  peculations. 

By  the  chairman  : 

Question.  On  his  staff  and  had  contracts  ?     Name  them. 

Answer.  Haskell  was  on  his  staff ;  he  was  director  of  police,  when  he 
ought  to  have  been  in  the  hands  of  the  police,  instead  of  being  director  of 
the  police.  Leonidas  Haskell,  he  was  captain  on  his  staff,  in  an  office  crea- 
ted  for  him,  that  did  not  exist  in  the  military  service  at  all. 

By  Mr.  Julian  : 

Question.  Any  others  that  you  think  of? 

Answer.  There  were  a  number  of  men  from  eastern  cities  who  were  on 
his  staff,  connected  with  him,  and  had  contracts. 

Question.  Was  Woods  one  of  them  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  Isaac  Woods.  He  was  on  his  staff.  I  never  heard  of 
his  having  any  contracts. 

By  Mr.  Odell : 

Question.  Was  he  on  his  staff  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  he  was  on  his  staff.  He  is  said  to  have  been  recommended 
by  my  brother.  I  was  present  when  my  brother  recommended  him  to  Fremont 
verbally.  I  heard  him  talk  about  him.  He  told  Fremont  that  Woods  had  proved 
very  serviceable  to  him  in  the  post  office  department  as  a  sort  of  spy,  or  rather 
as  an  agent  for  organizing  a  spy  corps;  and  by  his  energy  in  getting  the  mails 


TESTIMONY.  183 

through  Baltimore  at  the  time  of  the  interruption;  and  also  in  putting  the 
cus torn-house  and  post  office  officers  into  their  places  from  which  they  had 
been  excluded  by  fear  of  the  mob;  he  showed  courage  and  tact  in  this 
service.  He  thought  he  would  be  serviceable  to  Fremont  in  the  same  ca 
pacity.  He  never  recommended  him  for  anything  else  than*his  qualifications 
in  that  respect.  He  did  not  at  that  interview;  I  do  not  know  about  any 
other  time;  I  would  not  speak  of  anything  more  than  I  know.  He  recom 
mended  him  for  the  qualities  he  had  exhibited  in  that  way.  Fremont  said 
he  knew  Woods  well,  in  Calforma,  and  coincided  in  my  brother's  judgment 
of  his  activity  and  sagacity;  and  I  should  suppose  he  would  be  very  useful 
to  him  in  that  capacity  myself.  The  capacity  in  which  he  was  placed  by 
Fremont  was  a  sort  of  principal  man.  He  regulated  all  the  admissions  of 
persons  to  Fremont's  presence;  he  had  the  general  superintendence  of  that 
sort  of  thing.  I  never  discovered  that  he  was  very  serviceable  in  that  par 
ticular.  I  will  say  here  that  in  all  the  testimony  I  have  seen  and  heard  in 
regard  to  Woods,  although  I  know  he  had  a  very  bad  name,  and  have  heard 
since  that  his  name  in  California  was  not  very  good,  I  have  never  heard  of 
anything  that  has  been  brought  home  to  him  of  a  criminal  character  in  re 
gard  to  contracts. 

By  Mr.  Julian: 

Question.  Is  General  McKinstry  one  of  the  men  you  would  classify  with 
these  others  ? 

Answer.  General  McKinstry  was  a  regular  army  officer,  the  quartermaster 
at  that  post.  In  regard  to  General  McKinstry,  I  think  he  was  about  the 
worst  man  at  that  post.  I  am  very  sorry  to  say  that  I  was  somewhat  instru 
mental  myself  in  having  him  there.  I  will  state  this:  that  there  were  such 
representations  made  to  me  about  McKinstry  that  I  interfered  to  have  him 
restored  to  that  position  after  he  had  been  relieved  from  it.  I  never  had 
seen  the  man  myself,  then;  but  relying  upon  the  statements  made  by  Union 
men,  whom  I  knew  to  be  such,  I  interfered  in  his  behalf  at  their  solicita 
tion.  But  I  think  after  surveying  the  whole  field  that  he  was  the  worst  man 
that  Fremont  had  about  him;  worse  in  morals  and  every  other  way.  I  think 
that  he,  by  his  flattery  and  by  pandering  to  Fremont's  love  of  show  and 
parade,  and  obtained  an  ascendency  over  his  weak  mind  that  was  very  con 
trolling,  and  that  was  exercised  for  the  very  worst  purposes  possible. 


Exhibits  to  accompany  the  testimony  of  Frank  P.  Blair,  Jr. 

Since  delivering  my  testimony  I  have  found  among  my  papers  several 
letters  bearing  upon  portions  of  it  which  I  desire  to  incorporate  in  my  testi 
mony. 

First.  A  copy  of  a  letter  from  honorable  Montgomery  Blair  to  honorable 
Edward  Bates. 

Second.  A  copy  of  extract  from  letter  from  General  Fremont  to  honorable 
M.  Blair,  dated  Astor  House,  July  13,  1861. 

Third.  A  copy  of  extract  from  letter  from  General  Fremont  to  honorable 
M.  Blair,  dated  September  8,  1861,  and  a  copy  of  a  proposal  for  contract 
from  John  How  and  W.  S.  Gurnee  to  General  Fremont,  dated  August  19, 
1861,  indorsed  and  recommended  to  Quartermaster  McKinstry,  by  General 
Fremont,  which  will  be  found  in  the  testimony  of  H.  W.  G.  Clements,  clerk 
to  Quartermaster  McKinstry,  at  page  977  of  the  report  of  the  House  com 
mittee  on  contracts,  of  which  Mr.  Van  Wyck  is  chairman.  This  is  the  only 
contract  for  clothing  that  I  ever  asked  General  Fremont  to  give  to  any  one, 
and  it  is  the  same  that,  I  understand,  he  says  he  refused  to  give.  His  own 


184  TESTIMONY. 

indorsement  on  the  paper  shows  the  contrary,  and  proves  that  I  could  have 
hac[  no  dissatisfaction  with  him  on  that  account.  McKinstry  did  refuse  to 
give  the  contract,  and  published  his  refusal  in  a  flaming  letter,  intended  to 
affect  a  virtue  he  did  not  possess.  Subsequently,  he  gave  a  contract  to  Mr. 
How,  at  my  instance,  for  about  one-half  the  amount. 

WASHINGTON,  June  19,  1861. 

DEAR  SIR:  At  my  solicitation  Governor  Chase  yesterday  called  on  General 
Scott  in  reference  to  relieving  our  friends  in  Missouri  from  the  annoyance 
of  being  subjected  to  an  officer  whose  attention  must  necessarily  be,  to  a 
great  extent,  directed  to  another  field  of  operations;  showing  him  General 
McClellan's  letter,  in  which  he  confesses  that  he  does  not  understand  the 
course  of  policy  proper  to  be  pursued  in  Missouri,  and  says  that  he  is  em 
barrassed  in  the  matters  in  his  more  immediate  charge  by  having  Missouri 
added  to  his  division. 

General  Scott  declined  to  detach  Missouri  from  McClellan's  division  on  the 
ground  of  your  objection  to  it. 

I  conjure  you  to  withdraw  that  objection.  Lyon  is  an  older  officer  than 
McClellan.  He  has  seen  much  more  service  in  the  field,  and  has  in  his  con 
duct  of  affairs  in  Missouri  exhibited  good  judgment  as  a  commanding  officer. 
There  is,  indeed,  so  far  as  I  can  discover,  no  sufficient  reason  for  subjecting 
his  operations  in  Missouri  to  any  intermediate  supervision.  When  the  dif 
ferences  in  Missouri  shall  have  been  disposed  of,  and  it  becomes  necessary 
to  combine  the  movement  of  the  forces  of  the  west  upon  the  south — for 
which  purpose  alone  I  understood  you  to  desire  to  have  Missouri  added  to 
the  Ohio  division — it  may  then  be  restored  to  it.  But  while  the  operations 
are  so  distinct  as  at  present,  McClellan's  attention  being  limited  almost 
exclusively  to  one  field,  and  Lyon's  entirely  to  another,  it  is  surely  unneces 
sary  to  place  the  older  officer  under  the  younger. 

Hoping  that  you  will  concede  this  to  men  who  are  your  tried  friends,  and 
that  you  will  not  co-operate  with  those  whose  evident  design  is  to  embarrass 
them,  to  deprive  them  of  the  credit  of  their  success,  whilst  subjecting  them 
to  all  the  discredit  of  defeat,  if  they  meet  it. 
I  remain  yours,  truly, 

M.  BLAIR. 

Hon.  EDWARD  BATES. 

Proposition  of  J.  How  and  W.  S.  Gurnee  for  furmshing  clothing,  &c. 

ST.  Louis,  August  19,  1861. 

SIR:  Referring  to  the  conversation  had  with  you  some  three  weeks  ago, 
by  one  of  the  undersigned,  (Mr.  Gurnee,)  in  relation  to  army  supplies,  and 
to  what  extent  such  supplies  could  be  furnished  at  Chicago  with  the  prompti 
tude  required  for  the  fitting  out  of  an  army,  we  have  to  say  that  Mr.  Gurnee, 
having  conferred  with  the  principal  manufacturers  of  Chicago,  returned  to 
this  city  prepared  to  give  satisfactory  answers,  but  learning  here  that  St. 
Louis  claimed  a  portion  of  the  work,  he  proposed  to  her  associate  in  these 
communications,  (Mr.  John  How,)  to  unite  in  this  proposition  with  the  un 
derstanding  that  the  goods,  as  far  as  practicable,  be  manufactured  in  Chi 
cago  and  St.  Louis  and  in  equal  proportions. 

They  now  make  out  and  submit  to  the  commanding  general  the  following 
propositions: 

First.  They  will  furnish  and  deliver  at  any  depot  or  office  in  Chicago  or 
St.  Louis,  the  goods  manufactured  in  the  respective  cities,  as  follows: 

20,000  coats  or  jackets,  at  rate  of  1,500  per  week. 
20,000  pairs  of  pants,  at  rate  of  1,500  per  week. 


TESTIMONY.  185 

20,000  pairs  of  drawers,  at  rate  of  1,500  per  week. 

40,000  flannel  shirts,  at  rate  of  3,000  per  week. 

70,000  pairs  of  socks,  at  rate  of  5,000  per  week. 

15,000  overcoats,  at  rate  of  1,000  per  week. 

35,000  boots  or  shoes  for  infantry,  at  rate  of  1,000  per  week. 

5,000  cavalry  boots,  at  rate  of  400  per  week. 
17,000  caps  or  felt  hats,  at  rate  of  2,000  per  week. 
15,000  knapsacks,  at  rate  of  2,000  per  week. 
15,000  haversacks,  at  rate  of  2,000  per  week. 
15,000  canteens,  at  rate  of  2,000  per  week. 

2,000  horse  equipments,  at  rate  of  200  per  week. 

All  the  supplies  furnished  shall  correspond  to  the  patterns  and  samples 
now  being  made  for  government  service,  unless  changed  by  your  order; 
and  the  price  to  be  the  same  at  which  contracts  are  now  being  filled  in  the 
principal  of  the  quartermaster's  departments  for  the  United  States,  with 
allowance  to  .us  when  superior  articles  are  required,  and  deduction  if  infe 
rior  are  delivered,  we  to  be  notified  at  the  time  if  deductions  are  claimed. 
We  will  commence  the  delivery  of  the  goods  within  twenty  days  after  the 
signing  of  the  contract,  and  will,  as  far  as  practicable,  increase  the  deliv 
eries,  and  even  the  amount  of  goods  when  required  by  your  department. 

An  early  answer  is  respectfully  requested,  as  the  time  is  short  within 
which  to  supply  the  army  of  the  West,  and  have  them  prepared  for  the 


HOW. 
W.  S.  GURNEE. 
Major  General  JOHN  C.  FREMONT, 

Commanding  Department  of  the  West. 

I  recommend  this  proposal  for  contract  to  Major  McKinstry. 

J.  C.  FREMONT, 
Major  General  Commanding. 
A  true  copy. 

H.  W.  G.  CLEMENTS. 
• 

Extract  from  a  letter  from  General  Fremont  to  Hon.  M.  Blair. 

ASTOR  HOUSE,  July  13,  1861. 

********* 
My  idea  is  to  have  as  much  as  possible  the  advantage  of  the  particular 
abilities  which  Woods  and  Davis  can  bring  to  the  service.     I.  C.  Woods  in 
the  quartermaster's  department,  and  Ed.  M.  Davis  in  the  commissary  de 
partment  —  both,  of  course,  under  the  regular  army.     I  wish  to  have  both  of 
these  near  me,  and  will  consider  them  part  of  my  staff.     Pray  have  the  ap 
pointments   made  out  for  them  immediately  —  their  brigade   duties  won't 
interfere  with  greater  usefulness.          ***** 
Yours,  truly, 

J.  C.  FREMONT. 
Hon.  M.  BLAIR,  fyc.,  fyc.,  !fc.t  Washington. 

Extract  from  a  private  letter  from  Major  General  Fremont  to  Hon.  Montgomery 
Blair,  dated  September  8,  1861. 

*  *  •*  *  *  *  #  * 
"Frank's  regiment  will  be  a  brigade,  and  a  fit  command  for  a  general  of 

artillery.  I  urged  him  several  times  to  accept  high  rank  and*  go  into  the 
war,  but  he  does  not  like  to  lose  his  position  in  Congress.  I  think  he  is 
wrong,  but  we  all  set  different  values  on  the  same  thing." 

*  *  ***** 


186  TESTIMONY. 

Upon  this  extract  I  make  this  remark :  that  General  Fremont  does  not  ap 
pear  to  have  understood  the  motive  which  led  me  to  decline  "  high  rank." 
It  was  from  no  indisposition  to  "  go  into  the  war,"  but  because  I  thought 
others  more  competent  to  render  service  to  the  country.  I  had  gone  into 
the  war  long  before  he  entered  the  service,  and  under  circumstances  far 
more  trying  than  any  that  surrounded  him.  The  extract,  and  the  contract 
to  which  his  recommendation  is  attached,  and  which  is  set  out  in  this  testi 
mony,  are  quoted  for  the  purpose  of  disposing  of  the  charges  made  by  him 
and  his  hangers-on  to  impugn  my  motives  in  asking  for  his  removal  from 
the  western  department.  It  is  a  curious  coincidence  that  every  imputation 
of  this  kind  against  me  is  shown  to  be  untrue  by  his  own  handwriting 
and  signature. 


WASHINGTON,  February  24,  1862. 

Major  CHARLES  ZAGONYI  sworn  and  examined. 

By  the  chairman : 

Question.  What  rank  did  you  hold  in  the  army  of  the  northwest  under  Gen" 
eral  Fremont  ? 

Answer.  I  first  entered  the  army  as  a  captain  ;  later  I  was  appointed  major. 

Question.  How  long  were  you  with  General  Fremont  ? 

Answer.  From  the  12th  of  July  till  the  6th  of  November,  when  we  came 
back  from  Springfield. 

Question.  You  accompanied  him  on  his  expedition  down  to  Springfield  1 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  I  did. 

Question.  In  what  capacity  ? 

Answer.  As  major,  commanding  my  command  of  cavalry,  three  companies. 
A  fourth  company  remained  behind. 

Question.  What  was  your  command  called  ? 

Answer.  The  body-guard. 

Question.  Proceed  in  your  own  way  to  give  an  account  of  what  you  observed 
about  the  army  in  its  progress  to  Springfield. 

Answer.  I  think  it  would  be  well  for  me  to  state  how  this  command  was 
formed,  and  for  what  purpose. 

Question.  Very  well ;  please  do  that. 

Answer.  On  the  2d  of  August,  as  we  were  returning  to  St.  Louis  from  Cairo, 
I  had  a  conversation  with  General  Fremont,  and  suggested  to  him  that  it  would 
be  well  for  him  to  have  a  separate  company  of  infantry  or  cavalry — I  advised 
him  to  have  cavalry — for  a  body-guard.  It  is  customary  in  Europe,  and  also 
here,  as  I  saw  in  the  newspapers  before  we  left,  for  the  different  generals  to  have 
body  guards.  In  Europe  a  body  guard  for  the  general  is  used  in  this  way  : 
whenever  a  guard  is  wanted  at  headquarters,  instead  of  detailing  them  from  the 
different  companies  of  soldiers,  they  are  taken  from  this  body  guard ;  and  when 
the  general  goes  into  the  field  he  has  a  company  of  cavalry  upon  which  he  can 
rely  in  case  of  necessity.  I  told  General  Fremont  that  if  he  would  allow  me 
to  form  such  a  company,  I  would  make  every  man  in  it  fit  to  be  an  officer  in  a 
cavalry  regiment,  of  which  we  were  then  in  great  need  in  the  west.  The  gen 
eral  agreed  to  the  proposition,  and  I  commenced  to  raise  the  company ;  but  be 
fore  I  had  completed  organizing  one  company  I  had  men  enough  for  three  com 
panies.  I  reported  that  fact  to  him,  and  at  last  he  agreed  that  I  should  take  ^11 
that  came,  with  the  idea  that  eventually  they  should  be  formed  into  a  regiment. 
During  this  time  this  cavalry,  as  far  as  it  was  raised,  did  every  kind  of  duty  in 


TESTIMONY.  187 

St.  Louis.  I  have  been  ordered  out  many  times  in  the  middle  of  the  night, 
when  any  trouble  was  apprehended  by  the  provost  marshal,  or  if  there  was  any 
confusion  or  disobedience  anywhere.  We  did  regular  duty  ;  and  when  we 
started  to  enter  the  field,  I  can  say  that  all  the  rest  of  the  cavalry  there  did  not 
do  as  much  duty  as  the  three  companies  under  my  command.  We  were  every 
where  scouting,  reconnoitring,  performing  night-guard  duty.  Everything  of 
that  kind  was  done  by  my  three  companies,  so  that  we  never  had  twelve 
hours'  rest  at  any  time — no  man  of  us. 

Question.  How  were  they  dressed  and  equipped  1 

Answer.  Just  the  same  as  other  cavalry,  only  more  simply,  because  there 
was  not  a  bit  of  cord  on  their  uniforms,  which  was  the  plain  cloth  of  the  uni 
forms,  with  the  buttons. 

Question.  Just  like  other  cavalry,  only  the  uniform  was  more  simple  ? 

Answer.  -Yes,  sir.  The  uniform  was  made  by  the  order  of  the  quartermaster, 
General  McKinstry.  No  one  had  anything  to  do  with  it  but  him ;  he  equipped 
the  whole  force. 

Question.  How  were  you  armed  ] 

Answer.  Each  man  had  a  revolver,  and  generally  a  sabre,  and  about  two- 
thirds  had  carbines. 

Question.  I  have  heard  it  said  that  that  body-guard  was  equipped  and  dressed 
very  extravagantly  and  expensively.  How  was  that  ? 

Answer.  I  cannot  account  in  any  way  why  that  should  be  said.  I  knew  that, 
before  we  started,  we  had  been  abused  in  everyway  by  everybody;  so  1  heard. 
When  I  was  trying  to  equip  my  troops,  I  was  refused,  and  troubled,  and  kept 
back  in  everything  I  undertook  to  do. 

Question.  You  have  stated  all  you  know  about  their  dress  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  just  as  it  was. 

Question.  You  accompanied  the  expedition  to  Springfield? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  What  was  the  particular  duty  of  this  body-guard  on  the  march  ? 

Answer.  Just  as  the  rest,  we  marched  ahead;  except  that  it  was  my  duty 
generally  to  keep  a  guard  at  the  general's  headquarters,  to  send  out  pickets  and 
patrols,  and  do  every  duty  like  that.  There  was  no  particular  duty.  I  went 
out  several  times  on  expeditions.  At  Warsaw  a  rumor  came  that  the  enemy 
had  a  force  lately  recruited  of  about  150  men.  I  was  sent  out  to  see  about  it. 
We  went  out  in  the  night,  going  about  twenty  miles  between  7  o'clock  and  10 
o'clock  ;  but  the  enemy  had  fled.  However,  I  was  fortunate  enough  to  capture 
about  40  mules  and  horses,  and  170  bushels  of  wheat,  which  we  found  in  a  mill, 
belonging  to  Price's  army. 

Question.  Had  you  seen  military  service  in  Europe  1 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  I  was  in  active  service  in  1848  and  1849  in  the  Hungarian 
war  against  the  Austrian  and  Russian  army. 

Question.  What  do  you  say  in  regard  to  General  Fremont's  skill  in  handling 
the  army  on  this  expedition1? 

Answer.  I  had  only  the  rank  of  major ;  but  I  had  experience.  I  served  in 
1848  and  1849  under  the  best  of  generals,  (General  Bern,)  and  I  never  had  a 
warmer  attachment  or  higher  esteem  for  any  man  than  for  General  Fremont  as 
a  military  man,  as  a  commander,  and  as  a  general. 

Question.  Will  you  tell  us  about  your  charge  at  Springfield  1 

Answer.  On  the  24th  of  October  news  came  that  some  300  or  400  men  of  the 
rebel  army  from  Price's  command  were  in  Springfield.  The  man  who  brought 
the  news  told  it  to  me,  and  I  immediately  reported  it  to  General  Fremont,  and 
asked  his  permission  to  go  and  attack  them.  The  general  answered  that  he 
would  let  me  go  the  next  day,  but  not  that  day.  After  some  further  remon 
strances  that  it  would  probably  be  too  late  the  next  day,  he  consented  to  let  me 
go  that  evening.  I  had  intended  to  go  with  my  own  force  alone ;  but  the  general 


188  TESTIMONY. 

did  not  wish  to  risk  my  force  alone,  and  gave  me  an  order  for  1'50  men  from 
another  command. 

From  that  evening  till  the  next  morning  about  11  o'clock  I  made  fifty  miles, 
stopping  only  one  single  hour  on  the  road  to  rest.  I  had  a  scout  with  me  that 
I  sent  forward  to  learn  about  the  enemy's  strength,  and  I  found  that  the  enemy, 
instead  of  having  only  300  or  400,  had  1,800  or  1,900.  I  inquired  how  they 
were  armed,  and  what  kind  of  soldiers  they  were.  I  asked  if  they  were  'well 
drilled,  and  the  scout  said  they  were.  I  thought  it  over  in  my  mind  as  to  what 
I  should  do.  It  was  a  little  risky  for  me  to  try  the  experiment,  but  we  had 
been  so  shamefully  abused  I  could  not  do  anything  else,  and  I  thank  God  we 
did  not  turn  back,  but  went  forward.  If  I  had  not  gone  forward  and  won  that 
battle,  I  think  I  should  have  left  this  country  for  shame.  I  made  up  my  mind 
I  would  go  forward  and  see  the  enemy,  and  then  do  what  I  should  think  best. 
I  did  not  know  whether  I  would  attack  them.  Before  I  started  I  sent  a  des 
patch  to  the  general,  which  was  worded  something  like  this  : 

"  GENERAL  :  From  reliable  assurances  I  report  that  the  enemy  is  1,800  or 
1,900  strong.  I  would  ask  you,  general,  to  send  me  a  re-enforcement,  that  in 
case  I  am  defeated  I  may  fa'll  back  upon  them,  or  if  I  am  successful  I  may  be 
able  to  hold  the  place." 

From  that  the  general  could  see  my  mind  was  made  up  to  attack  the  enemy. 
I  went  forward.  In  a  short  time  I  met  a  Union  man,  who  told  me  the  enemy 
would  hardly  stop  to  receive  me,  but  would  retreat.  I  inquired  about  the  place, 
how  it  lay,  for  I  did  not  know  anything  about  it,  and  what  way  they  would  be 
likely  to  retreat.  I  made  a  detour  around  of  about  seven  miles  on  the  prairie, 
so  that,  in  case  they  should  retreat,  I  should  be  able  to  catch  them.  That 
brought  me,  about  half-past  4  o'clock,  near  Springfield.  I  learned,  upon  inquir 
ing  from  Union  people  and  from  foreigners,  that  it  was  true  that  there  were 
1,800  or  1,900  of  the  enemy,  and  one  man  told  me  there  was  not  less  than 
2,200 ;  and  after  the  battle  was  over  I  found  out  there  was  indeed  2,200.  I 
thought  the  enemy  were  on  the  other  side  of  Springfield,  which  would  give  me 
about  two  miles  ride  yet.  I  ordered  my  command  forward ;  and  on  coming  from 
a  little  wooded  space  out  in  front  of  my  command  about  twenty  or  twenty-five 
yards,  all  at  once  the  bullets  were  whistling  around  me.  I  looked  around  and 
saw  the  enemy  drawn  up  in  line  of  battle.  I  heard  another  round  of  firing, 
and  saw  another  force  of  about  300  men.  The  bullets,  by  fifties  and  sixties, 
were  whistling  around  me.  I  had  nothing  to  do  but  to  retreat  or  go  forward. 
A  look  showed  me  there  was  hardly  any  place  to  get  at  them  but  down 
a  lane.  I  ordered  my  cavalry  forward  in  quick  trot  down  the  lane.  Before  I 
had  got  200  yards  down  the  lane,  I  had  lost  about  forty  men,  not  killed  or 
wounded,  but  mostly  disabled  by  their  horses  being  shot  down.  I  then  stopped 
my  command,  opened  a  fence,  and  went  into  a  field  about  150  yards  from  the 
enemy's  camp.  I  formed  my  command,  which  at  the  time  was  hardly  more 
than  a  hundred  men,  and  with  them  I  attacked  the  enemy,  and  in  less 
than  five  seconds  the  enemy  were  completely  broken  to  pieces  and  running  in 
every  direction.  My  men  were  so  much  excited  that  ten  or  fifteen  of  them 
would  attack  hundreds  of  the  enemy ;  and  in  that  single  attack  I  lost  fifteen 
men  killed — that  was  all  I  lost  in  dead ;  and  the  enemy's  dead  men  on  the 
ground  were  106. 

Question.  How  did  you  fcill  them — with  sabres  or  with  revolvers  ? 

Answer.  Mostly  with  the  sabre.  We  Hungarian  cavalrymen  teach  our  sol 
diers  never  to  use  the  revolver,  as  they  are  of  very  little  use.  The  sabre  is  the 
only  arm  the  cavalry  need  if  they  are  well  drilled.  There  were  no  swords  of 
my  men  that  were  not  bloody ;  and  I  saw  swords  from  which  the  blood  was 
running  down  on  the  hand.  The  men  were  drilled  very  well.  I  had  only  six 
weeks  from  the  time  I  had  the  first  man  sworn  in  the  service  to  the  time  we 


TESTIMONY.  189 

started  for  th#  field ;  but  in  those  six  weeks  I  brought  them  forward  so  far  as  I 
ever  thought  I  should  be  able  to  do.  They  were  mostly  Americans — about 
one-fourth  Germans. 

Question.  Were  they  raw  men  when  you  took  them? 

Answer.  Not  a  single*  one  ever  served  before. 

Question.  Can  you  teach  men  the  use  of  the  sabre  in  that  time? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  but  we  worked  from  the  time  the  sun  was  up  till  the  sun 
went  down  ;  and  in  the  evening  I  gave  extra  hours  to  my  officers  and  non-com 
missioned  officers,  so  that  I  had  hardly  four  or  five  hours  to  myself  nights ;  and 
I  never  saw  that  the  general  slept  more.  He  beat  me  in  work  every  day. 

By  Mr.  Chandler: 

Question.  How  many  did  you  have  wounded  besides  the  fifteen  killed  ? 

Answer.  I  had  twenty-eight  wounded,  but  only  two  dangerously;  that  is, 
neither  of  them  died,  but  they  were  badly  wounded.  One  was  an  officer,  and 
•another  a  non-commissioned  officer. 

Question.  This  battle  was  outside  of  Springfield  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Did  your  force  charge  into  the  town  of  Springfield  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir ;  through  every  street,  and  all  around  wherever  we  could 
see  an  enemy,  until  night  came  upon  us. 

Question.  Do  you  know  the  number  of  wounded  of  the  enemy  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir ;  I  do  not,  but  I  heard  that  it  was  a  great  many ;  and  that 
a  great  many  of  them  would  die,  because  they  had  mostly  received  heavy  cuts 
on  the  head.  All  the  dead  were  cut  in  the  head.  Some  of  the  enemy  behaved 
themselves  very  bravely  indeed,  but  they  were  not  able  to  hold  up  against  this 
tremendous  charge.  To  show  the  spirit  of  my  men,  about  half  an  hour  before 
I  made  the  charge  I  halted  my  command,  as  my  men  had  made  twenty  hours' 
ride  without  eating  anything  or  feeding  their  horses ;  I  thought  that,  being  young 
men,  they  would  be  worn  out ;  I  asked  if  any  of  them  were  broken  down,  or 
sick,  or  tired  out,  to  step  forward  from  the  command,  and  I  would  leave  them 
behind,  and  employ  them  on  extra  duty.  I  stated  to  them  that  when  I  started 
I  expected  to  find  about  300  or  400  of  the  enemy ;  but,  instead  of  that,  the 
probability  was  that  there  were  1,900  of  the  enemy.  I  told  them  I  had  made 
up  my  mind  to  attack  the  enemy,  and  I  promised  victory ;  but,  I  said,  that  I 
did  not  want  to  throw  away  any  lives;  and  I  asked  those  who  felt  tired  to  step 
forward  two  steps,  and  I  would  put  them  on  extra  duty;  but  not  one  single  man 
showed  any  tired  or  sickness ;  and  every  one  of  them,  I  saw  their  eyes  grow 
big  like  your  fist — every  one. 

By  the  chairman : 

Question.  What  have  become  of  your  men  ? 

Answer.  They  have  been  discharged;  dismissed  with  disgrace,  really,  not 
discharged.  They  were  dismissed  with  disgrace.  I  saw  a  telegraphic  despatch 
from  Washington,  which  stated  that  we  used  some  expressions  at  Springfield  for 
which  our  further  service  in  the  United  States  army  is  of  doubtful  expediency. 
So  there  was  a  reason  why  we  should  be  dismissed  from  the  service  of  the 
United  States. 

By  Mr.  Chandler: 

Question.  What  were  those  expressions  ? 

Answer.  I  did  not  know.  I  have  been  brought  up  a  soldier,  and  have  been 
an  officer  for  years  long,  and  understand  my  duty.  I  did  my  duty  towards 
every  superior  officer,  and  to  every  officer,  and  I  taught  my  men  to  do  their  duty. 
There  never  came  to  me  a  single  complaint  from  the  beginning  to  the  last  hour 
against  my  men  that  they  were  disrespectful  in  any  way.  But  I  know  one 


190  TESTIMONY. 

thing — I  found  out  later  what  was  that  expression — it  was  nothing*  more  than 
this :  When  I  was  leading  my  men  on  to  that  charge,  to  excite  them  a  little,  I 
said  that  our  war-cry  would  be,  "the  Union,"  and  " Fremont"  our  general.  It 
is  customary  in  Europe,  when  attacking  the  enemy,  to  have  a  war-cry — "Liberty !" 
"the  Union!"  And,  as  a  general  thing,  if  we  like  and  respect  the  general,  it 
is  customary  to  use  the  name  of  the  general  in  the  war-cry.  In  Hungary,  where 
we  were  fighting  for  liberty,  my  government  and  the  ministers  did  not  feel 
offended  because  when  we  charged  the  enemy,  we  used  the  name  of  General 
Bern. 

By  the  chairman : 

Question.  That  had  been  your  custom  in  Europe,  and  you  thought  it  right  to 
do  so  here? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  That  must  be  the  only  crime  that  we  have  committed 
against  the  country,  or  against  our  superior  officers. 

Question.  Was  there  in  your  command,  or  in  any  other  part  of  General 
Fremont's  army,  any  intention  to  set  General  Fremont  up  above  other  officers, 
or  against  the  government? 

Answer.  No,  sir.  I  never  heard  anything  of  the  kind,  except  one  time  one 
of  my  officers  received  a  letter  from  Iowa.  He  was  a  countryman  of  mine — the 
only  countryman  I  had  in  the  body-guard.  He  was  a  finely  educated  man;  his 
father  was  a  count  at  home,  but,  at  present,  is  a  farmer  in  Iowa.  His  father 
wrote  him  a  letter  in  which  there  was  something  said  of  a  public  meeting  in 
Davenport,  Iowa,  to  set  up  a  western  republic,  or  something  of  the  kind.  I 
ridiculed  the  idea.  I  told  him  I  did  not  believe  General  Fremont,  as  a  citizen, 
a  patriot,  a  soldier,  ever  would  think  of  such  a  thing ;  and  as  a  soldier  in  the 
United  States  army,  I  told  him  I  would  not  even  follow  General  Fremont,  or 
any  general,  no  matter  how  much  I  liked  him. 

Question.  Was  that  ever  communicated  to  General  Fremont  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Gooch : 

Question.  Was  there  any  manifestation  of  such  feeling  at  any  time  among  the 
body-guard  1 

Answer.  No,  sir;  no,  sir.  I  took  service  in  the  United  States  army  only  for 
the  reason  that  I  wanted  to  see  this  great  country  united  again,  and  put  down 
the  rebellion,  and  not  to  divide  it  more  and  more.  I  am  not  a  fortune  hunter. 
I  had  no  idea  of  begging  anything.  I  had  made  up  my  mind  that  I  would  fight 
for  no  country  but  iny  own.  But  later,  being  called  to  serve  under  General 
Fremont  whom  I  had  never  seen  in  my  life,  but  for  whom  I  had  high  esteem,  I 
offered  my  services,  and  was  accepted. 

By  the  chairman: 

Question.  Were  you  present  with  the  army  at  the  time  General  Fremont  was 
superseded  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  I  was  present. 

Question.  Will  you  tell  us  what  was  the  situation  of  General  Fremont's  army 
and  that  of  the  enemy  at  that  time;  where  were  they1? 

Answer.  Just  the  day  the  order  came  to  supersede  him,  we  got  information 
of  the  enemy  in  this  way.  The  scout  which  the  general  gave  me  when  I  went 
forward  to  Springfield,  I  had  kept  in  my  own  employment  until  that  time.  On 
the  first  day  of  November  I  asked  him  to  go  forward  towards  Wilson's  creek, 
&c.,  until  he  could  see  the  enemy  and  find  out  where  was  his  advance-guard, 
which  I  expected  would  be  cavalry,  and  how  strong  they  were,  and  bring  me 
the  news.  I  told  him  if  he  did  not  bring  me  the  truth  his  life  would  be  in  peril, 
for  I  should  take  him  along  with  me.  He  came  back  on  the  2d  of  November, 


TESTIMONY.  191 

and  informed  me  that  at  Wilson's  creek  were  six  hundred  picked  men,  of  the 
very  best  cavalry  of  the  enemy,  and  about  nine  or  ten  miles  beyond  were  the 
rest  of  the  army  at  two  or  three  different  places,  the  names  of  which  I  cannot 
remember.  I  at  once  gave  orders  to  my  officers  to  call  their  companies  together, 
and  inspect  their  arms,  and  to  pick  out  the  best  men  and  the  best  horses,  and 
have  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  men  ready  to  start  in  the  evening ;  to  put  them 
perfectly  in  order  in  arms,  equipment,  and  everything.  1  intended  to  go  up  to 
the  general  and  ask  for  permission  to  capture  the  enemy.  I  did  not  mean  to 
drive  them  off.  but  I  was  going  to  surround  them,  get  behind  on  the  left  and 
right,  and  capture  or  annihilate  them,  if  possible.  Before  I  was  ready  to  go  to 
the  general  niy  adjutant  came  to  me  and  said  that  there  was  some  news  circu 
lating  around  the  camp  and  at  headquarters  that  the  general  was  superseded. 
I  found  out  in  a  short  time  that  that  was  true.  I  was  myself  so  disheartened 
that  I  gave  up  every  idea  of  going  forward  ;  and  it  was  not  only  I,  but  the  whole 
army  felt  so.  I  can  say,  without  exception,  that  I  do  not  believe  that  a  single 
j*egiment  in  that  whole  army  was  not  disheartened. 

Question.  What  number  of  troops  had  General  Fremont  at  that  time? 
Answer.  Indeed  I  cannot  tell;    may  be  22,000  or  23,000.     I  think  over 
20,000  at  any  rate. 

Question.  Did  you  go  far  enough  to  ascertain  the  position  of  the  enemy  on 
that  occasion? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  I  did  from  my  scout  perfectly.  He  could  not  tell  me  what 
was  the  whole  force,  but  he  mentioned  one  or  two  places  where  the  army  was 
standing — I  do  not  remember  the  places — and  told  me  there  were  not  less  than 
25,000 'or  30,000  men. 

Question.  Where  were  they  about  that  time  ? 

Answer.  About  nine  or  ten  miles  beyond  Wilson's  creek.  The  advance 
guard  of  the  enemy  was  at  Wilson's  creek,  but  the  main  body  about  nine  or 
ten  miles  beyond,  or  about  twenty  miles  from  Springfield.  My  scout  could  go 
no  further  than  where  the  advance-guard  was ;  he  could  not  penetrate  beyond 
with  safety-  But  he  ascertained  from  citizens  who  were  fleeing  from  their  homes 
where  the  enemy  was.  On  that  same  day  I  met  General  Asboth  for  the  first 
time  since  he  had  got  to  Springfield.  He  congratulated  me  that  I  was  so  suc 
cessful  at  Springfield,  but  at  the  same  time  told  me  that  may  be  it  would  bring 
the  greatest  trouble  on  the  whole  army,  because  the  enemy  would  find  out  that 
our  whole  army  had  not  arrived  at  Springfield.  General  McKinstry  was  not 
up  there  yet.  General  Hunter  we  could  not  hear  from,  and  General  Asboth 
was  very  much  afraid  they  would  attack  us,  and  that  we  would  be  obliged  to 
retreat.  He  told  me,  indeed,  that  there  was  nothing  left  but  to  retreat.  I  an 
swered  to  him  that  I  would  make  sure  about  it,  and  I  would  start  and  bring 
him  news. 

Question.  Who  were  the  scouts  that  had  gone  out  and  seen  the  enemy  ? 
Answer.  They  were  sent  out  from  different  divisions  of  cavalry.  They  in 
tended  to  send  me  out  that  day,  but  1  asked  permission  to  rest  my  men  and 
horses,  because  they  were  very  much  tired.  I  did  not  tell  my  reason  for  not 
wanting  to  go  out,  but  it  was  that  I  wanted  to  go  out  in  the  night.  There  is  no 
doubt  about  the  enemy.  The  men  were  very  enthusiastic  to  go  forward,  and  I 
am  perfectly  confident  that,  if  Price  had  had  50,000  men,  we  would  have  been 
victorious ;  we  would  have  driven  him  completely  away,  and  perfectly  anni 
hilated  his  army. 

Question.  There  has  been  some  doubt  expressed  that  the  enemy  were  so  near 
as  you  seem  to  apprehend  they  were  at  that  time. 

Answer.  There  was  no  doubt  about  it;  we  could  not  doubt  it.  We  had  been 
out  with  the  general,  too,  and  had  met,  I  cannot  tell  how  many, .twenty  or  thirty 
families  who  brought  news  besides  our  own  scouts.  There  were  General  Sigel's 
scouts,  and  General  Asboth's  scouts,  and  scouts  from  various  quarters  and  from 


192  TESTIMONY. 

if 

different  regiments,  and  every  one  of  them  told  the  same  story.  And  these 
Union  families  running  away  told  us  the  same  story,  and  that  they  were  hardly 
able  to  escape.  And  I  perfectly  know  it  from  my  own  scout,  upon  whom  I  felt 
assured  to  rely,  because  he  had  brought  me  the  best  news  from  Springfield  be 
fore — that  the  advance  guard  of  the  enemy  was  at  Wilson's  creek. 

Question.  How  long,  in  your  judgment,  would  it  have  taken  General  Fremont 
to  have  overtaken  the  army  of  Price,  if  he  had  not  been  superseded  ? 

Answer.  Had  not  the  enemy  attacked  us,  we  would  have  overtaken  him  be 
fore  forty-eight  hours,  certain.  I  do  not  know  as  I  could  tell  exactly,  for  I 
never  heard  about  it  much,  but  I  know  an  arrangement  was  made  already,  or 
talked  over  with  the  generals.  One  or  two  persons  knew  it  besides  the  generals. 
The  intention  was  to  send  out  most  all  the  cavalry  force,  which  was  about  3,000, 
and  a  couple  of  batteries  of  artillery,  have  them  go  forward  in  double  quick 
time  and  overtake  the  enemy,  and  keep  them  from  retreating,  so  that  there  was 
no  possibility  that  they  would  be  able  to  run  away  from  us ;  and  in  using  this 
cavalry  to  go  forward,  and  hold  the  enemy  until  the  main  body  of  the  army 
could  come  up,  the  design  was  to  go  to  the  right  and  left  and  encircle  the  enemy, 
and  in  case  of  retreat  or  disorder  to  annihilate  the  whole  army. 

By  Mr.  Julian : 

Question.  At  the  time  General  Fremont  was  superseded,  were  there  any  signs 
of  mutiny  in  his  army,  and  did  he  countenance  any  insubordination1? 

Answer.  Mutiny  I  did  not  see.  There  was  great  attachment  to  General  Fre 
mont;  there  was  a  disappointment  of  nearly  all  the  army  at  his  removal.  Only 
one  general  in  my  life  have  I  seen  before,  to  whom  his  army  was  so  much  at 
tached  as  to  General  Fremont,  and  that  was  General  Bern,  under  whom  I  served 
in  Hungary;  and  he  was  loved  so  much  by  his  army  that  every  soldier  called 
him  his  father.  The  second  instance  was  that  of  General  Fremont.  They  were 
so  much  disappointed  after  he  was  superseded  that  I  believe,  and  I  express  it 
perfectly  confident  that,  had  not  the  enemy  been  so  near,  one-half  of  the  army 
would  have  laid  down  their  arms. 

Question.  What  did  General  Frdmont  say  to  that  ?     Did  he  encourage  it  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir;  he  quieted  them  in  the  very  best  way.  I  spoke  with  the 
generals ;  I  was  upon  good  terms  with  them,  as  my  position  was ;  they  were 
kind  towards  me.  General  McKinstry,  General  Pope,  General  Asboth,  Gene 
ral  Sigel — I  conversed  with  them,  but  mostly  with  General  McKinstry  and 
General  Sigel — I  conversed  with  them  a  long  time,  and  I  heard  their  ideas. 
They  told  me  the  general's  wishes,  which  I  heard  from  the  general  also,  that 
he  obeyed  orders,  and  he  advised  them  all  to  do  their  duty  as  soldiers  and  citi 
zens.  Nothing  of  encouragement  at  all,  but  there  was  a  feeling  of  disappoint 
ment  there.  There  came  up  a  body  of  officers,  from  100  to  150,  all  the  colo 
nels  came  up,  and  asked  J&eneral  Fremont  to  retain  his  command  and  lead  them 
against  the  enemy.  He  spoke  to  them  a  few  kind  words,  and  told  them  he  must 
obey  his  superiors  and  they  must  obey  theirs,  and  that  they  must  go  forward 
and  beat  the  enemy.  They  cheered  him  then.  And  in  the  evening  before  he 
left  he  told  them  that  if  General  Hunter  did  not  come  up  and  the  enemy  showed 
signs  of  coming  forward,  he  would  lead  them  against  the  enemy,  and  they 
should  tell  all  the  soldiers  the  same.  Well,  in  the  evening  in  every  camp  the 
fires  were  blazing,  bon-fires,  and  cheering  and  cheering  until  midnight,  from 
regiment  to  regiment  all  around  Springfield  in  every  camp.  The  general  was 
serenaded  by  different  bands  that  evening ;  there  were  fifty  or  sixty  musicians 
playing  at  once,  all  together,  feeling  happy  that  he  would  lead  them  against  the 
enemy. 

Question.  When  General  Hunter  came  up  was  he  resolved  to  fight  1 

Answer.  I  did  not  see  General  Hunter ;  he  came  up  towards  midnight.  I 
heard  that  he  had  come  up,  and  hearing  that,  I  was  perfectly  assured  that  all 


TESTIMONY.  193 

was  over  with  us,  and  that  General  Fremont  would  go  home  the  next  morning. 
So  I  felt  no  more  interest  about  it.  I  was  only  afraid  that  in  case  the  eneiny 
should  attack  them  very  quickly,  the  soldiers  were  so  disheartened  that  it  was  a 
critical  affair.  That  was  the  only  thing  that  troubled  me — nothing  more. 

Question.  You'  did  not  know  anything  about  General  Hunter  holding  a 
council  ? 

Answer.  Xo,  sir;  I  heard  it  later;  but  I  did  not  know  it  personally  at  the 
time. 

Bv  the  chairman : 
" 

Question.  Do  you  think  of  anything  more  that  you  would  like  to  state  ? 

Answer.  Nothing  more ;  except  that  I  would  like  to  say  a  few  words  about 
our  being  disbanded.  When  we  got  to  St.  Louis  I  was  refused  rations  for  my 
men  and  forage  for  my  horses.  My  horses  for  thirty-six  hours  had  not  anything. 
I  \vent  to  the  quartermaster  and  asked  him  why  he  refused  ;  he  told  me  he  had 
^he  order.  He  said  we  were  not  regularly  in  the  service.  I  asked  him  how  he 
could  say  that  ?  I  asked  him  if  he  had  not  before  given  me  everything  I  needed, 
as  he  had  to  every  one  else  ?  I  asked  him  if  he  did  not  know  that  my  men  were 
sworn  in  for  three  years,  or  as  long  as  the  war  lasts  ?  I  told  him  I  would  turn 
the  horses  loose,  because  I  could  not  see  them  starve.  At  last  he  consented  to 
give  us  forage,  with  the  condition  that  he  wrote  on  my  requisition  that  no  mat 
ter  what  was  done  with  the  body-guard  the  horses  must  be  supplied,  because 
they  belonged  to  the  government.  I  asked  him  why  he  put  that  in  ;  I  told  him 
that  it  was  an  insult  to  my  command.  I  told  him  he  was  an  old  United  States 
officer,  and  I  would  like  to  have  him  show  me  as  good  a  command,  so  well  trained, 
so  well  drilled  as  my  young  soldiers.  But  he  said  nothing. 

Question.  Have  you  received  your  pay  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  I  received  it  after  much  trouble  ;  but  we  have  been  hunted 
down. 

Question.  Who  was  this  quartermaster? 

Answer.  Captain  Turnley.  I  was  refused  rations  for  my  men;  but  after 
General  Halleck  came  up  he  ordered  that  I  should  have  everything.  But  with 
him  we  had  a  great  deal  of  trouble  in  the  last  days ;  we  could  not  get  any  pay 
for  the  men.  My"  men  were  ragged,  had  no  overcoats,  the  weather  was  bad, 
and  the  snow  falling;  they  had  no  accommodations  at  all ;  they  had  been  promised 
tiieir  pay  from  day  to  day,  and  were  put  off  day  after  day,  and  then  they  said 
they  could  not  pay  us  because  we  did  not  give  up  everything.  We  did  give 
up  everything,  and  I  went  to  the  paymaster,  and  he  said  that  he  had  received 
a  letter  from  the  commanding  general  that  the  quartermaster  said  I  had  not 
returned  everything.  I  wont  to  the  quartermaster  and  asked  him  if  he  con 
sidered  that  there  was  so  much  as  a  pin  from  the  government  that  I  had  not  re 
turned.  He  looked  over  the  accounts  and  found  everything  complete  and 
perfect,  and  our  pay  was  ordered.  But  there  was  taken  from  the  men's  pay  all 
the  clothing  to  the  last  penny  that  the  government  had  given  us ;  I  protested 
against  it;  I  said  that  at  least  one  suit  of  the  clothes  should  be  allowed  for  this 
four  months'  service.  But  it  was  all  taken  out;  we  paid  for  everything  the 
government  had  given  us.  My  men  were  ragged ;  their  pants  and  boots  were 
torn  to  pieces ;  in  the  whole  army  was  no  such  ragged  command  as  mine. 

After  my  command  was  paid  off  I  reported  myself  to  the  commanding  gen 
eral,  and  requested  him  to  do  something  with  my  officers.  I  recommended  them 
in  the  highest  terms,  that  they  were  young  men,  that  I  had  drilled  them,  that 
they  were  good  for  service,  and  the  whole  western  department  had  not  such 
good  officers  as  they  were.  He  paid  no  attention  to  it ;  said  he  could  do  nothing 
with  them.  I  made  as  a  complaint  that  they  did  not  make  one  half  with  all 
their  pay,  as  what  they  had  spent  for  their  uniforms  and  horses  if  they  were 
Part  iii 13 


194  TESTIMONY. 

turned  off  now.     But  that  did  not '  matter ;  their  services  were  not  needed,  and 
they  were  dismissed. 

Even  here,  in  Washington,  I  was  hunted.  I  went  to  the  paymaster  general 
to  get  travelling  expenses  for  three  of  my  officers  and  myself — two  of  us  from 
Philadelphia,  and  two  from  New  York  ;  they  would  not  pay  me,  and  really 
insulted  me,  hy  telling  me  that  General  Fremont  had  no  right  to  appoint  officers 
all  over  the  country.  I  showed  him.an  extract  I  had  cut  from  one  of  the  New 
York  papers,  which  showed  that  General  Fremont  had  the  right  to  appoint  me  ; 
then  they  said  that  he  had  no  right  to  write  for  his  California  friends  and 
appoint  them  to  office.  Then  seeing  that  we  were  hunted  and  insulted,  I  could 
not  longer  bear  it,  I  just  told  him  in  plain  words,  right  out  before  his  secretary, 
that  it  was  a  lie.  After  that,  he  picked  up  the  papers  and  ordered  me  to  be 
paid  off.  It  showed  that  if  1  had  not  taken  the  hard  step  against  him  he  had 
the  feeling  to  keep  it  back  from  us. 


WASHINGTOIV,  February  24,  1862. 

Major  JAMES  M.  SAVAGE  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  chairman : 

Question.  Were  you  with  General  Fremont  in  the  western  department  1 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  What  was  your  rank  and  position  1 

Answer.  At  first  I  was  captain ;  after  the  20th  of  September  last  I  was  a 
major  on  his  staff. 

Question.  Go  on  and  state  what  appears  to  you  material  touching  the  con 
duct  of  the  war  in  that  department. 

Answer.  During  the  whole  of  the  time  I  was  in  St.  Louis,  and  a  portion  of 
the  time  we  were  in  the  field,  I  was  assigned  by  General  Fremont  to  General 
Asboth,  who  was  his  chief  of  staff,  and  I  did  duty  under  him.  My  duties  under 
General  Ashboth,  in  St.  Louis,  were  confined  to  the  reducing  to  writing  of 
the  orders  and  the  dispositions  and  reports  which  General  Asboth  made. 
Although  he  was  an  accomplished  scholar  he  found  it  difficult  to  write  the 
English  language.  Besides  that,  I  had  to  examine  a  great  many  little  matters 
which  came  up  in  the  course  of  the  administration  of  such  a  department.  I 
knew  nothing  of  contracts,  with  the  exception  of  one  that  I  desire  to  speak 
about.  That  was  a  contract  made  with  Mr.  Sacchi,  for  horses,  and  known  as 
the  "  Sacchi  contract."  I  have  known  Mr.  Sacchi,  in  New  York  city,  for  twelve 
years.  During  the  whole  of  that  time  he  has  occupied  an  office  in  William 
street,  and  during  a  portion  of  that  time,  and  at  present,  he  resides  in  Twenty- 
sixth  street,  near  Fifth  avenue.  He  is  a  man  of  family,  and  generally  reputed 
to  be  a  man  of  property.  His  knowledge  of  the  English  language  is  as  per 
fectly  good  as  I  have  ever  known  a  foreigner  to  acquire.  I  wish  to  say,  also, 
that  he  enjoys  a  perfectly  good  reputation  among  those  who  know  him  in  tin; 
city  of  New  York.  Mr.  Sacchi  visited  St.  Louis  on  the  application  and  at  the 
invitation  of  General  Asboth,  and  was  induced  by  him  to  make  an  offer  for  a 
contract  to  purchase  and  supply  horses.  He  never,  to  my  knowledge,  had  more 
than  one  or  two  interviews  with  General  Fremont,  and  never  held  any  position 
on  his  staff,  or  any  office  whatever  under  him.  And  it  may  be  proper  for  me  to 
say,  as  certain  charges  have  been  made  in  the  papers,  very  freely,  with  regard 
to  the  ostentation  shown  by  General  Fremont,  and  his  inaccessibility,  that 
during  the  whole  of  the  time  I  was  there  in  St.  Louis  I  was  at  the  headquarters 
every  day,  and  all  day,  and  usually  until  ten  and  eleven  o'clock  at  night,  and 
sometimes  until  midnight,  and  during  the  whole  of  that  time  I  never  saw  Gen- 


TESTIMONY.  195 

eral  Fremont  in  n  carriage  but  twice ;  and  I  believe  he  could  hardly  have  been 
in  a  carriage  daring  that  time  without  my  knowing  it. 

The  only  sign  of  ostentation  or  display  I  ever  saw  was  when  the  re-enforce 
ments  left  St.  Louis  for  Cairo.  I  then  understood,  and  it  was  generally  under 
stood  by  the  staff,  that  a  certain  degree  of  display  was  then  used;  that  more 
steamers  were  taken  than  were  absolutely  necessary  to  carry  the  troops  to  Cairo, 
in  order  to  give  the  enemy  the*  idea  that  the  re-enforcements  were  larger  than 
they  in  fact  were.  I  know  also  that  during  the  passage  down  the  Mississippi 
to  Cairo,  whenever  the  faster  steamers  got  ahead  of  the  others,  we  were  obliged 
to  tie  up  to  the  bank  until  the  others  came  up,  with  the  intention  of  going  into 
Cairo  with  a  very  full  show  of  force,  and  as  large  a  display  as  was  possible. 
There  never  was  any  difficulty  in  the  way  of  any  person  who  had  any  mili 
tary  business  with  General  Fremont,  which  was  of  the  slightest  importance  to 
the  army,  procuring  an  interview  with  him.  Delays  of  hours  and  possibly  days 
might  occur  in  some  instances.  But  where  persons  came  with  pressing  business, 
and  disclosed  it  specifically,  either  to  me  or  to  General  Asboth,  they  were  always 
sent  up  to  General  Fremont,  and  had  an  interview  with  him.  I  never  heard 
any  specific  instance  of  a  person  being  refused  admission,  except  in  the  case  of 
one  man,  who,  I  am  told,  stated  that  he  waited  three  days  for  admission  to 
General  Fremont,  and  that  it  was  five  hours  before  he  could  get  into  the  ante 
room.  By  the  ante-room  he  undoubtedly  meant  the  room  in  which  I  was  sta 
tioned.  I  did  not  credit  the  report  at  all,  from  the  fact  that  I  know  the  last 
portion  of  it  could  not  be  true.  No  person  ever  had  the  slightest  difficulty  ia 
getting  into  the  room  in  which  I  was  stationed  and  making  known  his  business 
to  the  officers  there. 

Question.  Who  was  this  man  ? 

Answer.  I  was  told  by  a  captain  in  Colonel  Mulligan's  regiment  that  he  was 
a.  man  who  came  with  information  of  the  state  of  the  force  at  Lexington.  Now, 
if  he  disclosed  the  nature  of  his  business,  or  represented  that  it  related  to  the 
armies  in  the  field,  I  know  that  he  could  have  met  with  no  delay  or  difficulty. 

Question.  Did  you  accompany  General  Fromont  on  his  expedition  to  Spring 
field? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  I  was  assigned  to  duty  at  Springfield  with  General  Asboth, 
vfind  was  encamped  about  a  half  a  mile  from  General  Fremont's  headquarters. 
On  the  2d  of  November,  I  flunk,  I  received  reports  from  Major  Clark  Wright, 
an  accomplished  officer  then  in  command  of  a  battalion  there,  who  had  fought 
at  Wilson's  Creek  on  the  10th  of  August,  and  who  was  thoroughly  familiar 
with  the  country  about  there,  that  the  enemy  had  appeared  at  Wilson's  Creek 
in  considerable  numbers — I  do  not  now  recollect  the  numbers — and  that  a  much 
larger  force,  and,  as  he  concluded  from  the  reports  of  his  scouts,  the  whole  force 
of  General  Price-- was  within  a  few  miles  of  Wilson's  Creek.  This  report  was 
confirmed  by  other  officers  of  his;  by  scouts  sent  out  by  Major  Waring,  com 
manding  a  regiment  of  cavalry  called  the  Fremont  Hussars;  and  by  several 
other  officers  and  privates  in  the  regiments  of  Colonel  Rombaner  and  Colonel 
Kalmann,  and  others  whose  names  I  do  not  now  recollect.  I  prepared  a  report 
from  the  statement  of  Major  Wright,  which  was  signed  by  General  Asboth,  and 
transmitted  to  General  Fremont.  On  the  3d  of  November  I  rode  out  with  Gen 
eral  Fremont  and  visited  the  outposts  about  Springfield.  At  several  of  the 
outposts  we  found  long  trains  of  wagons  drawn  by  oxen,  containing  Union 
families,  or  families  who  represented  themselves  to  be  such,  coming  in  from 
Wilson's  Creek  and  vicinity,  as  they  stated,  all  terrified  at  the  near  approach  of 
the  enemy,  representing  in  many  instances  that  the  men  belonging  to  the  family 
had  waited  behind  until  the  enemy  appeared  in  sight,  and  had  only  escaped  by 
having  a  few  minutes  the  start. 

Question.  Were  you  with  the  army  at  the  time  General  Fremont  was  super 
seded  by  General  Hunter? 


196  TESTIMONY. 

Answer.  I  was  ;  yes,  sir. 

Question.  Were  there  any  signs  of  mutiny  at  the  time  the  troops  became 
aware  that  General  Fremont  was  superseded  ? 

Answer.  The  men  were  very  much  excited,  and  I  think  they  could  easily 
have  been  started  up  to  a  mutiny  by  careless  or  wicked  officers.  But  I  saw 
nothing  on  the  part  of  any  man  that  approached  a  mutiny.  The  officers  them 
selves,  the  C4ermans  particularly,  were  very  muc*h  excited,  and  very  loud  in  the 
expression  of  their  disappointment ;  one  or  two  of  them,  in  particular,  in  their 
denunciation  of  the  conduct  of  the  government  in  thus  acting  towards  General 
Fremont.  But  during  the  course  of  the  day  they  seemed  to  become  reconciled 
to  the  order,  and  to  make  up  their  minds  to  obey  whatever  commander  should 
be  placed  over  them. 

Question.  What  was  the  bearing  and  conduct  of  General  Fremont  on  the  oc 
casion  when  they  manifested  this  dissatisfaction?  Was  it  calculated  to  increase 
the  dissatisfaction,  or  to  allay  it  ? 

Answer.  One  officer  called  upon  General  Fremont  and  made  him  a  short 
address,  in  the  presence  of  several  other  officers,  and  in  the  hearing  of  many  out 
side  of  his  headquarters,  to  the  effect  that  his  men  would  fight  for  General  Fre 
mont  and  under  General  Fremont,  and  for  nobody  else.  The  reply  of  General 
Fremont  was  less  loud,  and  more  difficult  for  those  outside  to  hear.  But  I 
heard  enough  to  show  me  that  General  Fremont  reproved  him  for  his  remarks, 
and  repeated,  in  substance,  the  recommendations  of  his  farewell  address  to  the 
soldiers,  to  the  effect  that  every  man  must  do  his  duty,  notwithstanding  the 
action  of  the  authorities.  I  am  confident  that  he  did  not,  in  a  single  instance, 
countenance  or  advise  a  single  man  leaving  the  army,  but  that  he  would  have 
put  down  by  force,  if  necessary,  any  attempt  at  mutiny. 

Question.  Do  you  know  anything  about  his  ability  to  have  relieved  General 
Lyon  1  Were  you  in  a  condition  to  know  that  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir;  neither  in  relation  to  the  Springfield  matter,  nor  the  Lex 
ington  matter.  My  mind  has  been  made  up  from  the  orders  sent  and  the  re 
ports  made,  and  those,  I  understand,  have  been  furnished  to  this  committee. 

Question.  Did  you  accompany  General  Fremont  to  Cairo  when  he  re-enforced 
that  place  1 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  What  was  the  condition  of  things  there  ?  What  was  the  amount 
of  force  there  ? 

Answer.  The  force  at  Cairo,  when  we  reached  there,  was  represented  to  be  1,200 
men,  besides  a  large  number  of  men — whether  one,  or  two,  or  three  regiments, 
I  do  not  know — whose  time  had  expired,  and  who  were  demoralized  and  disor 
ganized  to  such  a  degree  that  they  were  without  arms,  and  were  waiting  there 
only  for  their  pay. 

Question.  How  many  effective,  reliable  men  were  there  at  that  time  ? 
Answer.  I  can  only  answer  from  hearsay,  that  at  the  time  there  were  only 
1,200. 

Question.  Was  the  place  threatened  ? 

Answer.  A  large  force  of  the  enemy  were  threatening  it,  as  we  learned  from 
all  the  scouts  and  spies  sent  out,  at  New  Madidd ;  a  force,  I  believe,  amounting 
to  about  20,000  men,  and  an  attack  was  daily  and  almost  hourly  anticipated. 
Question.  So  that  the  place  was  under  the  greatest  necessity  for  succor  ? 
Answer.  Yes,  sir ;  and  the  re-enforcements  were  received  with  the  greatest 
outbursts  of  joy  and  satisfaction,  both  on  the  part  of  the  soldiers  and  officers  at 
Cairo  and  at  Bird's  Point ;  and  I  would  state  here  that  one  of  the  regiments 
taken  by  General  Fremont  to  Cairo,  at  that  time,  was  composed  from  two  regi 
ments  whose  time  was  just  expiring,  and  who  had  been  appealed  to  by  General 
Fremont  to  serve  for  the  few  days  that  it  was  supposed  would  be  necessary  be- 


TESTIMONY.  197 

fore  they  could  be  replaced  by  another  regiment.  They  did,  in  fact,  serve  for 
several  weeks  from  the  time  when  they  should  have  been  discharged. 

Question.  What  amount  of  re-enforcement  did  he  take  down  there  at  that 
time  ? 

Answer.  About  4,000. 

Question.  Do  you  know  how  it  was  at  Pilot  Knob  1 

Answer.  I  do  not  know  how  it  was  at  Pilot  Knob.  I  know  that  Cape  Girar- 
deau  was  threatened  both  at  that  time  and  subsequently ;  and  it  was  regarded 
generally  by  officers,  and  is  an  undoubted  fact,  that  Cape  Girardeau  was  one  of 
the  most  important  points  along  the  line  of  the  river. 

Question.  You  are  acquainted  with  the  condition  of  General  Fremont's  forces 
at  that  time.  Do  you  think,  as  a  military  man,  that  it  was  proper  under  the 
circumstances,  or  that  he  could  have  relieved  General  Lyon  at  that  time  ? 

Answer.  I  think  it  absolutely  impossible  for  the  general  to  have  done  more 
than  he  did  at  the  time.  I  never  heard,  either  from  General  Sigel,  or  any  of 
the  other  officers  who  were  present  at  Wilson's  Creek  when  that  battle  was 
fought,  with  many  of  whom  I  have  conversed,  the  slightest  hint  that  General 
Fremont  could,  or  should,  have  re-enforced  them. 

Question.  Do  you  know  how  it  was  about  Colonel  Mulligan1? 

Answer.  I  know  hardly  anything  about  that  Lexington  matter? 

Question.  Is  there  anything  else  you  know  in  regard  to  that  department  that 
you  deem  useful  or  important  for  the  government  to  know? 

Answer.  There  is  only  this  one  thing  that  occurs  to  me  at  this  moment.  In 
a  letter  of  Mr.  Thurlow  Weed  to  the  Albany  Evening  Journal,  there  is  this 
charge  made,  that  the  army  of  General  Fremont  was  guilty,  in  many  cases,  of 
depredations  upon  the  property  of  Union  men;  that  the  divisions  of  General 
Sigel  and  General  Asboth,  on  their  march  from  Tipton  to  Warsaw,  utterly 
despoiled  a  Union  man  by  taking  his  corn,  grain,  cattle,  and  everything  from 
his  farm.  Now,  I  was  with  the  division  of  General  Asboth  on  that  march,  and 
know,  in  the  first  place,  that  nothing  of  the  kind  could  have  taken  place ;  and 
in  the  second  place,  the  division  of  General  Sigel  never  marched  over  that  line 
of  road  from  Tipton  to  Warsaw ;  but  it  marched  from  Sedalia,  a  point  some 
30  or  40  miles  further  up  the  railroad. 

Question.  What  were  General  Fremont's  orders  about  that  1 

Answer.  They  were  very  strict  upon  the  officers  to  restrain  their  men  from 
any  plundering,  and  I  think  the  army  passed  through  the  whole  march  with  as 
little  theft  as  possible.  You  cannot  always  keep  soldiers  from  stealing  apples, 
and  chickens,  too. 

By  Mr.  Covode : 

Question.  Did  you  understand  what  was  the  immediate  cause  of  difficulty 
between  General  Fremont  and  Mr.  Blair  ? 

Answer.  I  have  never  understood  it.  All  that  I  know  is,  that  Colonel  Blair, 
from  being  a  frequent,  almost  daily  visitor  at  headquarters,  ceased  entirely  to 
show  himself  there ;  and  I  knew  and  heard  nothing  about  the  matter,  except 
certain  charges  that  appeared  in  the  newspapers. 

By  the  chairman : 

Question.  Do  you  know  anything  about  the  contracts  about  which  so  much 
has  been  said  1 

Answer.  No,  sir ;  except  the  Sacchi  contract,  of  which  I  have  spoken. 


198  TESTIMONY. 


WASHINGTON,  February  24,  1862. 
Colonel  I.  C.  WOODS  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  chairman  : 

Question.  Were  you  in  the  army  of  the  west,  tinder  General  Fremont  ? 

Answer.  I  was. 

Question.  What  was  your  rank  and  position  there  1 

Answer.  I  was,  in  the  first  place,  a  major  upon  the  general's  staff.  I  then 
held  a  commission  as  captain  in  the  commissary  department  from  the  Secretary 
of  War,  the  duties  of  which  I  never  performed,  as  I  was  ordered  by  General 
Fremont  to  remain  upon  his  staff.  I  was  promoted  by  him  to  a  colonelcy,  and 
placed  in  charge  of  the  transportation. 

Q.uestion.  Did  you  accompany  the  army  on  its  way  to  Springfield  ? 

Answer.  I  did. 

Question.  Will  you  state,  in  your  own  way,  what  you  think  it  material  to 
state  in  relation  to  the  army  there,  the  administration  of  the  department,  any 
thing  about  contracts,  contractors,  any  misconduct  or  frauds  upon  the  part  of 
anybody,  or  anything  else  you  know  which  you  think  the  public  should  know  ? 

Answer.  I  have  made  a  memorandum  of  a  few  things,  about  which  there  has 
been  some  talk,  with  a  few  notes  in  the  margin  to  assist  my  memory  in  stating 
what  I  have  myself  observed. 

Question.  You  can  use  your  notes  to  refresh  your  memory.  The  rule  of 
law  is,  that  notes  may  be  used  to  refresh  the  memory ;  but  you  must  state  what 
you  know  outside  of  your  notes. 

Answer.  The  first  memorandum  I  have  is  about  some  Austrian  muskets, 
about  which  a  great  deal  has  been  said  officially  and  unofficially.  I  know  those 
muskets  were  a  kind  that  had  been  used  for  a  long  time  in  the  Austrian  army. 
That  information  I  obtained  from  Colonel  Albert,  who  was  upon  General  Fre 
mont's  staff.  When  he  first  saw  the  muskets  in  St.  Louis  he  remarked  that 
they  were  an  old  friend  of  his.  I  know  when  the  muskets  were  first  offered  to 
General  Fremont  in  New  York,  at  which  place  I  joined  him.  they  were  refused 
upon  the  ground  that  the  primer,  which  was  used  in  place  of  the  percussion  cap, 
was  not  to  be  had  in  this  country.  The  battle  of  Bull  Run  had  not  been  fought 
then,  and  it  was  supposed  that  there  were  a  plenty  of  other  arms  in  the  country. 

After  General  Fremont  had  arrived  in  St.  Louis,  and  the  government  had 
issued  orders  to  have  all  the  arms  procurable  forwarded  from  New  York  to 
Washington,  it  became  impossible  to  get  other  arms.  These  Austrian  arms 
were  then  bought ;  but  upon  the  condition  that  the  importers  should  manufac 
ture,  in  New  York,  this  percussion  primer  (which  was  used  on  them  instead  of 
a  percussion  cap.)  in  sufficient  quantities  to  answer  the  purpose  for  these  arms. 
And  as  quite  a  large  portion  of  the  army  of  the  west  were  foreign  soldiers,  and 
a  great  many  of  the  officers  were  familiar  with  the  arm.  and  a  great  many  of 
the  soldiers  had  before  used  it,  although  it  took  one  more  motion  to  prime  it 
than  it  did  to  put  the  cap  on  our  muskets,  still  as  it  took  the  same  bullet — the- 
Minnie  bullet — that  our  muskets  did,  it  was  decided  that  it  was  absolutely 
necessary  to  have  them. 

There  were  at  that  time  many  companies  of  home  guards  who  were  wanting 
arms  to  guard  railroad  bridges,  &c.,  audit  was  considered  that  these  arms  would, 
answer  their  purpose. 

The  facts  in  relation  to  the  character  of  these  arms  have  been  very  carefully 
and  particularly  set  forth  by  Captain  Callender  on  another  occasion.  He  is  an 
ordnance  officer,  and  had  charge  of  the  St.  Louis  arsenal  for  some  time.  I  know 
that  after  the  arms  arrived  in  St.  Louis,  Captain  Callender  took  two  of  them, 
took  out  the  breech-pin  and  rifled  them,  and  brought  them  to  headquarters  to 
show  how  well  they  rifled.  He  stated  to  me  then  that  the  breech  of  these  arms 


TESTIMONY.  199 

was  a  little  thicker  in  metal  than  our  own  muskets,  and  rifled  better  than  our 
own  muskets  did. 

One  of  them  was  sent  to  Cincinnati  and  one  to  Philadelphia  as  a  sample  to 
be  altered  by  way  of  experiment.  When  they  were  altered  they  were  returned 
and  examined;  and  Captain  Callender  made  an  official  report,  recommending 
that  they  should  be  altered,  and  I  am  pretty  sure  that  he  recommended  that 
they  should  be  altered  by  the  Cincinnati  manufacturer,  as  being  cheaper  than 
the  other,  and  at  the  same  time  answering  the  purpose. 

The  reason  he  did  not  alter  them  himself,  which  he  was  as  competent  to  do 
as  the  person  in  Cincinnati,  and  which  he  has  been  doing  since — for  from  the 
time  that  General  Fremont  left,  up  to  the  middle  or  last  of  December,  no  other 
arms  wc-re  sent  to  the  west,  but  Captain  Callender  was  engaged  in  rifling  these 
very  arms — the  reason  he  did  not  do  it  when  they  were  received  by  General 
Fremont,  and  while  General  Fremont  was  there,  was,  that  he  was  engaged  in 
rifling  Springfield  muskets,  of  which  there  were  several  thousands  to  be  rifled. 
He  had  but  one  rifling  machine,  which  would  rifle  about  60  a  day  ;  and  by  com 
putation  lie  found  that  he  could  not  rifle  more  than  enough  for  two  regiments  in 
a  mouth.  These  Austrian  muskets,  therefore,  were  sent  to  Cincinnati. 

Previous  to  that  quite  a  number  of  regiments  of  home  guards  were  supplied 
with  them.  I  remember  that  one  regiment,  which  was  about  ]  5  miles  out  from 
Sedalia  on  the  road  to  Springfield,  learning  that  a  car-load  of  these  altered  arms 
had  arrived,  marched  in  to  get  these  arms,  and  marched  back  again  the  same 
day.  Other  regiments  had  them  unaltered,  all  with  the  understanding  that  they 
were  to  be  exchanged  for  the  altered  ones  when  they  should  be  received. 

At  headquarters  in  St.  Louis,  taking  into  consideration  that  we  had  a  great 
many  foreign  soldiers  who  were  used  to  these  arms,  we  looked  upon  that  pur 
chase  even  at  first  as  being  a  very  excellent  one ;  and  when  it  was  found  that 
they  could  be  altered  and  made  a  very  good  weapon,  it  was  looked  upon  as  a 
very  economical  purchase  in  every  point  of  view.  As  they  cost  but  about  $11  50 
each  when. ready  to  be  put  finally  into  the  hands  of  our  soldiers,  it  was  looked 
upon  as  a  better  and  far  more  economical  arm  than  we  could  otherwise  get. 

Now,  with  reference  to  the  Hall  carbines,  about  which  so  much  has  been  said. 
I  know  nothing  about  their  purchase,  but  I  know  a  great  deal  about  their  issue.  1 
know  that  when  they  came  there  we  had  no  other  arms  for  our  cavalry.  The 
2d  Illinois  cavalry  regiment  were  supplied  entirely  with  Hall's  carbines;  four 
companies  of  Kansas  cavalry  were  supplied  with  them,  as  were  other  regiments ; 
and  500  of  them  were  sent  to  General  Pope,  in  North  Missouri,  to  be  issued  to 
home  guards  there.  They  were  issued  very  quickly  after  their  receipt,  and 
we  had  no  other  arms  for  cavalry  to  take  their  place. 

There  has  been  something  said  in  regard  to  a  matter  of  $'200  which  was  wanted 
by  Captain  Schwartz,  who  was  recruiting  a  battery,  for  recruiting  purposes.  He 
came  to  me  for  it,  and  I  told  him  we  had  no  money  at  headquarters.  I  sent 
him,  with  either  a  verbal  message  or  a  note,  to  the  proper  officer  who  was  the 
mustering  officer  at  the  arsenal.  He,  by  the  regulations  of  the  department,  was 
the  recipient  and  distributor  of  the  funds  for  recruiting  purposes  appropriated  by 
Congress.  But  he  had  no  funds.  In  the  absence  of  funds  in  the  hands  of  the 
mustering  officer  it  was  the  business  of  the  quartermaster's  department  to  ad 
vance  the  money.  But  the  quartermaster  had  no  funds,  and  there  were  no  funds 
in  the  department  except  the  funds  in  the  hands  of  the  paymaster. 

Captain  Schwartz  was  an  educated  artillery  officer  from  Baden ;  had  served  all 
through  the  revolution  there,  and  had  served  all  through  the  Avar  in  Nicaragua. 
His  first  officer  was  a  Swede,  his  second  officer  a  Dane,  both  of  whom  had  been 
decorated  for  gallantry  in  the  Schlesswig-Holstein  war ;  and  the  battery  they 
were  raising  promised  to  be  a  very  efficient  one.  This  was  early  in  August — 
about  the  13th,  I  think — and  the  general  was  very  anxious  to  have  the  battery- 
perfected,  and  the  only  way  was  to  order  the  paymaster  to  advance  the  $200. 


200  TESTIMONY. 

I  am  told  by  officers  who  were  in  the  Mexican  war  that  it  was  a  very  common 
thing'  there,  in  the  exigencies  of  the  war,  for  one  department  to  turn  over  funds 
to  another  department,  to  be  replaced  afterwards  when  the  other  department 
should  be  in  funds  again,  although  it  was  contrary  to  regulations.  The  exigen 
cies  of  the  service  in  Missouri  were,  I  presume,  what  induced  the  general  to 
make  that  order. 

In  relation  to  contracts,  I  know  a  great  deal  about  them.  We  found  a  beef 
contract  in  the  Missouri  department  which  had  been  made  with  some  parties 
there,  which  the  government  had  a  right  to  discontinue  at  any  time.  General 
Fremont  directed  the  captain  who  had  charge  of  the  commissary  department  to 
advertise  the  ordinary  time  for  proposals,  and  then  to  make  a  new  contract  with 
the  lowest  bidder,  with  certain  stringent  provisions,  among  which  was  one  for 
driving  beef-cattle  along  with  the  army,  so  that  we  might  have  less  weight  to 
transport  in  our  wagons.  The  contract  was  advertised  and  let,  and  it  was  done 
wholly  and  entirely  by  the  officer  in  charge  of  the  commissary  department.  Of 
course  the  general  directed  him  as  to  the  fact  that  he  should  advertise,  and  it 
was  let  regularly  to  the  lowest  bidder.  Captain  Hague  said  it  was  a  very  good 
contract.  Bo  far  as  that  department  was  concerned,  this  was  the  only  transac 
tion  in  the  way  of  contracts  that  was  ever  executed  in  the  department,  I  think, 
while  General  Fremont  was  there. 

I  think  that  in  the  ordnance  department  there  were  no  contracts  whatever 
issued  during  the  time  the  general  was  there,  either  by  his  order  or  by  Captain 
Callender.  There  were  a  great  many  propositions  for  contracts  for  furnishing 
shot  and  shell..  I  remember  very  distinctly  that  quite  a  number  were  placed  in 
my  hands  for  presentation ;  but  the  general  gave  orders  after  the  first  was  re 
ceived  to  send  them  all  to  Captain  Callender,  which  was  done. 

In  the  matter  of  guns,  field  artillery,  of  which  the  department  had  very  little, 
it  became  necessary  to  order  some  made.  There  was  no  contract,  but  Green 
wood,  of  Cincinnati,  had  made  guns  for  the  State  of  Indiana,  and  the  general 
ordered  him  to  make  some  guns  for  him.  He  appointed  an  officer  to  examine 
them,  to  see  that  they  were  well  bored,  &c.  The  pi-ices  were  to  be  the  same  as 
charged  to  the  State  of  Indiana,  of  which  no  complaint  had  been  made.  Then 
some  parties  in  St.  Louis  offered  to  cast  some  bronze  guns.  Their  propositions 
were  all  referred  to  Captain  Callender.  I  do  not  think  he  made  a  contract  with 
them,  but  he  gave  them  an  order  to  furnish  some  bronze  guns. 

In  the  matter  of  small  arms,  pistols,  sabres^  muskets,  carbines,  and  those 
smaller  weapons  that  come  under  the  supervision  of  the  ordnance  department, 
there  was  no  contract  made  for  them,  because,  of  course,  it  could  not  be  filled  : 
but  orders  were  made  direct  to  parties  in  New  York  and  Philadelphia  to  purchase 
them.  This  was  to  save  time,  for  to  have  made  requisitions  would  have  necessi^ 
tated  the  going  around  by  way  of  Washington,  and  would  have  taken  a  long 
time.  They  were,  accordingly,  ordered  direct  from  the  parties  by  telegraph. 
That  I  believe  is  about  the  state  of  facts  in  reference  to  the  ordnance  department. 

In  reference  to  the  quartermaster's  department,  I  know  positively  that  there 
never  was  but  one  contract  made  at  headquarters,  and  that  was  made  by  Captain 
Turnley,  who  had  been  assigned  to  the  general  as  quartermaster  upon  his  staff. 
We  were  overrun  with  proposals  to  buy  horses ;  every  one  seemed  to  want  us 
to  buy  horses.  We  made  a  computation  one  day  and  found  that  we  had  had 
offers  in  a  very  short  time  for  50,000  horses.  There  was  a  proposition  came  to 
General  Fremont,  through  General  Asboth,  for  some  parties  to  furnish  a  thousand 
horses  from  Canada.  The  proposition  was  first  made  .in  New  York,  as  I  sub 
sequently  learned.  But  I  first  heard  of  it  in  St.  Louis  when  General  Asboth 
introduced  Mr.  Sacchi  to  me.  He  had  previously  introduced  him  to  the  general. 
Mr.  Sacchi's  proposition  was  to  furnish  3,000  horses  from  Canada.  It  was  very 
clear  that  he  could  not  furnish  Canadian  horses  up  to  the  government  standard 
of  height.  His  proposition  was  to  furnish  them  at  $150  each.  Finally,  as 
General  Asboth  was  very  anxious  to  have  some  Canadian  horses,  the  general 


TESTIMONY.  201 

directed  that  Mr.  Sacchi  should  be  allowed  to  furnish  1,000  horses,  at  $130 
each,  at  the  government  standard.  It  was  very  evident  to  General  Asboth  and 
myself,  who  discussed  this  matter  the  very  day  the  contract  was  executed,  that 
Mr.  Sacchi  never  could  execute  that  contract ;  that  the  price  was  too  low,  the 
standard  too  high,  and  the  time  was  too  short.  Subsequently  he  asked  for  an 
extension  of  time,  which  General  Fremont,  upon  my  recommendation,  refused. 
He  then  asked  permission  to  furnish  the  horses  from  somewhere  else,  which  the 
general  refused.  Finally,  Mr.  Burling,  or  Betting,  the  purchaser  of  the  contract, 
from  New  York,  brought  fifty  horses  there.  Captain  Turnley  requested  Mr. 
Eeeside  to  inspect  them,, and  he  passed  two  only.  It  is  fair  to  say  that  only 
two  horses  were  delivered  under  contract.  The  fifty  horses  were  taken  by 
Captain  Turnley,  there  being  no  horses  in  St.  Louis,  and  General  Smith,  at 
Paducah,  being  in  want  of  horses ;  but  the  other  48  were  purchased  in  open 
market  after  being  rejected  under  the  contract.  That  was  the  only  contract  for 
horses  executed  by  the  direct  order  of  General  Fremont. 

There  were  several  memoranda  for  horses  made  by  Captain  Turnley,  but  they 
were  not  made  into  contracts.  The  government  was  at  liberty  to  take  five,  fifty, 
or  one  hundred  horses,  as  it  pleased.  The  Fremont  Hussars  were  buying  horses 
under  the  command  of  Major  Waring.  Their  officers  were  all  foreign  officers. 
Two  were  Austrian  cavalry  officers,  and  had  served  at  Solferino.  The  captains 
and  nearly  all  the  lieutenants  were  foreign  officers.  They  recruited  their  ranks 
very  quickly,  principally  from  the  foreign  population  of  St.  Louis.  They  were 
very  anxious  for  horses — good  horses.  They  came  to  General  Asboth  and  made 
strong  representations  for  good  horses,  which  they  could  not  get  at  the  quarter 
master's  department.  They  brought  there  two  or  three  horse  contractors,  and 
by  direction  of  General  Fremont,  through  General  Fremont  and  the  officers  of 
the  hussars,  Captain  Turnley  made  a  few  memoranda  for  horses,  the  horses  to 
be  inspected  by  Colonel  Morrill,  an  officer  of  the  United  States  army.  These 
memoranda  were  the  only  memoranda  of  horses  made  at  headquarters,  and  I 
think  that  perhaps  500  or  600  horses  were  delivered  under  these  memoranda. 
The  great  bulk  of  the  horses  bought  in  the  western  department  were  bought  in 
open  market.  According  to  a  report  that  has  been  made  of  the  number  of 
horses  bought  by  General  McKinstry,  made  by  his  chief  clerk,  a  few  of  which 
were  bought  before  General  Fremont  went  there,  there  were  some  6,000  horses 
bought,  of  which  only  some  200  or  300  were  bought  under  contract.  The  rest 
were  all  bought  in  open  market.  Of  these  6,000  horses  we  never  heard  any 
thing  connected  with  them  at  headquarters.  Major  McKinstry  bought  them  in 
open  market  as  he  pleased,  and  two-thirds  of  them  he  bought  from  persons 
recommended  by  Colonel  Blair.  And  I  will  state  in  this  connexion  that  we 
were  very  careful  in  St.  Louis  always.  We  found  the  city  full  of  secessionists, 
and  it  was  with  great  difficulty  that  we  could  get  our  baggage  carried  through 
the  streets  up  to  headquarters,  the  secession  feeling  was  so  strong.  We  exer 
cised  a  great  deal  of  caution  in  order  to  learn  who  to  deal  with.  We  required 
some  sort  of  certificate  about  every  man  we  dealt  with.  And  that  was  the  case 
in  regard  to  the  6,000  horses  bought  by  Major  McKinstry.  But  those  were  not 
all  the  horses  bought  there.  When  Captain  Turnley  first  came  there  he  made 
an  estimate  of  the  number  of  horses  and  mules  wanted.  As  I  had  had  some 
thing  to  do  with  horses  and  mules  for  several  years,  and  expected  to  have  some 
thing  to  do  with  the  transportation  there,  I  submitted  to  the  general  a  written 
statement,  objecting  to  the  use  of  horses  for  transportation  purposes,  and  urging 
the  use  of  mules.  .  I  objected  to  horses  being  bought  in  St.  Louis,  for,  though 
St.  Louis  is  a  good  mule  mart,  government  had  stripped  Missouri  of  all  good 
horses.  Captain  Turnley  made  an  estimate  for  some  three-quarters  of  a  million 
of  dollars,  sent  it  on  here,  and  it  was  approved  and  the  money  placed  to  his 
credit  in  New  York. 

At  the  time  we  went  down  to  Cairo  I  talked  with  the  general  about  buying 
stock,  and  made  some  representations  to  him  about  the  difficulty  of  getting  good 


202  TESTIMONY. 

stock,  the  possibility  of  getting  it  good  if  he  dealt  promiscuously  with  any  and 
every  inan  who  had  stock  to  sell,  and  the  total  folly  of  endeavoring  to  get  good 
horses  by  contract.  I  urged  the  general  to  select  some  person,  as  an  inspector 
of  horses,  to  inspect  all  that  Avere  wanted  for  the  western  department.  I  recom 
mended  Mr.  John  E.  Reeside,  of  this  city,  for  that  purpose.  I  had  had  a  great 
deal  to  do  with  stock,  and  I  had  found  Mr.  Reeside  the  best  judge  of  horses  I 
ever  saw ;  and,  as  I  wanted  to  favor  the  interests  of  the  western  department, 
I  recommended  this  man,  though  he  was  no  friend  of  mine.  The  general  sent 
for  him,  and  gave  him  a  commission  to  inspect  horses.  I  also  urged  the  general 
to  buy  all  his  horses  in  Ohio  and  not  in  St.  Louis.  Mr.  Reeside  went  to  Ohio, 
where  I  knew  he  could  get  good  horses,  and  from  there  shipped  horses  to  St. 
Louis,  and  all  the  best  horses  we  had  in  St.  Louis  came  from  Ohio.  Two-thirds 
of  the  horses  used  by  the  body-guard  were  Ohio  horses,  and  they  performed  re 
markably  well.  Their  march  from  the  time  they  left  camp  in  the  morning,  on 
one  occasion,  fought  their  battle,  and  returned  to  camp,  was  ninety-two  miles, 
without  hardly  loosing  a  girth,  and  not  a  horse  was  hurt.  The  battle  of  Fred- 
ericktown  was  an  artillery  battle,  and  the  horses  there  were  Ohio  horses,  and 
so  on  through  the  department ;  wherever  you  found  good  cavalry  horses  per 
form  good  service  they  were  almost  generally  Ohio  horses.  The  State  of  Mas 
sachusetts  bought  all  her  horses,  as  we  bought  Ohio  horses.  In  reference  to 
other  contracts  in  the  quartermaster's  department,  General  Fremont  stated  he 
would  have  as  little  to  do  with  contracts  as  possible  ;  and  when  people  sent  in 
propositions  they  were  almost  universally  sent  to  the  quartermaster's  depart 
ment  without  their  being  shown  to  General  Fremont,  unless  there  was  some 
thing  special  about  them.  There  were  a  great  many  propositions  for  all  sorts 
of  articles.  There  was  one  particular  proposition  that  was  presented  at  head 
quarters  for  a  long  time.  Mr.  Gurney,  of  Chicago,  recommended  by  a  great 
many  of  the  first  men  of  Chicago  and  Illinois,  and  Mr.  How,  an  ex-mayor  of 
St.  Louis,  made  a  proposition  to  furnish  a  large  quantity  of  supplies  for  the 
army,  amounting  in  the  aggregate  to  three-quarters  of  a  million  of  dollars. 
They  were  around  the  headquarters  for  three  or  four  weeks.  That  was  about 
the  only  one  that  was  pressed  there.  The  rest  Avere  generally  satisfied  when 
they  Avere  refused,  and  Avent  aAvay.  I  think  this  one  was  pressed  for  two  or 
three  Aveeks.  Mr.  Gurney  saw  the  general  tAvo  or  three  times  about  it ;  and  it 
was  urged  by  Colonel  Blair  that  this  contract  should  be  made,  so  as  to  giA^e 
employment  to  the  Union  citizens  of  St.  Louis.  The  proposition  Avas  sent  to 
me  after  the  general  had  first  approved  it,  and  I  indorsed  upon  the  proposition 
a  recommendation  to  General  McKinstry  to  make  the  contract  if  the  prices  and 
quality  were  equal  to  those  he  generally  made.  General  McKinstry  refused  to 
make  the  contract,  stating  that  so  large  a  contract  for  so  much  money  should 
not  be  made  without  advertisement ;  but  it  is  a  significant  fact  that  some  six  or 
seven  days  General  McKinstry  did  giAre  an  order  to  Mr.  How  for  about  one- 
third  of  this  very  order,  amounting  to  about  $225,000.  I  doubt  if  there  Avas 
anything  Avrong  about  it.  General  McKinstry  had  a  memorandum  from  the 
general  to  furnish  supplies  for  fifteen  or  twenty  regiments ;  he  could  not  get 
any  supplies  from  Washington,  and  this  Avas  among  various  orders  that  he  gave 
to  get  these  supplies.  I  believe  that  is  about  all  the  details  I  haA^e  to  state  in 
regard  to  contracts,  except  that  it  AAras  not  the  policy  of  General  Fremont  at 
headquarters  to  have  anything  to  do  with  contracts. 

There  was  a  contract  made  for  the  manufacture  of  cars  ;  that  was  made  by 
General  McKiustry,  General  Fremont  directing  him  to  make  it.  Then  there 
was  a  contract  made  by  General  McKinstry  with  Mr.  Beard  for  fortifications  ; 
but  the  prices  and  eA'erything  connected  Avith  that  contract  Avere  regulated  by 
General  McKinstry.  I  recollect  very  distinctly  having  written  a  letter  in  which 
General  McKinstry  was  directed  to  make  the  contract,  the  prices  being  left  to 
him.  The  reason  for  making  that  contract  Avith  Mr.  Beard  Avas  that  the  officers 
in  charge  of  the  fortifications  were  getting  along  very  slowly,  and  it  was  neces- 


TESTIMONY.  203 

sary  to  get  some  one  else  who  would  carry  the  work  along  night  and  day,  as 
the  city  was  then  rery  disturbed,  and  it  was  deemed  necessary  to  have  some 
fortifications  and  mount  them  with  guns  to  control  the  city.  I  believe  I  have 
now  referred  to  all  the  material  contracts. 

By  the  chairman  : 

Question.  It  has  been  said  that  the  prices  paid  for  these  fortifications  were 
very  extravagant.  What  do  you  know  about  that  ? 

Answer.  1  know  nothing  about  that;  I  only  know  that  General  Fremont  also 
knew  nothing  about  tli£  prices.  I  do  know  that  in  the  order  which  I  wrote 
myself,  and  which  I  took  a  great  deal  of  pains  with,  because  I  wanted  to  be 
sure  and  protect  the  general  in  every  possible  way,  I  threw  upon  General  Mc- 
Kinstry  the  responsibility  of  fixing  the  prices.  But  as  to  the  prices  themselves, 
whether  they  were  high  or  low,  I  am  no  judge. 

Question.  What  else  do  you  know,  connected  with  that  department,  that 
would  be  of  interest  1 

Answer.  I  would  like  to  mention  one  fact  here  which  came  to  my  knowledge 
while  1  was  in  St.  Louis.  During  the  time  the  St.  Louis  arsenal  was  being 
threatened  by  the  secessionists,  when  there  were  30,000  of  the  best  Springfield 
muskets  stored  there,  which  the  secessionists  were  determined  to  get,  at  that 
very  time  this  arsenal  was  busily  engaged,  under  the  contract  of  Major  Ilagner, 
in  rifling  muskets  for  General  Buekner,  of  Kentucky,  for  the  Kentucky  State 
guards ;  and  those  arms,  after  being  altered,  were  sent  to  Kentucky  and  sup 
plied  to  the  State  guard.  That  information  I  received  from  Captain  Tracy, 
10th  infantry,  who  was  on  the  general's  staff  in  Missouri. 

When  we  went  to  St.  Louis  the  government  had  no  credit,  and  it  was  with 
some  little  difficulty  that  anybody  could  be  found  willing  to  trust  them.  The 
merchants  had  expected  that  the  secessionists  would  take  the  city,  and  they 
were  timid  and  afraid  to  trust  the  government.  That  will  account,  perhaps, 
for  large  orders  given  by  General  McKinstiy  on  particular  firms  he  may  have 
dealt  with.  1  know  that  was  the  fact,  so  much  so  that  officers  of  the  army  were 
unwilling  to  appear  alone  in  the  streets  with  their  uniforms  on. 

In  reference  to  Cairo,  I  would  say  that  the  question  was  agitated  at  head 
quarters  whether  the  general  would  go  himself  with  the  force  he  coulo\  muster, 
and  try  to  protect  the  place,  or  whether  he  would  send  out  all  the  force  he  had 
on  the  road  to  Springfield.  He  could  not  do  both  ;  that  was  the  opinion  at  head 
quarters.  Jeff.  Thompson,  the  rebel,  was  in  below  Cape  Girardeau,  in  the 
swamps ;  and  Hardee  had  come  up  to  Pocahontas,  in  Arkansas,  with  quite  a 
force  and  well  armed.  General  Pillow  had  landed  at  New  Madrid  with  a  large 
"force,  estimated  at  from  12,000  to  15,000  men.  And  the  three  were  threatening 
Cairo.  We  received  information  that  they  intended  to  cross  the  river  at  Com 
merce,  burn  the  bridges  on  the  Illinois  Central  railroad,  and  then  attack  Bird's 
Point,  and  so  go  on  and  attack  Cairo.  General  Fremont  persuaded  some  of  the 
German  troops  whose  time  had  expired — one  regiment  of  them — to  embark  in 
these  steamers  for  Cairo.  When  we  got  down  there  we  found  that  there  was 
only  one  regiment  at  Cairo,  and  those  were  three  months  men,  whose  times  were 
expiring,  and  they  were  about  being  paid  off.  Other  three  months  regiments 
were  paid  off,  and  were  about  reorganizing.  I  was  informed  by  Colonel  Wagner, 
at  Cairo,  at  the  time  we  landed  there,  that  there  were  only  some  600  men  under 
anus  there.  Others  had  Been  allowed  a  parole  to  go  home  before  join  ing  for  the 
war.  I  doubt  if  it  is  known  to  the  public  at  all,  the  fact  I  have  stated  about 
there  being  but  600  men  under  arms  at  Cairo  then.  Of  course  we  did  not  allow 
that  to  get  out  at  that  time. 

Question.  What  was  the  force  of  the  enemy  then  threatening  the  points  along 
there  ? 


I 
204  TESTIMONY. 

Answer.  We  never  could  ascertain  exactly.  Jeff.  Thompson,  as  near  as  we 
could  understand,  had  about  3,500  men.  He  was  in  a  secession  portion  of  the 
country,  and  there  was  a  railroad  from  Bird's  Point  out  to  where  he  was.  Then 
Hardee's  force  we  could  never  fully  ascertain;  as  near  as  we  could  learn  he  had 
some  6,000  or  7,000  men,  and  was  moving  up  from  Arkansas;  and  we  could 
never  fairly  determine  where  he  intended  to  operate.  But  if  he  and  Jeff.  Thomp 
son  had  united  their  forces  upon  Bird's  Point  they  could  have  captured  that 
place  and  Cairo  when  General  Fremont  went  down  there.  Then  at  the  same 
time  that  General  Fremont  took  this  force  to  Cairo,  on  the  very  day  he  re- 
turned  to  St.  Louis,  he  had  ordered  three  regiments  to  re-enforce  General  Lyon, 
one  from  Rolla,  one  from  Jefferson  City,  and  one  from  some  other  place.  They 
would  not  have  reached  him  in  season,  as  the  result  showed.  But  there  were 
three  regiments  ordered  to  his  assistance. 

Question.  It  has  been  stated  that  there  were  seven  thousand  or  eight  thou 
sand  men  in  North  Missouri  at  that  time  which  could  have  been  disposed  of 
for  the  assistance  of  General  Lyon. 

Answer.  I  think  there  were  four  regiments  in  North  Missouri,  a  portion  of 
them  guarding  the  North  Missouri  railroad,  and  a  portion  guarding  the  Hanni 
bal  and  St.  Joseph  railroad,  under  command  of  General  Pope.  General  Pope 
telegraphed  from  Quincy  to  General  Fremont  as  early  as  the  ISth  of  July  for 
permission  to  take  these  regiments  in  Illinois  and  go  up  the  North  Missouri 
railroad  and  take  possession  of  that  and  the  Hannibal  and  St.  Joseph  railroad. 
He  did -go  there  and  fight  one  or  two  small  battles.  The  rebels  had  burned  one 
or  two  bridges  of  the  Hannibal  and  St.  Joseph  railroad.  It  was  deemed  of 
great  consequence  to  keep  open  that  road,  as  it  was  the  only  reliable  means  of 
communication  with  Fort  Leavenworth  and  Kansas.  General  Fremont  could 
have  withdrawn  those  troops  from  North  Missouri,  but  it  was  believed  that  if 
he  did  so  the  whole  country  there  would  have  risen  in  arms  at  once. 

Question.  How  many  troops  could  have  been  withdrawn  from  there  at  the 
sacrifice  of  that  portion  of  the  State  ? 

Answer.  I  suppose  he  could  have  withdrawn  three  regiments.  I  think  he 
did  withdraw  three  regiments  after  the  battle  of  Springfield,  and  send  one  or 
two  of  them  to  Rolla.  But  he  would  have  left  these  roads  unguarded  and  per 
mitted  the  enemy  to  rise  there. 

Question.  If  he  had  sent  those  regiments  to  the  aid  of  General  Lyon,  would 
they  have  increased  his  force  so  as  to  have  made  him  strong  enough  to  stand 
against  Price? 

Answer.  It  was  not  supposed  at  headquarters  that  General  Lyon,  with  the 
force  he  had,  the  time  of  three  or  four  of  his  regiments  having  nearly  expired, 
would  fight  the  enemy  at  all,  but.  that  he  would  retire,  in  front  of  the  enemy 
and  let  Sigel  take  command  of  the  rear  guard  and  retire  as  Sigel  did  from  Car 
thage.  The  so-called  battle  of  Carthage  was  but  a  retreat,  the  enemy  having 
been  kept  at  bay  with  artillery.  General  Lyon  had  all  the  transportation  at 
his  end  of  the  line — one  hundred  and  seventy-five  six-mule  teams,  and,  I  think, 
one  hundred  and  twenty -five  two-horse  teams.  His  force  was  small,  and  he 
could  not  spare  any  of  his  troops  to  escort  this  transportation  back  again.  He 
kept  them  all  there,  and  that  prevented  the  other  regiments  from  having  the 
transportation  they  required,  and  which  they  would  have  otherwise  had  if  he 
could  have  spared  an  escort  to  take  it  back.  Knowing  these  facts,  it  was  sup 
posed  at  headquarters  that  he  would  retire  before  Price  until  General  Fremont 
could  have  the  opportunity  of  sending  him  re-enforcements,  and  then  take  the 
field  offensively  again  as  soon  as  the  re-enforcements  reached  him. 

Question.  What  have  you  to  say  about  General  Fremont's  dstentatious  dis 
play  and  exclusiveness  ? 

Answer.  So  far  as  the  matter  of  exclusiveness  is  concerned,  I  suppose  I  know 
more  about  it  than  anybody  else.  When  he  went  there  he  had  not  a  thorough  and 


TESTIMONY.  205 

efficient  staff,  and  he  was  obliged  to  attend  to  everything  that  came  up  with 
such  materials  as  l^e  had.  The  three  months  men  going  out  and  the  three 
years  men  coming  in  made  an  enormous  amount  of  work  at  headquarters.  For 
a  period  of  several  weeks  I  was  the  channel  of  communication  between  outsiders 
and  General  Fremont.  The  guard  were  stationed  below  at  the  stairs  leading  up 
to  his  office.  We  were  in  the  habit  of  rising  about  daylight  and  breakfasting 
after  we  had  done  considerable  work.  I  remember  one  day  in  particular  I  came 
down  about  half  past  ten  o'clock,  after  getting  my  breakfast.  My  office  was 
about  twenty  feet  off.  I  did  not  reach  it  until  half  past  two  in  the  afternoon ;  there 
were  so  many  there  who  had  to  be  disposed  of.  So  far  as  the  charge  of  exclusive- 
ness  is  concerned,  it  was  absolutely  necessary  and  essential  that  he  should  put 
some  guard  between  himself  and  the  public,  to  discriminate  what  business  should 
go  to  him  and  what  should  go  to  the  other  officers.  Nine-tenths  of  all  the  busi 
ness  went  to  other  officers.  But  volunteers  and  others,  not  understanding  where 
they  were  to  go,  assumed  that  everything  was  done  at  headquarters.  Soldiers 
who  wanted  passes  over  railroads,  or  who  wanted  to  get  into  the  hospital — in 
fact,  every  form  of  business  came  to  headquarters. 

Question.  Was  he  unreasonably  exclusive  for  a  commanding  general  having 
such  a  department  under  him  ? 

Answer.  My  opinion  is  that  he  was  not  exclusive  enough.  That  was  my 
opinion  at  the  time,  and  I  have  never  changed  it.  I  considered  that  he  was  too 
anxious  to  accommodate  those  who  called  to  see  him.  So  far  as  ostentation  was 
concerned,  I  was  a  member  of  his  family  during  the  entire  time  he  was  in  St. 
Louis.  We  occupied  a  very  fine  residence  in  St.  Louis,  but  it  was  simply  be 
cause  a  relative  of  his  wife  offered  it  to  him  for  his  occupation  ;  and  doing  the 
business  he  did,  it  was  absolutely  necessary  that  he  should  eat,  and  sleep,. and  do 
his  work  all  under  one  roof,  and  that  necessitated  the  taking  a  large  house, 
where  he  could  have  all  his  officers  at  work  together.  For  a  period  of  five  weeks, 
while  I  was  there,  he  never  went  further  from  his  door  than  on  to  the  sidewalk, 
where  he  went  to  review  some  troops  that  had  arrived  and  wished  to  be  reviewed 
there  in  front  of  the  house.  The  house  was  a  very  fine  house,  and  he  took  some 
pains  to  take  care  of  it.  Zagoni's  horse,  which  was  intended  as  a  school  for  offi 
cers,  and  given  out  as  such,  in  which  were  a  great  many  gentlemen  of  education 
and  fine  attainments  who  had  enlisted  in  the  ranks,  ten  or  eleven  physicians, 
graduates,  or  many  of  them — a  portion  of  their  duties  was  to  attend  about  head 
quarters.  That  was  as  much  for  the  good  of  the  men  as  to  take  care  of  the 
property.  At  the  same  time,  when  we  first  went  there,  it  was  necessary  to  have 
some  secure  and  safe  place  for  the  arms  of  the  guard,  for  we  were  afraid  the  city 
would  rise  and  break  out  in  rebellion.  Indeed,  General  McKinstry,  the  provost 
marshal,  reported  once  or  twice  that  they  intended  to  rise.  Tile  arms  of  the  guard 
were  put  in  a  room  in  the  basement  that  had  iron  shutters,  and  it  was  necessary 
they  should  be  there  to  guard  that.  I  never  saw  anything  in  the  way  of  osten 
tation. 

Question.  Do  you  know  any  reason  why  he  was  superseded  at  the  time  he 
was? 

Answer.  I  think  I  do.  We  all  had  a  conviction  on  that  subject  at  head 
quarters.  Not  that  I  ever  talked  with  the  general  about  it ;  but  we  on  the 
staff  all  had  the  conviction  that  the  primary  cause  of  his  being  recalled  was  his 
proclamation. 

Question.  Were  you  present  at  the  time  he  was  superseded  at  Springfield  ? 

Answer.  In  one  sense  I  was  present,  and  in  one  I  was  not.  My  tent  was 
near  that  of  the  general,  and  when  the  civilian  came  with  this  letter  from  Gen 
eral  Curtis  I  was  in  the  yard,  but  not  in  the  room  where  the  general  was. 

Question.  What  do  you  know  about  the  situation  of  the  enemy  at  that  time, 
whether  there  was  any  enemy  there,  arrd  how  near  the  enemy  was  ? 

Answer.  We  had  no  doubt  in  our  minds  that  the  enemy  were  near,  and  we 


206  TESTIMONY. 

subsequently  had  positive  testimony  that  the  enemy  was  near  us.  The  day  the 
general  was  superseded — I  think  it  was  Saturday,  the  2d  of  November — I  rode 
out  with  the  general  to  the  outer  pickets,  and  we  there  found  on  one  of  the 
roads  a  refugee  family  that  had  come  in. from  Wilson's  Creek.  We  talked  with 
one  of  them,  a  very  intelligent  man,  who  stated  that  he  had  left  home  in  conse 
quence  of  the  Texas  ranger  cavalry  coming  there.  Four  or  five  of  them  came 
to  his  house,  and  there  were  some  400  of  them  close  by.  Colonel  Richardson, 
who  had  charge  of  the  recruits,  told  me  positively,  several  times  over,  that  he 
was  satisfied,  from  what  his  scouts  and  spies  represented  to  him,  that  the  enemy 
were  marching  from  Cassville  to  Springfield  towards  iis  —his  spies  had  seen 
them. 

Question.  How  far  is  Cassville  from  Springfield  ? 

Answer.  I  do  not  now  remember  ;  I  have  forgotten.  The  day  that  he  was  su 
perseded,  Lieutenant  Max  Tosk  and  Mr.  Thompson  went  to  Price's  army  with  the 
convention  between  General  Fremont  and  General  Price  for  the  pacification  of 
the  State.  We  looked  upon  that  as  one  of  the  most  important  measures  that 
had  come  up  during  the  war.  General  Price  had  offered  to  confine  the  war  to 
the  regular  armies  in  the  field,  and  do  away  with  the  guerilla  fighting  entirely,  and 
that  no  man  should  be  disturbed  for  any  opinion  he  entertained,  if  he  did  not 
express  them  and  force  them  upon  the  public.  Documents  were  drawn  up,  and 
Mr.  Thompson  and  Lieutenant  Tosk  went  with  them  to  Price's  army ;  and 
when  they  came  back  they  stated  emphatically  that  it  was  the  intention  of  the 
enemy  to  fight  us.  Lieutenant  Tosk  said  he  overheard  conversations  between 
staff-officers  of  General  McCulloch,  in  which  they  expressed  their  intention  to 
give  us  battle,  and  that  they  were  on  their  way  to  do  so  ;  and  when  they  heard 
that  General  Fremont  was  superseded,  they  received  it  as  very  gratifying  intel 
ligence.  They  represented  their  army  as  being  very  large — -from  40.000  to 
50,000  strong.  There  was  no  doubt  upon  the  mind  of  any  member  of  General 
Fremont's  staff,  or  of  any  officer  in  the  army  that  I  conversed  with,  that  the 
enemy  were  close  at  hand  and  intended  to  give  us  battle. 

Question.  Had  General  Fremont  made  any  disposition  for  a  battle  1 
Answer.  When  General  Fremont  was  superseded  he  was  waiting  for  General 
Pope  to  come  up  with  his  troops,  the  most  pressing  orders  having  been  sent 
back  to  them  to  hurry  forward,  in  order  that  we  could  go  forward  and  meet  the 
enemy.  The  most  pressing  orders  were  sent  to  General  Hunter  to  come  up 
with  his  division.  But  General  Fremont  would  not  wait  for  him  after  General 
Pope  came  up.  When  he  was  superseded  on  Saturday  his  first  intention  was 
to  leave  on  Sunday  morning,  and  go  back  to  St.  Louis,  but  he  was  persuaded 
by  his  officers  to  remain.  There  was  a  written  request  presented  to  him,  signed 
by  the  principal  generals,  requesting  him  to  remain  until  General  Hunter  came 
up,  and,  I  believe,  involved  in  that  request  was  one  that  he  should  give  battle 
to  the  enemy.  He  decided  to  remain  until  General  Hunter  came  up.  On  Sun 
day,  when  it  was  supposed  the  enemy  was  close  at  hand,  he  called  a  conference 
of  the  leading  officers  in  his  command,  and  in  that  conference  all  the  dispositions 
in  reference  to  a  battle  the  ensuing  morning  were  made.  General  Hunter  came 
up  while  the  conference  was  in  session,  and  the  plan  agreed  upon  was  submitted 
to  him,  and,  upon  the  supposition  that  the  enemy  were  close  at  hand,  it  was 
believed  that  a  battle  would  ensue  the  next  morning.  General  Fremont  had 
insisted  to  lead  the  army  if  General  Hunter  had  not  come  up. 

Question.  Did  the  army  show  any  mutinous  disposition  when  it  was  ascer 
tained  that  General  Fremont  had  been  superseded  ? 

Answer.  There  was  no  mutinous  manifestation  on  the  part  of  the  soldiers  at 
all.  A  great  many  of  the  German  officers,  who  were  very  much  attached  to 
General  Fremont,  came  to  headquarters  and  expressed  their  sympathy  for  him, 
and  stated  that  they  were  very  sorry  to  part  with  him,  aud  one  or  two  made 


TESTIMONY.  ^    \  207 

speeches,  and  there  were  cheers  for  the  general.  But  I  saw  nothing  on  the 
part  of  the  officers  or  men  of  what  I  would  call  a  mutinous  disposition. 

Question.  What  was  the  bearing  of  General.  Fremont  in  regard  to  any 
demonstrations  that  were  made]  What  was  hia  course  of  conduct  on  being 
superseded  ? 

Answer.  He  seemed  very  much  relieved ;  was  much  more  pleasant  and  cheer 
ful  than  he  had  been  for  weeks  before.  He  issued  an  order,  through  Colonel 
Eaton,  relinquishing  the  command  of  the  army  to  General  Hunter.  He  then 
wrote  his  farewell  address  to  the  army,  and  both  of  them  were  printed.  We 
had  taken  a  little  printing  press  along  with  us,  and  had  got  a  detail  of  printers 
from  the  various  regiments  to  work  it,  and  had  found  some  type  and  printing 
paper  in  Springfield,  and  were  doing  the  printing  for  the  army.  That  order 
relinquishing  the  command  and  the  farewell  address  were  printed  and  circulated. 
General  Fremont  was  much  more  cheerful  than  I  had  seen  him  for  weeks  before. 

Question.  It  has  been  said  that  they  cheered  him,  and  made  very  strong  de- 
'anonstrations  in  his  favor,  and  perhaps  against  the  government,  and  he  bowed 
assent  to  it. 

Answer.  There  was  no  demonstration  of  soldiers  made  at  all  until  we  started 
out  of  Springfield  on  Monday  morning.  I  rode  out  with  the  general  then,  riding 
just  in  rear  of  him.  The  only  military  demonstration  was  made  by  the  Benton 
Cadets,  an  infantry  corps  he  had  raised,  intending  to  make  it  a  school  for  infan 
try  officers,  as  the  body-guard  was  for  cavalry  officers.  The  Benton  Cadets 
were  drawn  up  in  the  road  and  presented  arms  as  the  general  passed.  That 
was  the  only  military  demonstration  that  was  made.  We  did  not  pass  through 
the  different  camps,  but  as  we  passed  the  cadets  and  through  the  town  the 
soldiers  would  run  out  from  their  camps,  come  up  to  the  fence,  and  those  who 
knew  the  general  would  cheer  him.  So  far  as  regards  any  mutinous  conduct  on 
the  part  of  the  army,  I  never  saw  anything  at  all  of  it.  There  .were  some  few 
of  the  officers  who  felt  very  much  aggrieved,  who  felt  they  had  lost  everything, 
and  who,  in  a  private  way,  may  have  felt  for  the  moment  that  they  would  be 
willing  to  do  almost  anything.  But  it  was  one  of  those  momentary  feelings 
which  they  did  net.  give  expression  to  as  a  general  thing,  and  I  doubt  if  any  of 
that  came  to  the  ears  of  General  Fremont.  If  it  did,  I  am  perfectly  certain  that 
he  did  not  listen  to  it  for  an  instant,  but  promptly  rebuked  it. 

Question.  Are  there  any  other  matters  of  importance  you  desire  to  mention  1 

Answer.  Our  great  want  in  the  western  department  was  the  want  of  money, 
There  was  very  little  money  ever  sent  there.  A  great  many  things  could  have 
been  bought  cheaper  than  they  were  if  the  government  had  furnished  us  money 
to  pay  for  them.  The  quartermaster's  department  particularly  eould  have  dealt 
to  much  better  advantage  if  they  had  had  money.  But  not  having  it,  they  were 
under  the  necessity  of  dealing  with  those  who  had  money  or  credit.  In  regard 
to  extravagance,  I  am  of  opinion,  and  I  have  not  hesitated  to  express  that 
opinion  publicly,  that  the  western  department  during  General  Fremont's  admin 
istration  will  be  found  to  have  been  more  cheaply  administered,  so  far  as  regards 
dollars  and  cents,  than  any  other  department  of  the  army.  Our  provisions  cost 
less  than  anywhere  else ;  our  horses  cost  no  more  ;  the  transportation  of  the  men 
cost  no  more ;  the  arms  for  the  department  cost  no  more  than  they  did  any 
where  else ;  our  purchase  of  Austrian  muskets  was  a  very  economical  one. 
the  clothing  and  equipments  for  the  men  only  cost  the  additional  freight  from 
the  east ;  our  army  did  not  cost  half  as  much  as  any  other  army  of  the  same 
size  in  the  country,  for  the  reason  that  they  did  not  have  the  clothing — they 
never  were  properly  clothed.  I  have  here  copies  of  requisitions  made  from  every 
division  in  October  for  overcoats  and  blankets.  Not  one-half  of  our  army  had 
overcoats,  but  used  blankets  instead.  The  Benton  Cadets  went  all  the  way  to 
Springfield  without  overcoats,  and  so  did  the  body-guard ;  the  army  did  not  have 
them. 


208  TESTIMONY. 

The  provisions  that  we  consumed  between  the  terminus  of  the  railroad  and 
Springfield,  the  forage  and  hay  for  the  horses,  cost  next  to  nothing.  When  we 
got  it  from  secessionists  we  paid  nothing  for  it.  When  we  got  it  from  Union 
men  we  gave  them  printed  certificates  of  the  market  prices,  with  the  statement 
that  they  would  be  paid  if  they  proved  their  continued  loyalty.  The  army 
lived  on  about  half  rations  during  the  entire  march  from  Sedalia  to  Springfield. 
Every  mill  anywhere  near  the  line  of  our  march  we  took  possession  of.  We 
gathered  the  wheat  in  wagons.  We  had  millers  with  us  who  ground  the  wheat, 
and  the  army  was  fed  in  that  way.  In  Springfield  General  Asboth's  division 
was  fed  almost  entirely  on  corn-meal  and  beef.  The  rations  were  reduced  from 
2,200  and  odd  pounds  to  the  thousand  rations  down  to  800  and  odd  pounds,  so 
that  feeding  the  army  with  beef  at  3J  cents  per  pound,  and  corn  at  25  cents  a 
bushel,  made  it  very  cheap  supporting  the  army. 

In  the  matter  of  transportation  we  had  the  most  motley  assemblage  of  wag 
ons  that  ever  any  army  had.  We  had  ox  wagons,  two,  four,  and  six  yokes, 
horse  and  mule  wagons  of  every  kind.  We  had  government  transportation,  our 
own  transportation,  and  pressed  transportation.  However,  that  relates  rather 
to  the  question  of  speed  in  getting  over  the  road,  than  to  economy. 

A  great  deal  has  been  said  about  musical  directors,  adlatus,  &c.  General 
Fremont  had  no  staff  of  any  kind  allowed  him  by  the  government.  As  is  well 
known,  previous  to  this  rebellion  there  never  was  much  necessity  for  a  staff. 
A  major  general  by  the  law  of  July,  1829,  was  allowed  three  aids,  to  be  selected 
from  the  army.  The  War  Department  construed  that  "army"  meant  line  of 
the  army,  and  they  would  not  give  him  aids  out  of  the  various  departments 
that  had  been  charged  with  staff  duties.  I  was  a  captain  in  the  commissary 
department :  they  would  not  allow  General  Fremont  to  select  me  as  one  of  his 
aids.  When  General  Fremont  ordered  me  to  leave  St.  Louis  to  accompany 
him,  General  Halleck  threatened  me  with  arrest  if  I  went,  and  I  had  to  re 
main.  The  law  of  August  5,  1861,  allowing  major  generals  to  nominate  to  the 
President  for  appointment,  gave  as  many  aids  as  a  major  general  wanted.  Un 
der  that  law  General  Fremont  appointed  a  great  many  people  to  assist  him  ;  but 
he  did  not  appoint  them  in  the  sense  understood  by  the  public.  His  appoint 
ments  were  especially  and  particularly  contingent  upon  the  confirmation  of  the 
President.  He  complied  strictly  with  the  law.  And  having  selected  fifteen  or 
eighteen,  whatever  the  number  was  that  he  had,  it  became  necessary  to  assign 
to  them  certain  duties.  He  assigned  Colonel  Albert,  who  was  an  officer  of  four 
teen  years'  experience  in  the  Austrian  army — who  -had  fought,  I  believe,  in 
twenty-eight  pitched  battles — he  assigned  him  to  General  Asboth,  who  called 
him  an  adlatus,  which  means  an  aid  to  the  chief  of  staff.  Of  course  General  Fre 
mont  let  him  call  him  whatever  he  pleased.  Colonel  Albert  was  thoroughly  famil 
iar  with  all  the  routine  of  a  soldier's  duty.  Major  Darsheimer  was  assigned  to 
postal  duties.  Captain  Tracy  was  assigned  to  commissary's  duties.  He  did  no,t 
receive  any  commissary  stores  ;  he  made  no  contracts  ;  but  he  carried  the  orders 
to  those  who  did  provide  those  stores.  I  never  held  a  dollar's  worth  of  public 
property  in  my  hands  while  there.  As  a  staff-officer  I  avoided  that,  although  a 
captain  in  the  commissary  department.  I  was  simply  a  channel  of  communica 
tion  for  the  general's  orders  to  those  who  provided  the  articles  wanted.  I  never 
made  any  contracts  ;  I  never  was  ordered  to  do  so.  Captain  Waldaner,  on  the 
staff,  was  called  the  musical  director.  Congress  had  provided  for  the  enlist 
ment  of  twenty-four  musicians  for  each  infantry  regiment,  and  sixteen  musicians 
for  each  cavalry  regiment.  But  Congress  had  provided  no  way  to  obtain  the 
instruments  for  these  musicians,  and  there  were  continued  applications  for  them. 
Captain  Waldaner  was  directed  to  arrange  for  the  ordering  of  these  instruments, 
and  to  arrange  with  the  adjutants  of  the  regiments  to  take  charge  of  the  matter. 
And  so  on  with  the  different  officers  throughout  the  staff.  They  were  appointed 
under  the  act  of  August  5,  and  were  assigned  to  this,  that,  or  the  other  duty, 


TESTIMONY.  209 

so  as  to  subdivide  the  duty,  and  thus  give  greater  efficiency  to  the  staff.  It  is 
stated  in  General  Thomas's  report,  and  elsewhere,  that  members  of  General 
Fremont's  staff  were  interested  as  speculators.  As  I  was  with  the  general  from 
the  time  he  started  from  New  York  to  the  time  he  left  St.  Louis  to  return  east, 
and  as  I  knew  every  staff  officer  he  had,  I  am  as  conversant  with  the  facts  con 
nected  with  them  as  any  one  can  be.  And  I  state,  confidently,  that,  in  my 
opinion,  no  member  of  his  staff  ever  had  a  dollar's  interest  in  any  contract,  pur 
chase,  or  sale  ;  no  interest,  directly  or  indirectly,  in  anything  connected  with  the 
furnishing  of  supplies.  Captain  Haskell  was  not  a  contractor,  but  a  seller  of 
mules  to  the  government  before  he  went  on  the  staff.  I  know  he  did  not  want 
to  go  upon  the  staff,  and  did  not  know  lie  had  been  appointed  until  he  saw  it 
announced  publicly.  And  he  then  immediately  assigned  away  all  interest  he 
had  in  those  matters.  I  saw  him  every  day,  as  he  was  on  the  staff,  and  I  know 
he  tried  to  do  his  duty  to  the  general  and  to  the  country,  as  far  as  he  was  able. 
I  had  no  interest  in  contracts  at  all.  On  the  contrary,  I  probably  sacrifice^  as 
*much  as  any  man  ever  did  sacrifice  who  ever  went  upon  any  general's  staff  in 
this  country,  for  I  had  a  large  interest  in  Texas  before  the  war  commenced,  and 
there  was  a  great  deal  of  that  still  left ;  and  I  sacrificed  the  whole  of  it  that  I 
might  have  something  to  do  with  putting  down  this  rebellion — not  particularly 
in  going  upon  General  Fremont's  staff.  No  one  knows,  perhaps,  as  well  as  my 
self,  except  General  Fremont  himself,  of  the  economy  and  management  of  that 
department.  Let  me  refer  here  to  one  'matter  I  think  of  in  relation  to  the  Lex 
ington  affair.  It  has  been  said  that  General  Fremont  did  not  receive  a  man  who 
brought  news  that  Colonel  Mulligan  was  in  great  stress  and  danger,  I  know  more 
about  that  than  any  one  else.  When  General  Fremont  retired  at  night  we  were 
very  careful  to  allow  no  one  to  disturb  him.  If  anything  special  came  it  was 
brought  to  me.  About  twelve  or  Qiie  o'clock  at  night  the  guard  came  up  and  awoke 
me,  and  said  there  was  a  communication  from  captain  so-and-so.  I  looked  it 
over  and  saw  that  it  was  something  in  reference  to  Lexington,  and  that  we  had 
received  the  same  information  that  day  by  telegraph  I  said,  "  Tell  him  to  call 
in  the  morning."  He  was  very  pertinacious  to  see  General  Fremont ;  but  I 
sent  him  away,  as  we  had  already  received  the  same  information.  Now,  in  refer 
ence  to  sending  succor  to  Lexington,  I  had  the  copies  of  the  orders  in  my 
hand  ;  I  wrote  a  great  many  of  the  telegraphic  despatches.  I  know  that  Colonel 
Jefferson  C.  Davis  was  ordered  to  take  his  troops,  with  three  days'  rations  in 
their  knapsacks,  and  break  through  the  enemy's  lines  and  relieve  Colonel  Mul 
ligan.  Orders  were  sent  to  Sturgis,  and  Lane,  and  Davis  to  make  a  combined 
movement  for  the  relief  of  Lexington.  The  reason  why  those  orders  did  not 
succeed  was  because  Colonel  Mulligan,  according  to  our  views  at  headquarters, 
had  no  business  on  that  side  of  the  river.  He  ought  to  have  put  the  river 
between  him  and  the  enemy  before  they  took  his  steamers.  While  he  had  the 
control  of  the  steamers  he  should  have  put  his  men  upon  them  and  have  taken 
them  to  the  other  side  of  the  river,  where  he  could  have  united  with  Sturgis, 
and  then  with  him  he  could  have  again  crossed  the  river  and  joined  General 
Lane.  General  Sturgis  arrived  upon  the  river  bank,  but  had  no  means  of  cross 
ing,  and  had  to  leave- 
By  Mr.  Gooch : 

Question.  Did  Colonel  Mulligan's  orders  permit  him  to  do  that,  or  were  they 
peremptory — in  such  terms  as  to  exclude  him  from  doing  that  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir;  he  had  no  orders  in  reference  to  those  matters  at  all.  The 
movement  across  the  river  is  one  of  those  things  about  which  an  officer  must 
exercise  his  own  judgment.  That  is  never  provided  for,  except  when  an  officer 
is  ordered  to  hold  a  post  at  all  hazards.  Colonel  Mulligan  was  never  so  ordered. 

Question.  Do  you  know  the  order  to  Colonel  Mulligan  about  Lexington  ? 
Part  iii 14 


210  TESTIMONY. 

Answer.  Yes,  sir,  because  I  was  familiar  with  the  order  that  directed  him  to 
occupy  Lexington.  He  was  simply  directed  to  move  to  Lexington  and  occupy 
it.  It  was  one  of  those  points  which  it  was  not  considered  necessary  to  hold 
at  all  hazards.  I  did  not  see  that  order,  but  I  understood  it. 

Question.  Do  you  know  that,  by  the  terms  of  the  order,  he  was  authorized 
to  cross  the  river  if  he  had  thought  best  ? 

Answer.  I  know  that  as  well  as  any  man  can  know  it  who  has  never  seen 
the  order.  I  know  that,  according  to  his  instructions,  he  should  have  crossed 
the  river.  He  had  general  instructions  to  occupy  Lexington. 

Question.  Had  he  any  orders,  do  you  know,  to  hold  Lexington  at  all 
hazards  ? 

Answer.  Xo,  sir. 

Question.  His  instructions  were  general,  and  in  your  judgment  it  was  his  duty 
to  have  taken  the  other  side  of  the  river  1 

Answer.  I  do  not  put'  it  upon  my  judgment,  because  I  am  not  a  military 
man.  But  my  own  judgment  corroborates  the  judgment  of  military  men  on 
the  staff,  that  in  the  absence  of  positive  instructions  to  hold  the  place  at  all 
hazards,  it  was  his  duty  to  put  the  river  between  the  enemy  and  himself.  For 
instance,  Fort  Leavenworth  was  to  be  held  at  all  hazards  and  at  all  costs,  as 
essential  for  the  protection  of  that  section  of  country  there.  But  Lexington 
was  not  a  place  of  that  importance.  There  is  no  dispute  about  the  bravery 
with  -which  the  the  troops  fought  at  Lexington.  But  Colonel  Mulligan  had 
within  his  intrenchments  a  regiment  of  cavalry,  and  no  ^officer  in  defence  of  a 
post  wants  any  cavalry  inside  intrenchments  for  they  are  positively  an  incum- 
brance  and  not  a  benefit. 
Bv  Mr.  Covode : 

Question.  I  discover  that  you  are  familiar  with  all  the  transactions  there  ;  can 
you  tell  at  what  time  the  first  difficulties  took  place  between  General  Fremont 
and  the  administration  here,  or  the  parties  representing  it  ? 

Answer.  I  think  I  can  pretty  closely.  As  I  remarked  before,  the  general 
issued  his  proclamation ;  then  the  President  requested  him  to  modify  it.  He 
telegraphed  word  back  to  the  President  that  he  would  modify  it  if  ordered  to 
do  so.  The  President  ordered  the  modification.  Then  about  that  time  came 
this  difficulty  about  the  Howe  &  Gurney  contract.  There  was  a  great  pressure 
made  at  headquarters  to  have  that  contract  executed. 

Question.  Did  Colonel  Blair  want  this  contract  for  these  men  ? 

Answer.  They  were  indorsed  by  Colonel  Blair.  He  introduced  them  to 
General  Fremont.  He  was  their  channel  of  communication. 

Question.  Do  you  know  the  date  of  that  contract  ?  As  far  as  I  can  ascertain 
the  relations  between  General  Fremont  and  Colonel  Blair  were  'good  up  to  the 
24th  of  August,  judging  from  letters.  Now,  I  want  to  see  how  soon  after  that 
contract  was  refused  1 

Answer.  The  contract  was  not  refused  by  General  Fremont ;  but  General 
McKinstry  was  recommended  to  make  it  if  the  prices  and  qualities  were 
the  same  as  under  other  contracts.  But  General  McKinstry  refused  to  make 
that  contract. 

Question.  What  time  was  the  contract  refused  by  General  McKinstry? 

Answer.  I  think  it  was  the  25th  of  August  that  General  McKinstry  refused 
to  make  the  contract :  and  then,  singularly  enough,  on  the  6th  of  September, 
General  McKinstry  gave  this  Mr.  Howe  a  memorandum  to  furnish  10,000 
infantry  overcoats;  25,000  pairs  army  sewed  shoes;  5,000  uniform  coats; 
10,000  trousers;  15,000  drawers;  15,000  flannel  shirts;  20,000  pairs  stock 
ings  ;  5,000  blankets ;  5,000  haversacks ;  5,000  canteens,  cork  and  strap ;  50 
sergeant's  sabres ;  5,000  fatigue  overalls ;  5,000  infantry  hats,  trimmed ;  and 
5,000  blue  flannel  sackcoats.  After  he  had  refused  to  make  the  contract  with 


TESTIMONY.  .  211 

Howe  &  Gurney,  lie  then  gave  Howe  tins  memorandum.  You  could  not  say 
that  it  was  for  any  particular  number  of  men.  But  the  value  of  the  contract 
asked  for  was  about  three-quarters  of  a  million  of  dollars. 

Question.  Were  the  relations  between  General  Fremont  and  Colonel  Blair 
good  up  to  the  time  that  contract  was  refused  1  • 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Julian : 

Question.  Did  Blair  himself  apply  in  person  to  General  Fremont  for  the 
whole  of  this  contract  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  Colonel  Blair  was  one  of  the  very  few  men  who  was  al 
lowed  access  to  General  Fremont  at  all  hours.  The  sentinel  on  the  stairs  below 
had  a  list  of  persons  who  could  pass  up  at  all  times.  Colonel  Blair  could  walk 
up  at  any  time  to  see  General  Fremont,  or  any  of  the  family,  and  he  could  take 
others  up  with  him.  I  never  at  any  time  introduced  either  Mr.  Gurney  or  Mr. 
-Howe.  They  came  there  by  direction  of  Colonel  Blair. 

Question.  The  relations  between  General  Fro'mont  and  Colonel  Blair  were 
good  up  to  the  time  that  large  contract  was  rejected  ? 

Answer.    That  is  what  we  understood  at  headquarters. 

Question.  Did  you  discover  any  immediate  change  after  that  was  rejected  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  The  first  we  heard  were  rumors  from  outside  that  Mr. 
Blair  was  speaking  against  General  Fremont  among  the  citizens  and  people 
there. 

Question.    Did  you  hear  anything  of  that  before  this  claim  was  rejected  ? 

Answer.    I  cannot  fix  the  exact  date  in  my  mind.     But  Mr.  Blair  did  not 
come  to  General  Fremont  from  about  that  time.     I  think  he  was  getting  dis 
satisfied  previous  to  that  time,  but  it  culminated  in  that. 

Question.  In  what  way  did  General  Fremont  indicate  his  refusal  of  two-thirds 
of  the  contract  1  Did  he  do  it  by  enclosing  in  brackets  a  portion  of  the  offer  1 

Answer.  The  offer  was  an  offer  to  furnish  so  and  so.  General  Fremont  had 
made  some  lines,  or  scores,  or  marks  upon  it,  and  passed  it  over  to  me,  and  told 
me  to  send  that  to  General  McKinstry.  I  wrote  across  the  back  of  it  an 
indorsement  in  my  own  handwriting,  and  wrote  it  as  I  -did  all  other  indorse 
ments.  I  was  opposed  to  contracts  coming  to  headquarters ;  I  was  opposed  to 
people  speculating  and  making  money  out  of  the  government.  I  wrote  on  it 
that  General  McKinstry  was  recommended  to  make  the  within  contract,  and 
then  named  the  qualifications. 

Question.    Did  you  sign  General  Fremont's  name  to  it  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir.  I  carried  it  to  General  Fremont  and  he  wrote  his  name 
on  it. 

By  Mr.  Gooch  : 

Question.    That  was  an  offer  to  furnish  so  many  goods  ? 

Answer.    Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Do  I  understand  you  that  it  was  to  be  accepted  with  General  Mc 
Kinstry 's  approval  for  a  portion  of  it  1 

Answer.    For  one-third. 

Question.  It  was  not  approved  generally  by  General  Fremont  for  the  whole 
amount  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir ;  not  all  for  the  whole  amount,  but  recommended  for  about 
one-third. 

Question.    How  was  the  one-third  indicated  ? 

Answer.  He  made  some  marks  upon  it.  He  made  some  marks  upon  the 
margin,  and  indicated  that  one-third  of  that  was  the  amount  that  he  would  re 
commend  ;  except  some  articles  which  he  erased.  I  think  the  proposition  con 
tained  wagons  ;  I  know  it  contained  harness.  General  McKinstry  had  ordered 


212  TESTIMONY. 

all  the  wagons  that  were  wanted  j  or  if  it  did  not  contain  wagons  it  was  some 
article  that  General  McKinstry  had  enough  of  before.  General  Fremont  then 
indicated  upon  the  margin  one-third  of  what  was  left.  And  the  recommenda 
tion  which  I  wrote  and  which  he  signed  was  for  what  he  had  indicated. 

Question.  What  did  General  Fremont  put  upon  that  document  to  indicate 
that  he  was  willing  to  give  one-third  of  it  ? 

Answer.  They  wrote  a  proposition  to  do  so  and  so.  I  think  it  was  written 
upon  foolscap  paper,  and  it  came  to  General  Fremont  folded  so  that  it  would  go 
into  a  large  envelope.  He  drew  his  pen  through  certain  articles  which  he  had 
enough  of  already.  He  then  indicated  one-third  upon  the  margin  of  the  rest  of 
the  articles.  I  do  not  now  remember  the  exact  form  in  which  he  indicated  that. 

Question.  The  writing  which  he  put  upon  the  paper  conveyed  to  General 
McKinslry  the  intelligence  that  he  was  willing  a  contract  should  be  made  for 
one-third,  but  not  for  the  whole  1 

Answer.  That  is  my  recollection.  Then  the  indorsement  I  wrote  upon  the 
paper  covered  it  as  it  then  existed. 

Question.   With  the  limitations  General  Fremont  had  then  put  upon  it  1 

Answer.    Yes,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Julian  : 

Question.  You  do  not  remember  whether  General  Fremont  indicated  the  one- 
third  on  the  inside  by  writing  on  the  margin  or  by  marks  around  the  articles  ? 

Answer.  My  impression  is  that  he  drew  a  line  around  the  articles  and  then 
wrote  upon  the  side  some  words  to  indicate  that  he  was  willing  to  let  a  contract 
for  one-third  be  made.  Mr.  Blair  was  near  run  down  with  applications  ;  every 
body  wanted  his  recommendation.  And  for  the  first  three  weeks  when  Mr. 
Blair  was  friendly  to  General  Fremont  I  sent  to  him  a  dozen  times  to  know 
whether  such  and  such  a  man  were  good  men.  For  example,  a  refugee  by  the 
name  of  Morse  came  there  and  wanted  to  be  a  government  inspector,  and  wanted 
government  to  buy  horses  of  refugees  from  southwestern  Missouri.  I  required 
him  to  get  a  recommendation  from  Colonel  Blair,  which  he  did.  And  General 
Fremont  decided  that  he  would  discriminate  in  favor  of  refugees  who  were 
driven  from  their  homes  and  had  horses  and  mules  to  sell.  He  did  that  as  a 
matter  of  policy  to  create  good  feeling  in  the  State. 

By  Mr.  Covode: 

Question.  Did  Blair  continue  to  recommend  anything  after  the  failure  to  get 
this  large  contract  1 

Answer.  I  cannot  fix  the  exact  date,  but  about  that  time  friendly  relations 
between  them  were  broken  off. 

Question.  Who  recommended  you  to  General  Fremont  ? 

Answer.  Montgomery  Blair,  I  had  been  doing  business  for  his  department 
for  three  years. 

By  Mr.  Julian  :: 

Question.  He  knew  you  well  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  I  was  in  Charleston  on  my  way  to  Texas  when  Fort 
Sumter  was  bombarded.  I  immediately  came  north  and  volunteered  to  Judge 
Blair  to  do  anything  he  wanted  me  to  do.  I  went  over  to  Baltimore,  when 
communication  was  interrupted,  and  did  what  he  wanted  done  there,  and  then  I 
looked  around  for  further  opportunity  of  doing  something,  and  he  recommended 
me  to  General  Fremont,  who  did  not  know  me  at  that  time.  The  following 
from  my  official  report  as  directior  of  transportation,  made  to  General  Fremont 
in  November  last,  gives  the  facts  in  reference  to  many  important  matters  con 
nected  with  the  western  department : 


TESTIMONY.  213 


CONNEXION    OF    PACIFIC  AND  IRON  MOUNTAIN  RAILROADS,  AND  ITS  ADVANTAGES 
AS  A  MILITARY  MEASURE. 

Some  time  prior  to  the  date  of  my  appointment,  the  rails  had,  by  your  order, 
been  laid  down,  which  joined  the  Pacific  and  Iron  Mountain  railroads,  and  this 
connexion  being  made  to  pass  along  the  city  levee,  both  roads  had,  in  common, 
an  excellent  landing  on  the  Mississippi  river. 

The  connexion  of  these  two  roads,  completed  September  12th,  placed  at  your 
control,  for  use  upon  either,  the  entire  rolling  stock  of  both. 

ITor  moving  troops  up  the  Pacific  road,  which  is  the  longer  of  the  two,  only  a 
limited  number  of  cars  or  engines  could  be  borrowed  for  any  length  of  time  from 
the  Iron  Mountain  road ;  but  if,  on  the  other  hand,  there  had  arisen  a  necessity 
for  concentrating  troops  upon  Ironton,  it  could  have  been  done  with  great  rapidity. 
You  could  have  placed  several  regiments  upon  cars  at  Holla,  at  Syracuse,  or 
Jeffers%i  City,  (points  on  the  Pacific  road,)  taking  upon  the  same  train  troops 
from  Benton  barracks,  and  the  arsenal  in  the  city ;  while  steamers  from  points 
up  the  Mississippi  could  have  landed  their  forces  at  the  railroad  junction  on  the 
levee,  and  the  whole  have  been  moved  over  the  Iron  Mountain  railroad  to  their 
destination,  without  change  of  cars,  even  to  those  regiments  passing  through 
the  streets  of  this  city.  Trains  have  been  taken  by  us  from  the  arsenal,  along 
the  levee,  through  the  streets,  and  thence  over  the  Pacific  road  to  Jefferson  City. 

On  the  24th  of  September  two  Illinois  regiments  were  disembarked  from 
steamers  at  the  levee,  placed  on  board  the  cars  at  the  railroad  junction,  with  all 
their  equipage,  and  without  delay  from  the  want  of  wagon  transportation,  were 
taken  by  rail  to  their  destination  at  Ironton.  From  Ironton,  the  1st  Nebraska 
regiment,  Colonel  Thayer,  with  all  its  camp  and  garrison  equipage,  was  placed 
upon  the  same  trains,  and  taken  to  Syracuse,  on  the  Pacific  railroad,  halting,  as 
it  passed  through  the  streets  of  St.  Louis,  only  long  enough  for  the  citizens  and 
soldiers  to  exchange  congratulations.  Syracuse  was  the  rendezvous  for  General 
Mclvinstry's  division,  to  which  Colonel  Thayer' s  regiment  belonged,  and  it 
was,  at  the  date  I  refer  to,  the  western  terminus  of  the  Pacific  railroad,  as  Colo 
nel  Bissell  had  not,  at  that  time,  finished  repairing  the  railroad  bridge  over  the 
Lamine  river — destroyed  by  order  of  Governor  Jackson. 

TELEGRAPH  LINES. 

At  the  time  of  your  arrival  in  St.  Louis  there  was  no  telegraphic  communica 
tion  between  St.  Louis  and  Ironton,  or  along  the  line  of  the  Iron  Mountain 
railroad ;  none  from  St.  Louis  along  the  line  of  the  North  Missouri  railroad 
to  the  Hannibal  &  St.  Joseph  railroad  ;  none  along  the  line  of  the  southwest 
branch  of  the  Pacific  railroad  to  Holla,  and  none  west  of  Jefferson  City  on  the 
main  stem  of  the  Pacific  road.  The  telegraphic  corps,  organized  under  your 
orders,  consisting  of  two  companies,  completed  the  telegraph  line  to  Ironton, 
which  included  an  office  established  at  Jefferson  Barracks  ;  they  also  completed 
the  line  to  Holla.  Two  days  after  your  arrival  in  Jefferson  City,  the  telegraph 
corps  reached  headquarters  by  steamer  :  and  when  you  camped  at  "  Camp  Lily" 
they  opened  telegraphic  communication  with  St.  Louis  in  two  hours  from  the 
time  Captain  Smith  received  your  orders  to  connect  the  camp  by  telegraph  with 
the  railroad  depot.  The  communication  was  made  by  means  of  an  insulated 
copper  wire,  carried  upon  a  reel,  the  reel  mounted  on  two* wheels,  and  drawn  by 
one  horse.  The  wire  was  attached  to  the  line  at  the  depot,  and  uncoiled  upon 
the  ground  as  the  horse  was  driven  toward  camp,  a  distance  of  nearly  two  miles 
from  the  main  telegraph  line.  At  first  the  wire  was  allowed  to  remain  upon  the 
top  of  the  ground  ;  afterward  a  trench  was  dug  and  the  wire  buried.  Iinme-- 
diately  upon  your  leaving  Jefferson  City  the  telegraphic  company,  by  your 


214  TESTIMONY, 

orders,  commenced  repairing  the  line  between  Jefferson  City  and  Syracuse; 
they  also  erected  so  much  new  line  as  was  necessary  to  complete  telegraphic 
connexion  Mrith  Sedalia.  Then,  by  your  order,  they  commenced  repairing  the 
old  telegraph  line  from  Syracuse  to  Fort  Smith,  Arkansas,  which  had  been 
partially  destroyed  by  the  rebels.  This  line  passes  through  Warsaw,  Bolivar, 
and  Springfield.  Upon  your  return  from  Springfield  we  met  the  telegraph 
corps  at  the  town  of  Warsaw,  which  place  was  then  in  telegraphic  communica 
tion  with  the  headquarters  of  the  army  at  Washington.  As  the  poles  were  all 
standing,  and  but  little  of  the  wire  removed  between  Warsaw  and  Springfield, 
the  captain  of  the  telegraph  corps  informed  us  that  he  expected  to  place  Spring 
field  in  telegraphic  communication  with  St.  Louis  in  the  course  of  the  following 
week  or  ten  days. 

POST  OFFICES  AND  COMMUNICATION  BY  LINE  OF  STAGES. 

Immediately  upon  our  occupation  of  Warsaw,  the  post  office  in  that  t<>wn  was 
reopened  by  your  orders,  and  a  loyal  citizen  selected  to  take  charge  of  it  as 
postmaster,  under  the  general  supervision  of  Major  William  Dorsheimer,  of 
your  staff,  postal  director.  Under  your  specific  instructions,  I  re-established, 
in  wagons,  the  semi-weekly  mail  line  between  Warsaw  and  the  Pacific  railroad 
at  Tipton,  which  line,  after  a  few  days,  was  found  to  be  so  useful  to  every  de 
partment  of  the  army  that  you  ordered  it  increased  to  a  daily.  As  a  mode  of 
rapid,  regular,  and  frequent  communication  between  an  army  in  the  field  and 
the  base  of  its  operations,  the  advantage  of  a  daily  line  of  wagons  are  so  self- 
evident  that  I  need  not  comment  upon  the  establishment  of  this  line.  Under 
your  instructions  this  mail  communication  in  wagons  was  extended  southward 
as  the  army  progressed.  On  our  arrival  in  Springfield  we  reopened  the  post 
office  there,  as  had  been  done  in  Warsaw,  and  we  carried  to  the  people  in  that 
town  the  first  mail  they  had  received  for  four  months.  During  your  stay  in 
Springfield  the  mail  communication  with  Tipton,  by  way  of  Warsaw,  and  over  the 
line  herein  referred  to  was  regular  and  frequent. 

All  the  facts  connected  with  the  reopening  of  the  post  offices,  the  selection 
of  postmasters,'  and  re-establishment  of  the  mail  line,  were  communicated  from 
time  to  time  to  the  Post  Office  Department  in  Washington  as  they  occurred. 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT,  IN  THE  FIELD, 

Office  of  Director  of  Transportation,  Warsaw,  October  20,  1861. 
The  prescribed  blank  forms  (H)  are  now  ready  for  delivery,  to  be  given  in 
every  case  to  the  people  of  the  country  for  property  impressed  for  the  uses  of 
the  army.  Officers  in  charge  of  parties  impressing  are  directed  to  take  only 
wagons,  horses,  animals,  and  forage.  When  necessary,  they  will  impress  either 
horse,  mule,  or  cattle  teams,  as  the  emergency  demands;  but  will  not  take  loose 
animals  for  the  purpose  of  mounting  men  not  entitled  by  the  regulations  of  the 
service  to  ride.  They  will  prevent  all  depredations  upon  private  property  by 
the  men  while  in  the  execution  of  their  duty.  They  will  avoid  stripping  a 
family  entirely  of  their  wagons  or  animals,  unless  there  exists  imperative  neces 
sity  for  so  doing.  They  will  have  all  property  carefully  examined,  in  order  to 
take  none  but  what  is  in  good  order  and  suited  to  the  uses  of  the  army,  and 
everything  must  be  carefully  appraised  at  its  lowest  cash  value  by  two  compe 
tent  commissioned  or  non-commissioned  officers,  experts,  if  possible,  whose 
names  shall  be  entered  in  the  body  of  the  receipt.  The  owner  will  sign  the 
prescribed  form  of  oath  of  allegiance  on  the  back  of  the  receipt  before  its  issue. 
Every  officer  will  keep  correct  memoranda  of  the  name  and  address  of  the  par 
ities  from  whom  he  takes  property,  its  description,  value,  and  to  whom  each  re- 
•  ceipt  was  issued,  reporting  the  details  to  the  director  of  transportation.  Any 


TESTIMONY.  .  215 

officer  or  soldier  of  the  array  having  in  his  possession  any  animal  or  property 
belonging  to  the  people  of  the  country  will  report  the  same  to  the  quartermaster 
of  the  regiment,  who  will  report  to  the  brigade  quartermaster,  for  the  action  of 
the  proper  officers. 

I.  C.  WOODS,  Colonel  and  D.  O.  T. 

Official.  J.  H.  EATON, 

Acting  Assistant  Adjutant  General. 

(H) 

No. .] 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

Office  of  Director  of  Transportation,  Camp  near , ,  186  . 

Received  this  day ,  for  which  the  government  agrees  to  pay . 

•Total  to  be  paid  by  the  United  States  to  Mr. . 

Property  valued  by ,  appraisers. 

This  appraised  value  to  be  paid  to  the  owner  of  the  above  property  by  the 
government  of  the  United  States,  subject  to  the  conditions  indorsed  on  the  back 
of  this  receipt. 

Indorsement. — This  receipt  is  only  intended  to  be  binding  upon  the  govern 
ment  when  given  to  true  and  loyal  citizens  of  the  United  States,  whose  property 
we  have  been  compelled  to  take  by  the  exigences  of  the  service. 

The  property  of  all  those  who  have  in  any  way  aided  or  abetted  the  rebels 
is  forfeited  to  the  use  of  the  government  by  the  act  of  Congress ;  and  before 
this  claim  can  be  paid  satisfactory  evidence  must  be  produced  of  a  continued 

obedience  of  Mr. to  the  Constitution  and  laws. 

(Signed)  . 

WAGONS   AND    HARNESSES. 

Late  in  the  month  of  August  General  McKinstry  ordered  quite  a  large 
number  of  wagons  and  harnesses;  200  from  manufacturers  in  St.  Louis;  200 
from  manufacturers  in  Cincinnati;  450  from  D.  G.  Wilson,  J.  Childs  &  Co., 
Philadelphia;  200  from  J.  S.  &  A.  Abbott,  Concord,  New  Hampshire,  and  the 
governor  of  Massachuseits  was  requested  to  send  200  of  the  same  pattern  as 
furnished  to  the  Massachusetts  troops. 

The  wagons  from  Philadelphia  commenced  arriving  about  the  middle  Of  Sep 
tember,  as  they  were  on  hand  at  the  manufactory  when  ordered ;  but  the  wagons 
and  harnesses  to  fill  the  other  orders  had  to  be  made  after  receipt  of  the  telegrams 
from  General  McKinstry,  and,  with  every  desire  on  the  part  of  the  manufacturers 
to  urge  them  forward,  could  not,  with  a  few  exceptions,  commence  arriving  at  St. 
Louis  until  after  your  departure  from  the  city.  The  greatest  difficulty  encoun 
tered  in  providing  transportation  was  to  procure  the  requisite  number  of  har 
nesses.  The  shops  at  St.  Louis  were  engaged  in  making  cavalry  equipment 
and  artillery  harness  as  well  as  team  harness,  but  their  capacity  is  comparatively 
limited.  The  facilities  in  Chicago  and  Cincinnati  were  also  limited,  and,  besides, 
both  cities  had  large  orders  to  fill  for  infantry  equipments  for  their  State  troops. 
New  York  and  Philadelphia  have  been  the  only  places  where  we  could  procure 
any  large  amount  of  team  harness.  In  those  cities  we  were  fortunate  enough  to 
arrange  with  Betts,  Nichols  &  Co.,  of  New  York,  and  Lacy  &  Phillips,  of  Phila 
delphia,  large  army  contractors,  to  execute  orders  for  this  department  upon  the 
same  terms  as  executed  for  the  department  at  Washington. 

These  orders  have  been  filled  as  to  time  of  delivery,  and  very  faithfully  as  to 
the  quality  of  work. 

The  first  army  wagons  received  here  for  the  use  of  this  department  were 


216  TESTIMONY. 

manufactured  in  Indiana,  and  contracted  for  by  the  authorities  in  Washington. 
These  wagons  proved  to  be  made  of  inferior  material ;  the  poles,  perches,  and 
hounds  were  easily  broken  on  the  road;  none  of  which  complaints,  I  would 
state,  can  be  made  against  any  other  wagons  sent  to  this  department.  Those 
made  in  St.  Louis,  Cincinnati,  and  Philadelphia  were  good;  while  those  from 
Boston  and  Concord,  New  Hampshire,  were  very  superior  in  every  respect.  No 
harnesses  were  ordered  to  be  made  to  accompany  the  wagons  from  Indiana,  a 
very  serious  omission,  which  left  the  quartermaster's  department  in  St.  Louis  so 
short  of  transportation,  though  having  a  plenty  of  wagons,  that  up  to  the  time  of 
your  departure  from  St.  Louis  for  Jefferson  City,  September  27,  the  post  duty 
connected  with  moving  the  baggage  of  new  regiments  arriving  here  was  nearly 
all  performed  by  hired  teams,  because  the  quartermaster  had  not  the  organized 
transportation  at  his  command. 
/ 

AMBULANCES. 

Doctor  Buell,  of  the  sanitary  commission,  reported  to  you  in  September  that 
he  was  unable  to  find  more  than  one  ambulance  in  this  department.  A  requisi 
tion  was  made  upon  the  quartermaster's  department  in  Washington  for  quite  a 
number  of  both  two  and  four  horse  ambulances,  with  harnesses  complete,  but 
none  ever  came  forward.  All  that  were  procurable  in  St.  Louis  were  purchased, 
but  as  a  whole,  the  entire  army  under  your  command,  which  moved  from  Jeffer 
son  City  to  Springfield,  was  never  furnished  with  an  average  of  one  ambulance 
to  two  regiments,  because  they  could  not  be  had.  In  returning  from  Spring 
field  we  had  only  a  few  sick,  nearly  all  who  were  ill  from  fever  and  ague,  con 
tracted  along  the  line  of  the  Pacific  railroad,  having  recovered  in  the  clear 
mountain  air  of  the  Ozark  ranges,  in  which  you  campaigned.  We  made  an  ex 
cellent  substitute  for  an  ambulance,  putting  a  frame  of  light  plank  upon  four 
buggy  springs  in  a  common  wagon,  the  springs  were  floored  over,  and  then  two 
inclined  planes  were  raised  upon  this  floor  at  an  angle  of  about  thirty  degrees 
each,  which  enabled  six  persons  to  ride  comfortably  in  the  wagon.  This  sub 
stitute  worked  extremely  well  on  the  return  road  from  Springfield  to  Sedalia. 

OX  TEAMS  FOR  SUPPLY  TRAINS. 

During  our  stay  at  Warsaw  I  was  enabled,  under  your  orders,  to  make  an 
arrangement  with  Jones  &  Cartwright,  of  Fort  Lcavenworth,  to  sell  to  the 
quartermaster's  department  two  hundred  wagons,  one  thousand  or  more  yoke 
of  cattle,  who  were  to  be  broken  to  draught,  with  yokes,  bows,  chains,  and  wagon 
fixtures  complete,  being  the  same  transportation  they  had  used  in  the  Pike's 
Peak  trade.  I  also  secured  the  services  and  experience  of  that  firm  to  superin 
tend  the  hiring  of  competent  wagonmasters  and  teamsters,  while  all  the  details 
of  this  purchase  of  ox  teams,  the  prices,  the  terms,  &c.,  were  left  to  be  arranged 
by  Major  Robert  Allen,  quartermaster,  St.  Louis.  In  view  of  the  approach  of 
winter  and  bad  roads,  the  want  of  enough  organized  mule  teams  in  your  depart 
ment,  and  the  fact  that  ox  teams  can  haul  heavier  loads  at  much  less  expense, 
both  of  original  outlay  and  cost  of  maintenance,  I  considered  this  arrangement 
with  Jones  &  Cartwright  to  have  been  of  great  value  to  the  public  service  in 
this  department. 

FORWARDING  SHARPSHOOTERS  IN  WAGONS  FROM  BOLIVAR  TO  SPRINGFIELD. 

At  Bolivar,  on  the  evening  of  the  26th  of  October,  you  directed  me  to  prepare 
a  number  of  wagons  immediately,  and  to  have  the  sharpshooters,  under  com 
mand  of  Major  Holman,  sent  forward  in  them  to  Springfield  with  every  possible 
despatch. 


TESTIMONY.  217 

Tn  Compliance  with  this  order  I  prepared  nine  of  the  regular  army  wagons, 
by  placing  narrow  seats  for  the  men  between  the  bows  of  the  wagons,  the  latter 
being  left  standing  to  hold  on  by.  The  wagon  covers  were  removed.  Knap 
sacks  and  haversacks  were  packed  in  the  bottom  of  the  wagon. 

One  hundred  and  fifty  men  were  thus  placed  in  the  nine  wagons,  being  the 
whole  number  of  Major  Holman's  command. 

The  little  party  started  from  Bolivar  at  7  p.  m.  of  the  26th,  and  reached 
Springfield,  a  distance  of  thirty  miles,  at  daylight  the  next  morning,  Sunday 
where  they  found  and  relieved  the  garrison  of  twenty-six  men. 

PURCHASE  OF  WAGON  KEGS  FROM  WARDEN  OF  STATE  PRISON. 

The  warden  of  the  State  Prison  at  Jeffcrsox  City  manufactures  barrels,  half 
barrels,  and  kegs  for  the  St.  Louis  market.  . 

I  directed  the  post  quartermaster  to  accept  an  offer  he  made,  to  furnish  for 
the  use  of  the  army  five  hundred  of  the  five,  ten,  or  fifteen  gallon  kegs,  which 
we  needed  for  the  teamsters,  one  to  each  wagon.  These  kegs  were  to  be  paid 
for  by  our  transporting  to  St.  Louis  a  quantity  of  empty  barrels  and  half  bar 
rels,  which  we  could  and  did  easily  carry  in  the  hold  of  any  of  the  chartered 
steamers.  This  contract  gave  the  kegs  to  the  government  free  of  cost. 

SUPPLIES  OF  HAY  AND  GRAIN  AT  JEFFERSON  CITY  AND  TIPTON. 

As  a  consequence  of  the  large  number  of  animals  which  had  been  collected 
at  Jefferson  City,  amounting  to  several  hundreds,  the  surrounding  country  not 
being  well  stocked  with  oats  and  hay,  and  the  fodder  being  yet  unfit  for  food, 
the  forage  had  become  well  nigh  exhausted  even  before  our  arrival.  A  few  days 
after  we  reached  there,  the  forage  contractor  at  the  post  was  unable  to  fill  the  in 
creased  requisitions  upon  him.  The  new  crop  of  corn  at  that  date,  October  1st, 
was  too  green  to  be  fed  to  our  animals,  and  the  cavalry  horses  were,  as  a  con 
sequence,  put  upon  half  or  quarter  rations.  In  view  of  these  facts,  and  after 
numerous  complaints  from  the  officers  of  the  different  regiments,  Brigadier  Gen 
eral  McKinstry  gave  a  large  order,  October  1st,  for  oats  and  hay,  to  be  for 
warded  at  ouce  from  St.  Louis  to  Jefferson  City.  Under  his  directions  I  sent 
the  following  telegram: 

CAMP  LILY,  JEFFERSON  CITY, 

October  I,  1861. 

Brigadier  General  McKinstry  directs  me  to  order  you  to  send  at  once  one 
hundred  thousand  (100,000)  bushels  of  oats,  with  a  proportional  amount  of  hay, 
some  part  of  both  to  come  to-night  by  railroad,  the  other  by  boat. 

You  will  call  on  E.  H.  Castle  for  railroad  transportation,  and  on  B.  Able  for 
steam  transportation. 

I.  C.  WOODS,  Colonel  and  D.  O.  T. 
E.  L.  BEARD,  St.  Louis,  223  Main  street. 

The  railroad  trains  of  October  3  brought  a  little  oats  and  hay,  shipped  in 
compliance  with  the  telegram,  and  it  continued  to  arrive  there  daily  until  the 
10  tli  of  October,  at  which  date,  being  then  in  Tipton  myself,  I  ordered  further 
shipments  discontinued. 

The  army  commenced  leaving  Jefferson  City  on  the  4th  of  October.  Your 
headquarters  were  moved  forward  on  the  7th  of  October,  and  reached  Tipton 
on  the  9th,  by  a  three  days'  march.  On  our  arrival,  I  ordered  the  surrounding 
country  to  be  thoroughly  examined  by  our  forage  master  and  his  assistants,  in 
order  to  ascertain  what  was  the  supply  of  oats  and  hay  among  the  farmers. 
The  quantity  of  oats  and  of  old  corn  proved  to  be  inadequate  to  the  feeding  of  our 


218  TESTIMONY. 

stock,  as  was  the  case  in  Jefferson  City;  but  in  the  elapsed  time  between  Octo 
ber  1,  the  date  of  General  McKinstry's  order  for  oats,  and  the  9th  of  October, 
the  date  of  our  arrival  at  Tiptou,  and  owing  to  the  change  of  locality,  we  found 
the  new  crop  of  corn  was  fit  to  be  fed  to  our  animals.  Upon  the  10th  of  Octo 
ber,  the  day  following  our  arrival  at  Tipton,  by  your  order,  I  telegraphed  as 
follows  to  Major  Allen,  quartermaster  at  Saint  Louis : 

No.  13. 

TIPTON,  October  10,  1861. 

We  are  able  at  present  to  supply  ourselves  with  hay  here ;  no  more  should 
be  sent  to  Jefferson  City  until  their  stock  is  reduced,  as  they  lack  storage  for  it. 

I.  C.  WOODS,  Colonel  and  D.  O.  T. 

Major  ROBERT  ALLEN,  Quartermaster)  St.  Louis. 

No  oats  or  hay  were  ordered  from  St.  Louis  to  Tipton,  or  from  St.  Louis  to 
points  beyond  Tipton.  The  following  telegram  shows  why  a  limited  amount 
of  forage  was  ordered  from  Jefferson  City  to  Tipton. 

No.  160. 

TIPTON,  October  16,  1861. 

Your  surplus  mules  and  horses  will  come  forward  here.  I  have  ordered  the 
shipment  of  forage  from  St.  Louis  to  be  discontinued.  The  animals  will  be  col 
lected  here.  You  can  send  us  any  surplus  oats  or  corn  you  may  have. 

I.  C.  WOODS,  Colonel  and  D.  O.  T. 
J.  G.  KLINCK,  Quartermaster,  Jefferson  City. 

The  horses  and  mules  were  ordered  moved  from  Jefferson  City  to  Tipton, 
because  the  latter  place  had  been  made  the  depot  for  all  army  supplies.  The 
shipment  of  forage  from  St.  Louis  west  had  been  ordered  discontinued  on  the 
10th  of  October,  but  the  surplus  which  had  accumulated  at  Jefferson  City  had 
to  be  ordered  away  from  there,  or  it  would  have  been  spoiled  by  the  weather. 
By  this  time,  October  16,  a  fortnight  having  elapsed,  the  new  corn  at  Jefferson 
City  had  also  become  fit  for  feeding  to  animals,  if  used  sparingly. 

USE  OF  THE  PRISON  MECHANICS  AT  JEFFERSON  CITY. 

At  Jefferson  City  we  were  unable  to  procure  citizen  mechanics  for  the  needed 
repairs  of  wagons  and  harnesses,  or  for  the  shoeing  of  our  animals. 

There  were  few  public  shops,  fewer  workmen,  and  a  large  amount  of  work 
had  to  be  done  before  the  army  could  move' forward. 

In  this  condition  of  things,  by  your  order,  I  directed  that  a  contract  be  made 
between  J.  J.  Neville,  post  quartermaster,  Jefferson  City,  and  the  warden  of  the 
State  prison,  by  which  contract  the  army  were  enabled  to  have  the  benefit  at 
once  of  shops  and  mechanics.  Blacksmiths,  horseshoers,  carpenters,  wheel 
wrights,  and  harness  makers  were  provided  by  the  contract  from  among  the 
convicts  at  the  prison. 

The  work  done  at  the  prison  was  placed  under  the  superintendence  of  Mr.  E. 
Morgan  Davis,  of  Indiana,  whose  report  I  have  annexed,  (Exhibit  K.) 

After  the  departure  of  the  army  from  Tipton,  and  the  removal  of  the  stock 
from  Jefferson  City,  the  post  quartermaster,  Captain  Kliuck,  by  proper  notice, 
as  provided  in  the  contract,  discontinued  the  use  of  the  prison  labor. 


TESTIMONY.  219 

ST.  Louis,  November  12,  1861. 

COLONEL  :  Under  orders  from  you  I  went  to  Jefferson  City  and  established 
workshops  for  the  use  of  government.  These  consisted  of  blacksmith,  wagon- 
makers',  and  harness  shops,  in  which  were  employed  24  blacksmiths,  10  wagon- 
makers,  and  5  saddlers,  all  of  whom  were  convicts  from  the  State  penitentiary 
at  Jefferson  City. 

These  workshops  were  constantly  employed  from  the  time  they  were  started 
(October  2)  until  Friday,  November  8,  1861. 

The  contract  for  the  labor  was  made  by  Quartermaster  Neville,  under  your 
orders,  at  the  following  rates  per  diem:  Blacksmiths,  SI  50;  wagon-makers, 
$1  25;  saddlers,  $1;  and  there  was  of  their  time  consumed  in  government 
service  the  following:  24  blacksmiths,  717  days  in  all;  10  wagon-makers,  312 
days  in  all ;  5  or  6  saddlers,  161  days  in  all. 

From  the  above  is  to  be  deducted  for  short  hours  worked  the  following :  24 
blacksmiths,  1  hour  each  day  from  October  9  to  November  8,  79  J  days ;  10 
wagon-makers,  1  hour  each  day  from  October  9  to  November  8,  29  days ;  5 
saddlers,  1  hour  each  day  from  October  9  to  November  8,  14J  days. 

The  property  remaining  on  hand  I  have  turned  over  to  the  post  quarter 
master  at  Jefferson  City,  Captain  J.  G.  Klinck,  to  whom  a  complete  inventory 
was  given,  but  who  refuses  to  receipt  to  me  for  the  reason  that  1  have  hitherto 
acted  without  any  recognized  order  from  the  government. 

During  the  few  clays  preceding  the  closing  up  of  the  works  the  labor  was 
employed  upon  the  manufacture  of  the  parts  of  wagons,  harnesses,  &c.,  which 
could  be  sent  forward  to  any  train  in  motion,  and  would  be  sufficient,  in  every 
case  of  merely  partial  injury,  to  completely  repair  and  set  right  whatever  may 
have  been  damaged. 

Most  of  the  portions  prepared  for  repairs  of  wagons,  &c.,  have  been  handed 
over  to  trains,  and  have  been  consumed  in  the  service  of  the  army. 

All  which  is  respectfully  submitted. 
Your  obedient  servant, 

E.  MORGAN  DAVIS, 
Superintendent  at  Government  Workshops. 

Colonel  I.  C.  WOODS. 

In  Warsaw,  October  18,  I  had  the  honor  of  reporting  the  condition  of  the 
army  transportation  to  be  as  follows : 

First  division — Major  General  Hunter. 

13th  Illinois,  Colonel  Wyman 26  government  teams. 

14th  Illinois,  Colonel  Palmer 15  do. 

15th  Illinois,  Colonel  Turner 19  do. 

24th  Indiana,  Colonel  Hovey 11  do. 

26th  Indiana,  Colonel  Wheatley 16  do. 

6th  Missouri,  Colonel  Bland 7  do. 

Staff  teams 8  do. 

1st  Missouri  cavalry,  Colonel  Ellis 18  do. 

At  Tipton,  from  Holla 35  do. 

En  route  from  Rolla,  subsistence  trains  with  General 

Wyman 50  do. 


205 


Prior  to  the  17th  October,  the  day  of  my  leaving  Tipton  for  Warsaw,  the 
old  mules  came  by  railroad  from  Holla  to  supply  thirty-five  wagons  referred  to 


220  TESTIMONY 

in  my  report  as  "at  Tipton  from  Holla,"  belonging  to  General  Hunter's  division. 
Subsequent  to  that  date,  and  prior  to  trie  23d,  the  Douglas  brigade  regiment 
arrived  at  Tipton,  having,  in  addition  to  their  own  wagons,  twenty-live  for 
General  Asboth,  to  whose  division  they  belonged.  They  joined  General  Hun 
ter's  column,  en  route,  and  I  lost  sight  of  them  after  that  date. 

General  Hunter  also  procured  quite  a  number  of  wagons,  harness,-  and  mules 
from  the  quartermaster  at  Tipton,  prior  to  23d  October,  the  account  of  which 
was  never  forwarded  to  me,  but  which,  in  my  opinion,  must  have  increased  his 
means  of  transportation  enough  to  compensate  for  the  fifty  wagons  which  Colo 
nel  Wyman  was  to  have  brought  by  land  from  Holla,  and  which  never  reached 
General  Hunter's  division.  The  division  of  General  Asboth,  as  shown  by  the 
statement  enclosed,  was  not  supplied  with  enough  transportation  for  both  regi 
mental  purposes  and  field  train ;  but  this  deficiency  was  compensated  for  in  the 
facilities  offered  by  the  country  through  which  we^passed. 

FORAGE  FOR  THE  ARMY  WHILE  EN  ROUTE  FROM  TIPTON  TO  SPRINGFIELD. 

During  the  march  of  the  army  from  Jefferson  City  to  Springfield,  the  animals 
were  fed  with  oats,  corn,  or  hay  obtained  from  the  tanners  along  the  line  of  our 
march.  When  this  forage  was  taken  from  active  secessionists,  who  had  aban 
doned  their  property  either  to  join  Price's  army  or  upon  our  approach,  no  receipt 
or  form  of  acknowledgment  was  given  them  for  the  property,  but  when  taken 
from  Union  men,  or  from  citizens  who  claimed  to  be  law  abiding,  then  a  printed 
form  of  receipt  was  given  to  each  person,  after  an  appraisement  of  the  property, 
and  an  agreement  of  allegiance  signed  upon  the  reverse  side,  that  being  the  form 
instituted  at  Tipton,  for  issue  to  loyal  owners  of  property,  impressed  into  the 
service  for  hire  or  for  permanent  use. 

WANT  OF  TRANSPORTATION  AS  AFFECTING  THE  RATIONS  OF  THE  ARMY. 

In  consequence  of  the  scarcity  of  transportation,  the  advance  divisions  of  the 
army  were  very  short  of  flour,  bread,  coffee,  sugar,  and  some  minor  articles.  I 
was  unable  to  respond  to  the  requisitions  of  the  acting  chief  commissary,  Colo 
nel  Tracy,  for  means  of  transportation  for  the  rations  which  were  in  abundance 
at  the  depots  in  Tipton,  Jefferson  City,  and  Sedalia. 

To  remedy  this  want  as  far  as  possible,  I  aided  him  at  Warsaw  and  at  Yost's 
Station  in  his  endeavor  to  procure  mechanics  to  work  the  various  mills  he  found 
near  the  line  of  our  march.  I  furnished  also  means  of  transportation  to  gather 
in  the  wheat  and  old  corn  procured  by  thoroughly  examining  the  farm  houses 
and  out-buildings  as  we  passed  along. 

At  Springfield,  for  the  first  time,  the  new  corn  was  considered  in  a  fit  state  to 
be  ground  into  meal  for  the  use  of  the  troops.  Large  quantities  were  gathered 
and  so  ground  at  the  steam  mill  in  the  town,  which,  with  fresh  beef  and  salt 
found  in  Warsaw  and  Springfield,  formed  the  principal  food  of  the  soldiers. 

At  Warsaw  the  regiment  of  Colonel  Carr  was  supplied  with  flour  and  corn- 
meal  by  the  colonel  using  a  small  donkey  mill  near  their  camp.  Salt  was  found 
in  Warsaw  in  quite  large  quantities,  and  taken  possession  of  by  Colonel  Tracy, 
acting  chief  commissary  of  subsistence  on  your  staff,  and  some  considerable 
molasses  was  also  found  at  the  same  place,  and  taken.  The  steam  mill  in  the 
town  of  vVarsaw  was  worked  by  order  of  Colonel  Tracy,  with  millers  and  engi 
neers  taken  frem  the  regiments.  Post  bread,  of  unbolted  flour,  was  baked  in  an 
oven  made  or  found  in  the  town,  and  supplied  to  the  troops. 

By  a  concert  of  action  with  Colonel  Tracy,  acting  commissary  of  subsistence 
of  your  staff,  I  succeeded  in  getting  the  weight  of  our  rations  very  much  re 
duced.  By  your  approval  he  changed  the  proportion,  making  them  much  better 


TESTIMONY.  221 

adapted  to  otyr  wants.     By  the  new  army  regulations,  1861,  the  1,000  rations 
are  in  weight  as  follows  : 

Bacon 750.00  pounds. 

Bread 1,000.00  pounds. 

Beans 155.00  pounds. 

Rice 100.00  pounds. 

Coffee 100.00  pounds. 

guo-ar 150.00  pounds. 

Vinegar 92.50  pounds. 

Candles 15.00  pounds. 

Soap 40.00  pounds. 

Salt 33.75  pounds. 


2,436J  '  pounds  to  1,000  rations. 


In  the  last  requisitions  from  Colonel  Tracy,  made  upon  me  at  Springfield, 
and  which  I  transmitted  to  my  agents  in  Sedalia,  this  ration  was,  as  to  number, 
reduced  and  altered  to  the  following  proportions : 

Bacon,  2-7 214  2-7  pounds  to  1,000  rations. 

Bread,  2-7 285  5-7 

Coffee,  10-7 142  6-7 

Sugar,  10-7 214  2-7 

Candles,  7-7 17.50 

Soap,  3-7 17  1-7 

891  5J-7 

Regulation  allowance 2,  436 J 

Reduced  as  above 891  5J-7 


A  reduction  of  nearly  two-thirds ;  an  immense  saving  in  transportation,  and, 
in  the  same  proportion,  an  addition  to  the  mobility  of  your  army. 

I  ceased  to  act  officially  after  the  publication  of  your  farewell  address  of 
Saturday,  November  2,  and  since  that  date  have  taken  no  cognizance  of  the 
army  transportation. 

In  conclusion,  I  beg  leave  to  express  tie  opinion  that  the  army  you  left  at 
Springfield  was  capable  of  great  efforts  in  celerity  of  movement.  The  divisions 
of  General  Sigel  and  General  Asboth  have  earned  particular  distinction  in  this 
respect.  They  had  become  habituated  to  marching  with  little  baggage,  scanty 
transportation,  and  short  rations  ;  they  were  getting  familiar  with  camp  life 
generally ;  rain  and  bad  roads  were  no  strangers  to  them.  The  division  of 
General  Asboth,  more>  particularly,  had  learned  to  live  on  fresh  beef,  salt,  and 
corn  meal. 

SOME    CAUSES    OF    WANT    tyF    TRANSPORTATION. 

There  were  great  and  serious  delays  in  our  transportation  getting  forward 
from  the  railroad. 

When  once  the  wagons,  animals,  and  harness  were  at  Tipton  there  was  but 
little  energy  or  knowledge  of  the  business  shown  by  the  quartermaster's  de 
partment  there  in  organizing  teams  and  sending  them  forward  to  the  army.  My 
orders  to  the  quartermaster  were  frequent  and  urgent,  but  yet  the  delay  con 
tinued.  A  train  of  pack-mules,  for  one  item,  was  delayed  at  Tipton  a  fortnight, 
waiting  for  some  trilling  article  from  Saint  Louis.  These  pack  animals  were 
intended  to  accompany  the  advance  of  the  army,  as  a  means  of  transportation 


222  TESTIMONY. 

for  tlie  baggage  of  any  cavalry  scouting  party  moving  across  the  country  where 
no  roads  existed. 

This  comparatively  small  matter  of  the  pack  animals  is  referred  to  hy  me  as 
an  illustration.  The,  packs  were  furnished  in  Saint  Louis  before  you  left ;  the 
packers  and  mules  reached  Tipton  the  day  after  I  left  that  place  for  Warsaw, 
on  the  17th  of  October ;  yet  the  train  "was  met  by  us  at  the  Osage  river  on  the 
6th  of  November,  on  our  return  from  Springfield. 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

St.  Louis,  September  24,  1861. 

Allow  me  respectfully  to  recommend  to  the  attention  of  the  general  com 
manding  that  the  quartermaster  here  should  be  ordered  to  buy  no  more  horses 
in  Missouri.  The  nunjber  or*-hand  is  large  and  embarrassing,  and,  besides,  they 
can  be  bought  at  any  tinte  when  wanted,  I  would  state  that  I  believe  nearly  gr 
quite  enough  horses  have  already  been  bought  and  contracted  for  in  Ohio,  to 
mount  the  cavalry  and  supply  the  artillery,  while  for  transportation  purposes 
mules  are  preferable. 

I  would  also  respectfully  recommend  that  the  quartermaster  adopt  the  system 
of  advertising,  the  quartermaster  reserving  to  himself  the  right  of  rejecting  any 
or  all  bids  offered.  Wagons,  harness,  and  all  articles  needed  in  the  transport 
ation  department  should  be  bought  at  the  discretion  of  the  quartermaster, 
whether  to  be  purchased  in  open  market  of  responsible  men,  or  from  the  manu 
factories  at  regular  prices,  or  obtained  by  advertising  in  the  same  manner  as 
proposed  to  be  done  in  the  purchase  of  mules.  The  system,  as  adopted  by 
General  Meigs,  is  to  open  the  bids  when  a  day  is  fixed.  On  that  day  he  buys 
from  the  lowest  bidder,  takes  any  number  he  pleases  ;  on  the  following  day  the 
same  way  from  other  bids,  and  so  on,  thus  securing  his  animals  at  reasonable 
prices  and  keeping  entire  control  of  the  market. 
Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

I.  C.  WOODS,  Colonel  and  D.  of  T. 

Major  General  J.  C.  FREMONT. 

Indorsed  as  follows : 

Approved  and  Quartermaster  P.  T.  Turnly  ordered  to  comply. 
By  order  of  Major  General  Fremont, 

J.  H.  EATON, 
Colonel,  A.  D.  C.,  and  Military  Secretary. 

HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

St.  Louis,  September  25,  1861. 

Requisition  signed  acting  regimental  quartermaster  twelfth  Missouri  volun 
teers,  was  approved  by  you,  and  Captain  Bradshaw  or  'ered  to  issue  it. 

Other  requisitions  have  passed  through  my  hands,  and  been  approved  by  me, 
and  ordered  to  be  issued.  Other  requisitions  have  been  sent  direct  from  com 
manding  officer  to  Captain  Bradshaw  to  issue.  The  complications  which  must 
necessarily  result  from  a  divided  responsibility,  I  would  respectfully  suggest 
that  the  good  of  the  public  service  requires  that  all  requisitions  for  transporta 
tion  should  pass  through  my  hands  before  being  ordered  to  be  issued  by  Cap 
tain  Bradshaw.  Some  system  must  be  arranged  between  us. 
Respectfully, 

I.  C.  WOODS,  Colonel  and  D.  of  T. 
Captain  P.  T.  TURNLY, 

Assistant  Quartermaster,  United  States  Army. 


TESTIMONY.  223 

SEPTEMBER  26,  1861. 

Tbis  arrangement  is  right. 

Colonel  Woods  will  control  the  issue  or  management  of  all  transportation 
wagons,  ambulances,  steamers,  cars,  &c.,  and  pack  mules.  Captain  Bradshaw 
will  take  note  hereof. 

P.  T.  TURNLY,  Assistant  (Quartermaster. 

LOSS    IN    PURCHASES    FROM   WANT    OF    FUNDS. 

It  may  not  be  inappropriate  here  to  state  that,  in  my  opinion,  based  upon 
observation  and  experience,  where  the  cost  to  the  government  for  any  supplies 
furnished  to  the  army  of  the  western  department  has  been  increased  one  dollar 
by  the  combination  of  parties  in  interest  wishing  to  obtain  contracts,  it  has  been 
increased  ten  dollars  by  the  want  of  funds  with  which  to  make  the  purchases. 
In  the  department  of  transportation  this  want  of  funds  has  been  a  heavy  draw 
back.  Losses  have  arisen  from  a  want  of  proper  corrals,  from  improper  feeding, 
and  from  incompetent  attendance  upon  the  draught  animals  in  St.  Louis.  There 
has  been  a  want  felt  of  proper  shops  in  St.  Louis  for  shoeing  and  wagon  work. 
The  public  property,  in  many  cases,  has  been  exposed  to  damage  from  the 
elements  ;  with  the  inefficient  guard  maintained,  stampedes  of  the  animals,  and 
losses  therefrom,  were  not  uncommon. 

In  my  opinion,  too  much  stress  cannot  be  laid  upon  the  evils  which  the  with 
holding  of  money  from  your  department  has  caused  you.  Money  lies  at  the 
basis  of  the  most  simple  wants  of  the  soldier,  and  withholding  that  money  from 
the  executive  officers  here,  who  had  charge  of  supplying  those  wants,  has  com 
pelled  them,  as  a  first  step,  to  use  the  credit  of  the  government  or  to  do  without 
them.  Instantly,  when  they  attempt  to  use  credit,  the  control  over  all  supplies 
passes  from  the  government  into  the  hands  of  those  who  do  have  money,  or  into 
the  hands  of  merchants,  speculators,  banks  and  capitalists,  who  form  the  inter 
mediate  link  between  the  producer  and  the  government.  Money  must  be  used 
to  procure  goods  or  products  from  first  hands,  and  when  any  department  of  the 
government  ceases  to  have  money,  it  must  lose  connexion  with  the  producers, 
must  make  use  of  the  middle  men  as  a  substitute,  and  must  pay  dearly  for  its 
want  of  money  and  for  its  experience.  In  any  department  without  money, 
there  is  no  course  left  to  choose  between  high  prices  or  ceasing  to  move  the 
machinery  of  the  department. 

WASHINGTON,  February  14,  1862. 

GENERAL:  Since  my  official  report  to  you,  on  the  20th  of  November  last,  I 
have  seen  the  report  of  the  Van  Wyck  investigating  committee  of  the  House 
of  Representatives,  in  which  the  members  of  that  committee,  0.  H.  Van  Wyck, 
E.  B.  Washburne,  W.  S.  Holman,  R.  E.  Fenton,  H.  L.  Dawes,  and  W.  G. 
Steele,  have  put  their  names  to  the  following  statement,  on  page  96  of  their  re 
port  :  "  That  I  was  one  of  the  gang  of  California  patriots  who  hovered  like 
sharks  about  the  headquarters  of  the  commanding  general ; "  and  on  page  93, 
referring  to  a  horse  contract,  they  say :  "  Your  committee  believe,  from  the  tes 
timony  of  Captain  Turnly,  that  this  was  a  scheme  by  which  the  said  Colonel 
Woods  (who  was  denominated  on  the  staff  of  General  Fremont  'director  of 
transportation,')  intended  to  defraud  the  government,  and  that  he  found  in 
this  man  Sacchi,  in  the  language  of  Captain  Turnly,  '  a  good  person  through 
whom  to  work.' " 

The  facts  are,  general,  that  I  never  had  any  interest,  presently  or  remotely, 
pecuniarily,  politically,  or  otherwise,  in  any  purchase  or  sale,  made  to  or  for 
your  "  department,"  whether  made  by  contract  or  otherwise ;  never  from  any 


224  TESTIMONY. 

of  these  personal  considerations  did  I  recommend  any  man  or  men  to  you  for 
any  place  or  position,  civil  or  military,  during  my  connexion  with  the  "  depart 
ment  of  the  west,"  which  connexion,  I  am  proud  to  say,  commenced  with  its 
existence  and  continued  to  its  close. 

I  remain,  sir,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

I.  C.  WOODS. 
Major  General  J.  C.  FREMONT,  United  States  Army. 


WASHINGTON,  February  27,  1862. 

General  S.  D.  STURGIS  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  chairman: 

Question.  What  is  your  rank  and  position  in  the  army  1 

Answer.  I  am  a  major  of  the  4th  regular  cavalry,  and  a  brigadier  general  of 
volunteers. 

Question.  Did  you  serve  in  the  western  army  under  General  Fremont ;  and  if 
so,  in  what  capacity? 

Answer.  I  served  under  him  last  summer  as  a  major  of  cavalry,  and  subse 
quently,  from  the  early  part  of  September  until  his  recall,  as  a  brigadier  general. 

Question.  Will  you  state  in  your  own  way  your  connexion  with  that  army, 
about  what  time  you  joined  it,  how  long  you  were  with  it,  and  whatever  you 
deem  material  relating  to  it  ? 

Answer.  I  served  under  General  Fremont  from  the  time  he  took  command  of 
that  department  until  he  was  relieved  from  it.  I  went  from  Kansas  City,  in 
June,  with  a  force  of  about  two  thousand  three  hundred  men,  and  marched  to 
Springfield,  and  joined  General  Lyon  there.  After  General  Lyon  was  killed  I 
took  command  of  the  army  and  marched  it  to  Rolla.  From  there  I  went  to  St. 
Louis  to  look  after  the  interest  of  the  command,  and  was  put  in  command  of  the 
St.  Louis  arsenal. 

Question.  You  were  at  the  battle  of  Wilson's  creek,  at  the  time  General 
Lyon  was  killed. 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  What  amount  of  force  did  General  Lyon  have  there  1 

Answer.  He  had  about  five  thousand  men,  including  Colonel  Sigel's  column. 
That  column,  however,  took  but  a  small  part  in  the  fight.  The  fight  really  was 
conducted  with  about  three  thousand  seven  hundred  men. 

Question.  What  was  the  strength  of  the -enemy  at  that  time? 

Answer.  The  estimate  I  gave  in  my  report  was  twenty-three  thousand  men. 
I  took  the  lowest  estimate  that  was  made  of  their  force,  but  found  a  consolidated 
morning  report  placing  it  at  that  number. 

Question.  Do  you  know  what  was  the  condition  of  General  Fremont's  com 
mand  at  that  time  in  regard  to  his  ability  to  re-enforce  General  Lyon? 

Answer.  No,  sir,  I  cannot  say.  I  know  there  were  two  fine  regiments  at 
Rolla,  because  I  saw  them  there  as  I  returned  from  Springfield.  Without 
attempting  to  go  into  the  whole  analysis  of  the  matter,  I  should  think  that  for 
that  emergency  they  might  have  gone  to  Springfield.  And  I  think  if  they  had 
been  there  the  tables  would  have  been  turned  against  the  enemy,  because, 
although  we  held  the  field,  we  were  unable  only  from  weakness,  want  of  ammu 
nition,  and  a  general  want  of  numbers,  to  pursue  Price  and  his  army. 

Question.  Do  you  know  of  any  other  force  that  could  have  been  sent  to  the 
relief  of  General  Lyon  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir,  I  cannot  say  that  I  do. 

Question.  Do  you  know  what  disposition  General  Fremont  did  make  of  thoae 
two  regiments  at  Rolla  1 


TESTIMONY.  225 

Answer.  They  remained  at  Rolla,  and,  as  far  as  I  know,  they  are  at  Rolla 
yet.  I  found  them  there  after  the  battle,  and  I  know  they  remained  there  a 
long  time. 

Question.  How  for  is  Rolla  from  Springfield1? 

Answer.  We  were  some  six  days  marching  from  Springfield  to  Rolla.  It 
must  be  some  ninety  or  one  hundred  miles. 

Question.  Now,  in  your  opinion  as  a  military  man,  considering  that  the  dis 
parity  of  forces  was  so  great,  would  it  have  been  good  generalship  for  General 
Fremont  to  have  sent  those  two  regiments  on  from  Rolla,  or  should  General  Lyon 
have  retreated  before  so  immensely  superior  a  force  ? 

Answer.  I  think  General  Lyon  should  have  retreated  without  a  fight.  I  said 
so  myself  repeatedly.  T  voted  for  that.  I  told  General  Lyon  that  we  were  too 
weak  to  pretend  to  cope  with  the  enemy.  I  told  him  that  even  if  we  encoun 
tered  them  and  whipped  them,  it  would  lead  us  to  ruin  merely,  for  every  time  we 
encountered  them  we  would  become  more  and  more  weakened,  and  at  last  we 
would  have  to  surrender.  I  told  him  that  we  were  too  weak  to  hold  the  country, 
and  I  held  that  we  should  retreat. 

Question.  Is  it  your  opinion  that  it  was  the  duty  of  General  Fremont  to  have 
endeavored  to  re-enforce  General  Lyon  1 

Answer.  I  think  so,  as  long  as  he  did  not  withdraw  him. 

Question.  Had  General  Lyon  any  orders  that  compelled  him  to  remain  there 
and  fight  ? 

Answer.  I  think  not.     He  never  showed  any. 

Question.  You  still  adhere  to  your  opinion,  as  a  military  man,  that  it  was 
General  Lyon's  duty  to  have  retreated,  and  not  to  have  fought  1 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Do  you  know  what  was  the  condition  of  things  at  that  time  at 
Cairo  and  Pilot  Knob  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir.  1  had  come  up  from  Texas  to  Missouri,  and  had  never 
been  at  St.  Louis. 

Question.  Did  you  accompany  the  army  afterwards  to  Springfield  under  Gen 
eral  Fremont  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  that  is,  I  marched  by  one  road  converging  towards  his  line, 
and  joined  him  at  Springfield. 

Question.  What  was  the  condition  of  his  army  when  you  joined  him  at  Spring 
field,  and  before  he  was  superseded? 

Answer.  I  went  over  myself  to  visit  him  before  we  arrived  at  Springfield, 
and,  so  far  as  I  could  judge  of  the  army  as  it  marched,  I  should  judge  it  was 
in  good  condition. 

Question.  While  he  was  there  at  Springfield,  and  before  he  was  superseded, 
what  was  the  position  of  the  enemy  ? 

Answer.  That  is  very  difficult  to  say.  For  fear  I  might  be  asked  that  ques 
tion  I  have  brought  with  me  here  my  order-book,  which  I  brought  to  this  city 
with  me  for  another  purpose.  I  will  read  a  letter  which  I  wrote  to  General 
Fremont  on  the  same  day  that  I  joined  him  at  Springfield.  On  the  30th  of  Oc 
tober  I  was  stationed  at  Greenfield,  some  35  miles  from  Springfield.  On  the 
evening  of  the  30th  I  received  an  order  from  General  Fremont  to  repair  to 
Springfield  with  as  great  haste  as  possible,  and  not  to  regard  provisions ;  thaJ^f 
I  expected  to  be  in  the  battle  at  all,  I  must  make  haste.  I  marched  all  niJBfc, 
and  got  to  Springfield  the  next  day.  This  is  the  letter  that  I  wrote  that  morn 
ing  to  General  Fremont : 

"  HEADQUARTERS, 

"  Greenfield,  Missouri,  October  30,  1861. 

"  SIR:  I  have  the  honor  to  report  the  arrival  of  my  command  at  this  place 
yesterday  at  half  past  2  o'clock  p.  m.  We  found  a  rebel  flag  flying  near  the 

Part  iii 15 


226  TESTIMONY. 

court-house,  and  took  it  down  to-day.  It  will  be  replaced  by  a  United  States 
flag  presented  by  the  ladies  of  Greenfield. 

"  I  have  read  General  Lane's  despatch  to  General  Fremont,  and  have  to  say 
that  all  the  information  I  receive  goes  to  confirm  what  he  says  in  regard  to  the 
rebel  army  (combined)  being  prepared  to  receive  us  at  or  near  Neosho. 

"  I  remain  at  this  place  until  further  orders." 

This  letter  I  addressed  to  Colonel  J.  H.  Eaton,  General  Fremont's  assistant 
adjutant  general. 

Question.  How  far  is  Neosho  from  Springfield  1 

Answer.  I  take  it  to  be  80  or  100  miles. 

Question.  That  is  where  you  supposed  they  would  make  their  stand  1 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  We  got  to  Springfield  late  in  the  afternoon  of  the  next  day, 
the  31st  of  October,  a  distance  of  35  miles  ;  we  marched  pretty  nearly  all  night. 
The  next  day  after  I  got  there,  I  think,  (though  I  may  not  be  accurate  as  to 
dates,  and  may  mistake  as  to  a  day  or  so,)  General  Fremont  called  us  together — 
on  the  2d  November,  I  think.  He  stated  in  council  that  the  enemy  was  at 
Wilson's  Creek,  at  the  old  battle-ground,  and  proposed  his  plan  of  battle.  After 
we  got  through,  General  Hunter,  who  was  to  replace  General  Fremont,  arrived 
there.  General  Fremont  stated  to  General  Hunter  his  plans.  General  Hunter, 
without  saying  much — I  do  not  know  as  he  said  anything — walked  out,  and  in 
the  morning  he  countermanded  the  orders  to  move.  And  the  next  day  after 
that  he  took  an  escort  and  went  down  to  Wilson's  Creek,  as  a  matter  of  curiosity, 
to  see  the  battle-field.  I  did  not  go  myself,  but  the  general  impression  created 
upon  my  mind,  and  the  minds  of  all  of  us,  by  the  officers  who  did  go  along,  was 
that  the  enemy  had  not  been  there  at  Wilson's  Creek.  If  that  impression  was 
correct,  then  the  scouts  must  have  imposed  upon  General  Fremont. 

Question.  Did  you  understand  that  General  Fremont  had  sent  out  scouts 
there  who  had  ascertained  the  position  of  the  enemy  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir ;  but  I  took  it  for  granted,  as  we  always  had  our  scouts  out. 

Question.  Who  did  you  say  went  down  to  Wilson's  Creek  the  next  day  but 
one  after  General  Fremont  was  superseded  ? 

Answer.  General  Hunter,  with  an  escort,  and  many  officers  who  had  been  in 
the  battle  there  under  General  Lyou,  and  wanted  to  go  out  there  as  a  matter  of 
curiosity. 

Question.  What  day  of  the  month  did  they  go  out  there  ? 

Answer.  About  the  4th  or  5th  of  November ;  somewhere  about  that  date. 

By  Mr.  Julian : 

Question.  What  day  was  General  Fremont  superseded  ? 

Answer.  He  was  superseded  on  the  night  of  the  2d  or  3d  of  November.  Gen 
eral  Hunter  lay  over  one  day,  and  then  went  down  to  the  old  battle-field. 

By  the  chairman : 

Question.  How  long  was  it  after  General  Hunter  commenced  his  retreat  be 
fore  Price  commenced  to  advance  1 

Answer.  That  would  be  difficult  for  me  to  say.  I  am  not  sure,  from  anything 
I  know,  that  he  ever  did  advance. 

stion.  You  do  not  know  that  he  ever  advanced  at  all  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir ;  because  I  withdrew  with  the  army  to  Sedalia,  and  was  then 
gjordered  to  St.  Louis. 

Question.  Is  there  any  other  fact  that  is  connected  with  General  Fremont's 
administration  of  that  department  that  you  desire  to  make  any  statement  about? 

Answer.  No,  sir  ;  not  that  I  know  of.  I  am  not  as  well  posted  in  regard  to 
matters  as  one  might  think  I  ought  to  be,  coming  from  Missouri,  for  I  was  all 
the  time  in  the  field ;  and  people  not  there  might  very  likely  obtain  from  news- 


TESTIMONY.  227 

paper  reports  more  actual  knowledge  than  we  in  the  field  had.     I  am  very 
badly  posted,  indeed,  in  regard  to  matters  there. 

By  Mr.  Gooch  : 

Question.  Could  General  Lyon  have  retreated  from  Springfield  without  great 
danger  of  being  cut  off  by  the  enemy  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir ;  without  any  danger  whatever ;  that  is,  if  he  had  retreated 
in  time.  At  the  time  he  had  his  council  at  Dug  Spring,  he  could  have  retreated 
without  danger,  if  he  had  kept  right  on  in  his  retreat  from  Dug  Spring. 

Question.  How  l©ng  after  he  left  Dug  Spring  before  the  battle  of  Wilson's 
Creek? 

Answer.  The  battle  was  on  the  10th  of  August.  He  left  Dug  Spring,  I 
think,  some  two  weeks  before.  He  had  gone  beyond  Springfield  in  pursuit  of  the 
enemy,  and  had  pursued  them  as  far  as  Dug  Spring,  where  we  became  satisfied 
that  they  were  too  strong  for  us  to  attack  them.  That  was  some  30  or  40  miles 
from  Springfield.  We  there  determined  to  retreat  until  we  fell  in  with  re-en 
forcements.  I  told  General  Lyon  that  we  could  not  hold  the  country,  and  that 
we  should  retreat  as  soon  as  we  could.  He  said  that  there  was  no  hope  of  re- 
enforcements,  because  there  were  no  re-enforcements  to  send.  I  told  him  that 
we  should  then  retreat  as  soon  as  we  could.  We  then  started  for  Springfield, 
and  could  have  kept  right  on  to  Holla,  But  after  sitting  on  our  horses  for  three 
or  four  hours,  something,  I  do  not  know  what,  seemed  to  change  the  opinion  of 
the  general,  and  he  ordered  us  to  encamp  there.  And  after  a  day  or  two  had 
passed  the  enemy  came  up  in  strong  numbers  to  Wilson's  Creek  and  near  to 
Springfield,  and  then  it  was  too  late  to  retreat. 

Question.  It  then  became  necessary  to  fight  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  I  do  not  think  that  General  Fremont  should  be  held  re 
sponsible  for  General  Lyon  not  retreating ;  I  think  that  was  optional  with 
General  Lyon.  In  his  council  of  advisers  General  Lyon  laid  before  us  the  sub 
stance  of  every  document  he  had  in  regard  to  his  re-enforcements.  And  I  think 
it  was  altogether  optional  with  him  whether  he  should  retreat  or  not. 

Question.  Then,  if  I  understand  you,  you  give  it  as  your  opinion  that  Gene 
ral  Fremont  had  a  right  to  suppose  that  General  Lyon  would  retreat  if  he  found 
himself  unable  to  meet  the  enemy? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  I  think  so.  Without  knowing  anything  more  of  the  facts 
in  the  case,  I  should  take  that  for  granted.  If  I  had  been  in  General  Lyon's 
place,  from  all  that  I  know  of  his  instructions,  I  should  have  considered  that  it 
was  discretionary  with  me  to  remain  or  not.  I  might  say,  in  pursuance  of  the 
same  idea,  that  General  Lyon  said  he  had  called  again  and  again  for  re-enforce 
ments,  had  stated  that  the  enemy  were  collecting  in  large  numbers,  and  that 
re-enforcements  were  necessary ;  and  I  think  that  if  General  Fremont  did  not 
recall  him  under  these  circumstances,  when  he  could  not  re-enforce  him,  it  then 
must  be  considered  that  it  was  discretionary  with  him  to  withdraw  or  not  as  he 
thought  best.  General  Lyon  said  that  he  had  been  informed  from  headquarters 
that  re-enforcements  that  had  been  intended  for  him  had,  of  necessity,  been  di 
verted  to  other  points,  and  therefore  General  Lyon  said  he  had  now  no  hope  of 
re-enforcements. 

Question.  When  did  General  Lyon  have  that  information  ? 

Answer.  That  I  cannot  exactly  say. 

Question.  Was  it  before  he  came  back  to  Springfield  from  Dug  Spring  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  While  he  had  it  in  his  power  to  retreat? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.     This  information  he  gave  us  in  council  at  Dug  Spring. 


228  TESTIMONY. 


By  Mr.  Odell : 

Question.  Did  General  Lyon  send  to  General  Fremont  for  re-enforcements  in 
time  for  them  to  have  been  sent  to  him  before  the  battle  of  Wilson's  Creek. 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  I  take  it  so.  From  having  heard  so  often  of  his  having 
asked  for  re-enforcements,  I  take  it  that  they  were  asked  for  in  time  for  them  to 
have  been  sent,  if  there  had  been  any  to  send. 

Question.  Do  you  know  whether  General  Lyon  had  sent  to  General  Fremont 
an  account  of  his  exposed  condition,  his  danger,  and  his  necessities  1 

Answer.  General  Lyon  stated  that  he  had  done  so  repeatedly. 

By  Mr.  Julian : 

Question.  Do  you  know  whether  General  Fremont  had  any  re-enforcements 
to  spare? 

Answer.  No,  sir.  I  do  not  know.  I  had  not  been  in  that  part  of  the  State 
since  the  war  broke  out. 

By  Mr.  Covode : 

Question.  How  many  composed  the  council  at  Dug  Spring  1 

Answer.  I  should  think  about  fifteen  officers. 

Question.  What  was  the  general  opinion  there  ?  Were  there  any  others  than 
yourself  that  advised  a  retreat1? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir ;  it  was  unanimous.  The  only  question  of  difference  was 
as  to  which  way  we  should  retreat.  Some  wanted  to  fall  back  towards  Kansas — 
Fort  Scott ;  and  others  wanted  to  fall  back  to  Holla.  Colonel  Sigel  said  (and 
many  agreed  with  him  afterwards)  that  we  should  fall  back  to  Holla,  or  until 
we  should  meet  with  re-enforcements. 

By  Mr.  Gooch  : 

Question.  Were  you  ordered  to  relieve  Colonel  Mulligan,  or  to  re-enforce 
him  while  he  was  at  Lexington  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  From  whom  did  you  receive  that  order,  and  what  did  you  do  in 
pursuance  of  it  ? 

Answer.  I  was  ordered  by  General  Fremont,  while  I  was  at  Hudson,  on  the 
Hannibal  and  St.  Joseph  railroad,  to  repair  to  Lexington  by  way  of  Utica,  with 
all  the  infantry  and  artillery  I  had.  He  ordered  me  to  send  back  all  the  cavalry 
I  had,  and  to  advance  with  my  infantry  and  artillery.  I  had  no  artillery,  for  it 
had  been  ordered  away  by  General  Pope,  under  whose  immediate  command  I 
was.  I  started  at  once  with  all  the  infantry  I  could  get  together — some  1,100 
men.  We  left  the  railroad  when  we  got  to  Utica,  and  we  marched  night  and 
day,  I  think,  until  we  got  to  the  river  bottom.  We  had  heard  firing  the  day 
before,  but  having  no  cavalry,  I  was  unable  to  cut  off  the  enemy's  scouts,  who 
ran  ahead  with  information  of  our  approach.  The  consequence  was  that  before 
we  arrived  there,  the  enemy  made  a  desperate  effort,  and  got  possession  of  the 
boats,  and  threw  a  large  force  of  infantry,  3,000  strong,  over  into  the  timber 
before  I  got  there.  I  saw  then  that  I  could  not  get  across  the  river,  and  I 
accordingly  diverged  from  there  towards  Kansas  City. 

Question.  Why  were  you  instructed  to  march  without  your  cavalry  ? 

Answer.  That  I  do  not  know. 

Question.  Would  your  force  have  been  more  efficient  for  the  purpose  for 
which  you  were  sent  if  you  had  taken  your  cavalry  along  with  you  ? 

Answer.  If  I  had  had  a  little  cavalry — enough  to  have  cut  off  these  scouts 


TESTIMONY.  229 

that  we  saw  going  ahead  with  the  news — ten  or  fifteen  men  would  probably 
have  changed  the  whole  matter. 
By  Mr.  Odell: 

Question.  How  much  cavalry  had  you  when  you  received  your  orders? 

Answer.  I  had  had  three  companies,  but  my  cavalry  had  been  reduced  to 
half  a  company  by  orders  from  General  Pope.     But  General  Fremont  did  not 
know  that;  his  order  was  to  send  back  the  three  companies. 
By  Mr.  Gooch : 

Question.  It  would  have  been  of  no  service  to  you  to  have  taken  a  large 
body  of  cavalry — say  three  companies  1 

Answer.  No,  sir. 

Question.  Bflt  a  small  squad  of  cavalry  might  have  been  of  great  service  to 
you? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  I  do  not  think  General  Fremont  knew  the  exact  condi 
tion  of  my  command  at  that  time.  General  Pope,  under  whose  immediate  com 
mand  I  was,  had  taken  away  a  part  of  my  force  before,  and  had  taken  away  the 
last  piece  of  artillery  I  had.  General  Fremont  was  not  aware  of  that,  and  could 
not  have  been  expected  to  be  aware  of  it. 

By  Mr.  Odell : 

Question.  Where  were  you  at  that  time  ? 

Answer.  I  was  at  Hudson,  on  the  Hannibal  and  St.  Joseph  railroad.     I  went 
by  railroad  to  Utica,  and  then  marched  to  Lexington,  which,  I  think,  took  us 
two  days  and  two  nights. 
By  Mr.  Julian : 

Question.  Were  there  any  signs  of  mutiny  in  the  army  at  Springfield,  imme 
diately  after  General  Fremont  was  superseded  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir;  not  at  all;  not  the  slightest. 

Question.  Were  there  any  indications  of  a  disposition  to  refuse  any  longer  to 
serve  the  country  1 

Answer.  Not  that  I  saw ;  there  was  none  in  my  division.  I  heard  of  nothing 
of  the  kind,  except  that  I  did  hear  that  one  officer  (a  German)  broke  his  sword. 

Question.  Do  you  know  the  conduct  of  General  Fremont  in  relation  to  that 
demonstration  you  have  mentioned  1 

Answer.  No,  sir;  I  do  not;  I  do  not  even  know  that  the  demonstration  took 
place. 

Question.  You  merely  heard  of  it  ? 

Answer.  I  heard  of  it.  If  it  was  done  it  was  done  so  quietly  that  I  knew 
nothing  of  it.  I  saw  it  stated  in  the  papers,  but  I  saw  nothing  in  the  camp. 

By  Mr.  Gooch  : 

Question.  At  the  night  of  the  council — the  night  that  General  Hunter  arrived, 
when  the  battle  for  the  next  day  was  being  planned — did  you  suppose  the  enemy 
to  be  at  Wilson's  Creek,  or  in  that  vicinity  ? 

Answer.  At  that  time  I  supposed  the  enemy  to  be  at  Wilson's  Creek;  I  had 
no  doubt  of  it  all,  upon  the  simple  principle  that  I  supposed  the  commanding 
officer  knew.  I  had  just  arrived,  but  my  letter  from  Greenfield  to  General 
Fremont  showed  what  my  opinion  then  was,  based  upon  my  information  from 
my  scouts,  and  what  I  could  gather  up. 

By  Mr.  Julian : 

Question.  Do  you  know  what  was  the  belief  of  other  generals  and  officers  at 
that  time  1 

Answer.  I  do  not  know  that  the  matter  was  discussed  at  the  council.  I  am 
pretty  sure  that  it  was  not  discussed.  But  I  know  what  the  officers  said  the 


230  TESTIMONY. 

next  day ;  they  were  divided  in  opinion :  Some  said  the  enemy  were  there,  and 
some  said  they  were  not  there  at  all. 

Question.  But  at  the  time  of  the  council  ? 

Answer.  I  took  it  for  granted  that  the  enemy  were  there.  I  did  not  doubt 
that  at  all. 

Question.  Was  that  the  conviction  of  the  other  officers  ? 

Answer.  I  had  no  conversation  with  them  upon  the  subject,  but  I  took  it,  from 
the  tone  of  the  council,  that  the  most  of  them  thought  as  I  did  in  that  respect. 

By  Mr.  Odell : 

Question.  Would  not  that  follow  from  the  statement  made  by  the  general 
calling  the  council  of  the  necessity  for  it?  Would  he  not  give  a  reason  for  calling 
a  council  of  war  ? 

Answer.  I  do  not  recollect  his  explanation  exactly ;  but  it  was  to  the  effect 
that  he  had  information  that  the  enemy  was  there.  I  had  no  reason  to  doubt 
it,  and  whether  he  was  there  or  not  it  would  be  very  difficult  for  me  to  say  even 
now,  but  I  think  the  sequel  showed  that  he  was  not  there.  But  that  is  a  mere 
matter  of  opinion. 

Question.  What  force  would  have  been  sufficient  to  have  saved  you  at  Wilson's 
Creek? 

Answer.  I  think  if  General  Lyon  could  have  had  2,500  or  3,000  fresh  re-en 
forcements,  we  could  have  driven  the  enemy  out  of  the  country  entirely.  They 
were  staggered  when  we  left  them,  and  when  we  withdrew  from  the  field  there 
was  not  a  gun  fired  at  all.  But  we  had  no  means  of  advancing.  The  artillery 
horses  wer6  scattered  or  killed  and  wounded.  There  were  large  ravines  in  front 
of  us,  and  our  ammunition  was  exhausted.  If  we  had  advanced,  and  the  enemy 
had  found  that  our  ammunition  was  exhausted,  they  could  have  rallied  and  de 
stroyed  us. 

Question.  Do  you  know  of  any  force  that  could  have  been  sent  to  you  ? 

Answer.  There  was  no  force,  except  the  two  regiments  of  Colonel  Wyman 
and  Colonel  Stephenson  at  Holla,  that  could  have  been  sent  to  us. 

Question.  Was  there  anything  in  the  way  of  those  regiments  having  been 
sent  to  you  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir,  not  that  I  know  of;  but  I  am  not  posted  in  regard  to  that 
matter.  If  they  had  been  sent,  I  think,  myself,  it  would  have  changed  the  fate 
of  the  day. 

Question.  Do  you  not  think,  as  a  military  man,  that  they  should  have  been 
sent  to  you,  as  you  were  situated  ? 

Answer.  I  think  either  the  whole  army  of  General  Lyon  should  have  been 
withdrawn  or  he  should  have  been  re-enforced,  even  with  the  two  regiments  at 
Rolla.  I  know  of  no  reason  for  their  being  at  Rolla,  except  their  being  on 
their  way  to  Springfield.  But  there  may  have  been  other  reasons. 

By  Mr.  Covode  : 

Question.  Were  there  many  rebels  in  your  rear — between  you  and  Rolla — at 
the  time  you  fought  at  Wilson's  Creek  ? 

Answer.  No  armed  bodies. 

Question.  Had  you  not,  in  your  opinion,  advanced  too  far  without  knowing 
whether  you  would  have  re-enforceinents  or  support  ? 

Answer.  That  I  have  already  answered.  My  opinion  for  a  long  time  before 
the  fight  was,  that,  unless  we  were  re-enforced,  we  were  too  weak  to  hold  that 
country. 


TESTIMONY.  231 

WASHINGTON,  March  3,  1862. 

General  S.  D.  STURGFS  recalled. 

The  witness  said  :  I  forgot  to  state  when  I  testified  before,  that  the  day  after 
General  Hunter  assumed  command  at  Springfield  he  sent  a  reconnoitring  party 
out  to  Wilson's  Creek,  under  Colonel  Merrill,  which  established  the  fact  that 
there  was  no  enemy  there ;  neither  had  there  been  any  nearer  than  Cassville  for 
a  long  time. 

By  Mr.  Gooch : 

Question.  How  far  is  Cassville  from  Springfield  ? 

Answer.  Some  60  or  80  miles.  I  desire  to  state  that  I  received  the  order 
from  General  Fremont  to  join  him  at  Springfield,  on  the  31st  of  October,  the 
day  after  I  wrote  the  letter  which  I  have  read  in  evidence  here. 

By  Mr.  Chandler : 

Question.  Where  did  you  first  meet  General  Sigel  after  the  fight  at  Wilson's 
Creek  was  over  ? 

Answer.  At  Springfield,  where  I  called  a  council  of  war  after  dark  that  same 
evening. 

Question.  Was  his  force  so  utterly  demoralized  after  their  repulse  as  not  to 
be  able  to  render  you  any  assistance? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir ;  we  never  saw  his  force  until  we  got  within  three  miles  of 
Springfield,  when  we  met  a  part  of  it  coming  in  from  the  west,  under  Lieutenant 
Farrand,  of  the  regular  service. 

Question.  Were  Sigel's  guns,  after  being  captured  by  the  enemy,  brought  to 
bear  upon  your  force  during  the  battle J 

Answer.  Yes,  sir ;  they  were.     We  recognized  them  the  moment  they  were 
fired,  by  their  ammunition. 
By  Mr.  Gooch : 

Question.  How  many  men  had  General  Sigel  under  his  command  that  day, 
and  what  did  they  do  on  the  field  ? 

Answer.  He  had  of  all  arms  from  1,200  to  1,300.  That  included  three 
companies  of  cavalry  and  a  battery  of  artillery  of  six  pieces.  All  I  know  in 
regard  to  their  operations  is  what  I  gathered  from  the  officers  and  men  of  the 
expedition  afterwards.  We  surprised  the  enemy,  according  to  programme,  and 
drove  them  from  their  camp.  Then,  supposing  that  the  enemy  were  routed, 
General  Sigel's  men  went  to  the  camp  and  took  to  pillaging,  and  to  eating  the 
half-cooked  victuals  on  the  fires,  and  some  even  went  in  bathing  in  the  stream. 
And  while  they  were  disorganized  in  this  manner,  the  enemy  rallied  and  took 
their  battery  Ifrom,  them  and  routed  them. 

Question.  How  did  they  get  to  Springfield  ? 

Answer.  All  that  I  know  about  that  matter  is  that  General  Sigel  told  me  that 
he  himself  got  into  Springfield  with  ten  men,  and  that  his  men  had  retreated  by 
all  the  roads  they  could  find — meaning  by  that  that  they  had  got  scattered. 


WASHINGTON,  March  1,  1862. 
HORACE  A.  CONANT  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  chairman : 

Question.  What  has  been  your  rank  in  the  army  ? 

Answer.  I  have  never  been,  legally  speaking,  in  the  army.   I  had  an  informal 
appointment,  or  an  appointment  from  General  Lyon,  last  May,  on  his  staff. 


232  TESTIMONY. 

Question.  In  the  western  army  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Were  you  with  the  force  under  General  Fremont  at  Springfield  ? 

Answer.  I  was. 

Question.   At  the  time  he  was  superseded  by  General  Hunter? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  What  was  his  proximity  to  General  Price's  army  at  that  time,  as 
you  understood  it  ? 

Answer.  As  I  understood  it,  we  were  near  them.  1  have  a  little  memoran 
dum-book  or  journal  here,  which  I  made  at  that  time  during  our  trip.  I  went 
down  from  Kolla;  the  general  went  down  from  Sedalia.  Some  two  or  three 
days  before  General  Fremont  was  relieved,  [looking  at  his  memorandum-book,] 
on  October  30,  I  was  at  Wilson's  Creek  myself,  and  there  were  reported  at  that 
time  to  be  some  2,000  rebels  at  Flat  Creek,  some  45  or  50  miles  below  Spring 
field. 

Question.  When  was  General  Fremont  superseded  ? 

Answer.  He  received  notice  on  the  2d  of  November ;  but  General  Hunter  did 
not  arrive  until  the  evening  of  the  3d,  after  dark. 

Question.  Were  you  sent  out  with  any  scouts  to  ascertain  the  position  of  the 
enemy  1 

Answer.  I  was  not.  After  General  Hunter  took  command,  Colonel  Wyman, 
of  the  13th  Illinois  regiment,  was  made  provost  marshal,  and  I  acted  as  his  dep 
uty.  I  was  actually  provost  marshal,  for  the  colonel  was  sick,  and  I  was  obliged 
to  act  for  him.  The  day  that  General  Hunter  took  command  he  let  Major 
Wright  make  a  reconnoissance,  and  he  scouted  around  some  24  hours,  from  5  to 
25  and  30  miles  about  Springfield.  He  found  none  of  the  enemy  whatever,  but 
heard  of  their  being  within  10, 15,  or  20  miles  of  Springfield,  burning  haystacks, 
mills,  &c.,  in  numbers  of  from  100  to  300;  those  were  the  largest  numbers  we 
could  hear  of. 

Question.  Where  was  the  main  body  of  Price's  army  at  that  time  ? 

Answer.  We  understood  that  it  was  at  Cassville,  and  it  was  reported  to  Major 
Wright,  by  the  parties  with  whom  he  came  in  contact  in  his  scouting,  that  they 
were  retreating  from  there. 

Question.  Do  you  know  what  the  scouts  reported  whom  General  Fremont 
sent  out? 

Answer.  I  do  not,  from  my  own  knowledge.  But  the  general  impression  be 
fore  General  Fremont  was  relieved  was  that  the  enemy  was  in  force  in  large 
numbers  near  Springfield.  That,  I  think,  was  the  general  impression  of  the 
whole  army. 

Question.  Was  it  the  general  impression  that  there  was  to  be  a  fight  there  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  But,  in  your  judgment,  that  impression  was  erroneous  ? 

Answer.  I  could  form  no  judgment  of  it  until  after  General  Fremont  was 
relieved,  because  none  but  scouts  were  allowed  to  leave  the  camp,  and  we  were 
under  orders  to  be  ready  to  march  at  a  moment's  notice. 

Question.  Was  it  your  opinion,  up  to  that  time,  that  a  battle  was  imminent  ? 

Answer.  Having  been  in  the  battle  before  under  General  Lyon,  I  did  not 
think  that  Price  would  give  us  battle  where  the  forces  were  anything  like  equal ; 
but  at  that  time  I  had  a  belief,  based  upon  the  judgment  of  officers  in  command, 
that  we  were  to  have  a  battle.  General  McKinstry  made  an  armed  reconnois 
sance,  or  started  to  do  it,  on  the  first  day  of  November,  I  think,  with  a  brigade 
of  5,000  or  6,000  men,  but  he  was  ordered  back ;  and  I  remember  hearing,  at 
the  time,  Colonel  Eaton,  the  adjutant  general  of  General  Fremont,  rather  repri 
mand  him  for  taking  so  large  a  force. 

Question.  Is  there  anything  else  connected  with  the  administration  of  that 


TESTIMONY  233 

department  that  you  deem  it  material  to  state !  I  do  not  know  anything  of 
what  you  do  know,  so  that  I  am  unable  to  direct  you  at  all. 

Answer.  There  are  a  great  many  things  a  man  might  give  as  matters  of 
opinion,  having  been  associated  thoroughly  with  the  campaign ;  but  not  having 
had  access  to  the  documents  and  orders,  I  should  not  be  able  to  state  them  from 
positive  knowledge.  I  could  give  my  ideas  from  what  was  the  general  impres 
sion,  from  the  time  we  left'our  posts  at  Holla  and  Sedalia,  until  General  Fre 
mont  was  relieved. 

Question.  Are  you  a  military  man  ?     Have  you  had  a  military  education  1 

Answer.  I  never  was  in  a  military  school.  I  have  been  in  the  volunteer 
militia  of  the  State  of  Missouri  for  eight  or  nine  years.  I  was  unfortunately 
connected  with  the  expedition  under  General  Cross  that  went  out  after  Mont 
gomery  some  fifteen  or  eighteen  months  ago.  That  was  my  first  active  service. 

Question.  You  do  not  pretend  to  have  a  knowledge  of  military  science  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir ;  I  do  not  feel  that  I  have  any  great  military  abilities.  Still, 
I  think  there  are  a  great  many  men  outside  of  military  schools  whose  good 
common  sense  teaches  them  what  to  do,  as  well  as  a  West  Point  education. 

Question.  I  do  not  think  you  are  so  far  wrong  in  that  opinion.  Do  you  know 
anything  about  the  force  that  General  Lyon  had  at  the  battle  of  Wilson's  Creek  ? 

Answer.  It  was  within  a  few  hundred  of  5,000.  There  were,  I  should  judge, 
about  4,800  in  the  battle. 

Question.  What  was  the  force  of  the  enemy  that  he  had  to  encounter  there  ? 

Answer.  We  know  them  to  have  been  19,000  a  day  or  two  before  the  battle, 
and  we  had  every  reason  to  believe  that  they  were  re-enforced  by  3,000  or 
4,000  that  night,  making  their  force  something  like  23,000. 

Question.  General  Fremont  was  at  St.  Louis  then  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  How  long  had  he  been  there  previous  to  the  battle  ? 

Answer.  I  do  not  know  positively ;  I  should  judge  about  two  weeks. 

Question.  What  was  the  number  and  condition  of  his  forces,  at  that  time  so 
far  as  you  know  ? 

Answer.  I  suppose  he  had  something  near  10,000  men,  in  and  around  St. 
Louis,  that  could  have  been  ordered  off.  There  were  no  troops  in  the  State  at 
that  time  that  were  what  we  would  call,  in  military  parlance,  thoroughly 
equipped  and  ready  for  the  field.  A  great  many  might  have  had  equipments, 
but  they  had  no  transportation.  There  was  one  regiment  (Colonel  Stephen- 
son's)  which  General  Fremont  ordered  to  join  us,  but  they  disobeyed  orders, 
and  plead,  as  a  reason  for  doing  so,  that  they  did  not  have  transportation. 

By  Mr.  Odell : 

Question.  Colonel  Stephenson  disobeyed  orders  ? 

Answer.  I  said  he  disobeyed  orders.  I  know  we  got  a  copy  of  the  order 
from  General  Fremont,  after  General  Lyon's  death,  in  which  he  ordered  Colonel 
Stephenson  to  move  his  regiment  to  join  us,  and  Colonel  Stephenson  was  put 
under  arrest  for  disobedience  of  orders ;  but  he  was  afterwards  released. 

By  the  chairman : 

Question.  Was  there  a  necessity  for  General  Lyon  making  a  stand  there  at 
Springfield  and  fighting  a  battle  at  that  time  ? 

Answer.  It  was  so  decided,  after  a  thorough  consultation  of  all  the  officers 
having  any  command,  however  small,  from  a  battalion  to  a  regiment.  The  reason 
of  that  was  this :  we  had  gone  down  there  and  were  out  of  provisions  almost, 
and  after  the  battle  of  Dug  Spring  we  fell  back  upon  Springfield,  and  were  in 
no  condition  to  retreat.  There  were  narrow  defiles  in  the  Ozark  mountains 
where  it  was  almost  impossible  for  one  wagon  to  pass  another.  We  could  not 


234  TESTIMONY. 

withstand  an  attack  there  by  their  forces,  and,  in  the  judgment  of  the  officers 
the  only  course  left  was  to  attack  the  enemy. 

Question.  You  say  you  were  out  of  provisions  ? 

Answer.  We  had  but  few  provisions.  We  had  sent  a  train  to  Holla  for  pro 
visions,  and  were  grinding  corn  in  the  mills  in  the  neighborhood  to  sustain  the 
army. 

Question.  Could  you  have  sustained  many  re-enforcements  there  ?  How  would 
you  have  got  provisions  for  re-enforcements  if  they  had  come  1 

Answer.  We  had  a  train  of  over  one  hundred  wagons  at  Rolla,  which  was 
detained  there  by  negligence,  I  might  say. 

Question.  By  whose  negligence  1 

Answer.  It  is  hard  for  me  to  say.  But  we  then  supposed  it  was  through  the 
negligence  of  Major  McKiristry;  and  I  have  seen  no  reason  to  change  my 
opinion  on  that  point  since. 

Question.  In  what  capacity  was  he  then  acting? 

Answer.  He  was  quartermaster  of  the  department  of  the  west.  I  was  acting 
as  quartermaster  there  at  Springfield,  and  my  wagonmasters  were  to  have  been 
gone  nine  days,  and  they  were  gone  twenty-two  days.  Wagons  that  had  been 
hired  were  ordered  to  St.  Louis  and  paid  off,  and  in  the  place  of  them  new 
wagons  were  ordered  up,  and  fresh  mules  without  shoes ;  but  they  could  not 
travel  over  the  rough  roads  of  the  mountains,  and  shoes  were  afterwards  sent 
up  to  them,  and  eventually  blacksmiths  were  sent  to  put  them  on.  And  finally, 
but  sixty-five  wagons  came  instead  of  nearly  one  hundred  that  were  sent  for 
provisions. 

Question.  What  was  the  condition  of  Cairo  at  that  time,  in  regard  to  the 
number  of  men  there  ?  Do  you  know  1 

Answer.  I  do  not  know  positively.  General  Prentiss  was  in  command  there, 
and  we  were  in  communication  with  him ;  but  there  were  no  official  reports  that 
came  to  General  Lyon  in  reference  to  the  number  of  troops  there. 


WASHINGTON,  March  5,  1862. 
General  DAVID  HUNTER  sworn  and  examined. 

By  the  chairman: 

Question.  What  is  your  rank  and  position  in  the  army  ? 

Answer.  I  am  colonel  of  the  6th  cavalry,  and  a  major  general  of  volunteers. 

Question.  Where  is  your  station  now? 

Answer.  I  am  commanding  the  department  of  Kansas  at  present. 

Question.  Were  you  in  the  army  under  General  Fremont  at  any  time  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Please  give  us  a  narrative,  in  your  own  way,  of  all  that  you  deein 
material,  without  questioning. 

Answer.  Unless  you  would  question  me  I  would  hardly  know  what  points 
you  desire  to  arrive  at. 

Question.  We  want  to  know  how  that  western  department  was  administered; 
if  there  were  any  defects  that  came  under  your  notice  or  observation,  or  any 
thing  that  would  require  a  military  man  to  take  notice  of  it.  We  desire  to 
know  all  about  it. 

Answer.  It  struck  me  that  there  were  a  great  many  defects  in  the  department  as 
soon  as  I  went  into  it.  In  the  first  place,  the  whole  property  of  the  government 
was  in  the  hands  of  irresponsible  agents,  who  had  given  no  bonds  and  knew 
nothing  about  the  administration  of  the  different  branches  of  the  service. 

Question.  Give  us  a  narrative  of  when  you  went  into  the  army  there,  what 


TESTIMONY.  235 

you  fotmd,  what  was  the  condition  of  the  department,  the  important  events  that 
took  place,  &c. 

Answer.  I  was  ordered  by  General  Scott  to  go  to  Illinois. 

Question.  About  what  time  ? 

Answer.  The  last  of  August.  I  arrived  at  Chicago  about  the  first  of  Sep 
tember,  and  had  orders  to  report  to  General  Fremont,  at  St.  Louis.  I  did  so 
by  letter  from  Chicago.  A  short  time  afterwards  I  received  a  telegram  from 
St.  Louis  from  General  Fremont,  stating  that  he  wished  me  to  go  to  St.  Louis ; 
that  he  had  something  for  me  to  do  as  soon  as  I  was  well  enough.  I  thought 
I  was  well  enough  to  go  down  there  at  any  rate,  and  I  went  down  the  next 
day  and  reported  to  General  Fremont.  A  short  time  after  I  had  been  in  his 
office  General  Asboth  brought  in  a  programme  of  what  it  was  expected  I  would 
do.  General  Fremont  handed  it  to  me,  and  requested  me  to  examine  it  care 
fully,  and  look  at  the  maps,  and  tell  him  what  I  thought  of  it.  It  commenced 
by  stating  that  Springfield  was  a  great  strategic  point,  in  the  midst  of  a  large 
plateau  of  fertile  country,  &c.,  and  stated  that  he  wanted  me  to  go  to  Holla  and 
advance  with  all  the  disposable  force  from  there  on  Springfield.  At  the  same 
time  Colonel  Jeff.  C.  Davis  was  to  leave  Jefferson  City  with  all  the  force  he 
had  there,  cross  the  Osage  at  Tuscumbia,  join  me  near  Springfield,  and  advance 
and  take  possession  of  Springfield.  After  looking  it  over  I  was  very  much 
surprised,  because  I  knew,  at  the  same  time,  that  General  Price  was  at  War- 
rensburg,  thirty-five  miles  south  of  Lexington,  advancing  on  Lexington.  I 
asked  General  Fremont  why  I  should  go  and  take  possession  of  Springfield, 
where  there  was  no  enemy,  and  leave  Price  at  Warrensburg,  advancing  on 
Lexington.  I  proposed  to  him  to  give  me  the  command  of  all  the  available 
force  at  Holla  and  St.  Louis,  and  let  me  go  out  at  once  to  Sedalia  and  attack 
Price  before  he  could  get  to  Lexington.  Fortunately  for  me,  Mr.  Montgomery 
Blair  was  present  during  the  whole  of  this  interview.  Mr.  Blair  said,  "  Cer 
tainly  ;  why  should  you  go  to  Springfield,  where  there  is  no  enemy,  and  leave 
Price  marching  on  Lexington  ?"  General  Fremont  shrugged  his  shoulders,  but 
made  no  reply  about  that,  and  some  time  afterwards  Mr.  Blair  and  myself  left. 
I  heard  nothing  more  for  three  or  four  days,  when  I  received  orders  to  go  to 
Rolla,  but  with  no  orders  what  to  do  there.  I  went  there  and  remained  a  week, 
when  I  was  ordered  back  to  Jefferson  City  to  join  General  Fremont  in  his  ad 
vance  to  the  south. 

Question.  What  amount  of  troops  did  you  have  at  Rolla  and  under  your 
command  in  the  expedition  to  Springfield  ? 

Answer.  I  had  about  3,700  men  at  Rolla.  There  was  a  large  division  as 
signed  me  on  paper,  but  it  was  scattered  all  over  the  face  of  the  earth. 

Question.  What  amount  had  Price  under  him  when  he  was  going  to  Lexing 
ton? 

Answer.  He  had  about  21,000  men,  and  others  joining  him.  Harris  and 
Green  were  crossing  the  Missouri,  at  Glasgow  and  at  Arrow  Rock,  for  the 
purpose  of  forming  a  junction  with  him.  I  went  to  Jefferson  City,  where  I 
remained  some  time.  General  Fremont  finally  came  up. 

Question.  Did  you  propose  to  go  and  intercept  Price's  advance  on  Lexington 
with  that  amount  of  force  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir;  not  at  all.  I  proposed  this:  there  were  some  15,000  or 
20,000  troops  at  St.  Louis  at  the  time,  and  there  were  those  troops  at  Rolla,  and 
those  with  Colonel  Davis,  which  would  have  given  me  a  column  equal  to  Price's, 
or  very  nearly  equal  to  it.  I  could  give  you  a  pretty  good  idea  of  what  I 
thought  of  the  state  of  affairs  by  reading  you  some  of  my  telegrams  and  letters 
to  General  Fremont,  which  I  have  copied  here  in  this  book.  And  I  can  give 
you  some  letters  from  General  Pope,  which  will  show  you  what  he  thought  of 
the  state  of  affairs. 

Question.  Your  telegrams  and  letters  to  General  Fremont  would  be  proper. 


236  TESTIMONY. 

Answer.  In  the  first  place,  I  received  notice  of  what  my  division  was  to  be 
composed  of.  They  were  scattered  in  every  direction,  and  I  did  not  know 
where  or  when  they  would  report.  My  first  telegram  to  General  Fremont, 
through  his  adjutant  general,  is  from  Jefferson  City,  dated  September  26,  1861, 
and  is  as  follows : 

"  I  have  just  received  your  letter  of  the  22d  instant,  designating  the  regiments 
of  my  division.  Have  all  these  regiments  been  ordered  to  report  to  me,  and  at 
what  place?  Please  send  me  six  of  the  largest  maps  of  Missouri." 

Here  is  another  of  the  same  date : 

"I  have  ordered,  agreeably  to  the  general's  order  of  the  24th  instant,  Colonel 
Stephenson,  7th  Missouri,  to  move,  with  his  regiment  and  4th  Iowa,  directly 
from  Holla  to  Linn  Creek;  after  which  to  send  the  4th  Iowa  to  Tuscumbia. 
Please  telegraph  if  this  order  meets  with  the  approbation  of  General  Fremont, 
that  I  may  countermand  it  if  necessary." 

Still  another  telegram  to  General  Fremont  from  the  same  place  and  of  the 
same  date : 

"I  believe  McCulloch  is  near  Mount  Vernon,  in  Lawrence  county.  A  force 
of  4,000  men  is  reported  at  Linn  Creek.  Colonel  Wyman,  in  consequence  of  a 
railroad  accident,  has  not  yet  left  Holla.  If  the  general  wishes,  he  could  move 
on  Linn  Creek  immediately  with  the  four  regiments  of  my  division  now  at  Holla." 

Here  is  a  letter  from  Jefferson  City  to  Colonel  Eaton,  the  adjutant  general  of 
General  Fremont,  dated  October  4,  1861: 

" COLONEL:  Your  letter  of  yesterday,  ordering  me  to  march  this  morning, 
was  only  ^received  this  morning  at  ten  minutes  after  two.  You  will  see  by  my 
report  of  transportation  sent  you  on  the  second  instant  that  for  the  forty-one 
wagons  in  possession  of  my  quartermaster  he  has  only  forty  mules.  It  will 
therefore  be  impossible  for  him  to  take  the  forty  or  more  wagons  agreeably  to 
your  order.  Colonel  Stephenson,  of  the  7th  Missouri  regiment,  informs  me  that 
he  is  attached  to  Colonel  Totten's  brigade,  of  the  5th  division.  I  must  protest 
in  the  strongest  terms  against  this  very  unmilitary  proceeding  of  depriving  me 
of  the  most  important  part  of  my  command,  when  under  marching  orders,  with 
out  giving  me  official  notice  of  the  change.  Detaching  Colonel  Stephenson 
from  my  division  will  leave  me  but  one  regiment  here  fit  to  take  the  field." 

We  marched  in  obedience  to  that  order,  and  my  next  communication  is  from 
California,  Missouri,  on  the  6th  of  October: 

" COLONEL:  I  informed  you  yesterday,  by  telegram,  that  the  command  had 
been  without  rations  for  more  than  twenty-four  hours,  and  the  supply  here  is  so 
small  that  we  should  be  without  to-day  had  it  not  been  for  this  fast.  The 
baggage  is  not  yet  all  up,  and  our  men  were  exposed  the  night  before  last  to 
one  of  the  violent  storms  of  the  season  without  shelter.  I  fear  much  all  the 
ammunition  is  injured,  particularly  in  Ellis's  regiment,  where  they  have  neither 
greatcoats  nor  cartridge-boxes,  and  have  been  obliged  to  carry  their  ammunition 
in  their  pockets.  Should  these  men  remain  without  greatcoats  at  this  season 
of  the  year,  I  fear  great  sickness  and  mortality  among  them.  Colonel  Ellis  is 
in  want  of  swords,  pistols,  cartridge-boxes,  gun-slings,  greatcoats,  ammunition, 
and  wagons  and  mules  for  transportation.  Colonel  Stephenson  is  also  without 
wagons  or  mules  for  transportation.  Colonel  Marshall  is  also  destitute  of  trans 
portation,  and  so  is  Captain  Stanley.  Colonel  Turner  has  but  seven  teams,  and 
Colonel  Bland  but  nine  four-mule  teams.  Please  send  us  transportation  at  once, 
and  the  supply  of  provisions.  The  fresh  beef  sent  from  Jefferson  City  was 
spoiled  on  the  way  up  and  thrown  away." 

Here  is  also  a  telegram  of  the  6th  of  October : 

"I  have  received  your  telegram  to  Lieutenant  H.  W.  Greiner,  directing  him 
to  notify  General  Hunter  to  halt  with  his  own  division,  until  further  orders,  at 


TESTIMONY.  237 

Tipton.  We  have  not  transportation  sufficient  to.  move  the  command  as  I  re 
ported  this  morning,  and  have  no  provisions.  We  cannot  depend  upon  the 
railroad,  as  they  are  only  now  delivering  the  baggage  due  the  day  before  yes- 
terdav.  Some  of  it  has  not  yet  arrived.  Volunteers  without  provisions,  tents, 
greatcoats,  or  blankets,  become  perfectly  demoralized.  Shall  I  move  to  Tipton 
in  the  morning,  leaving  what  baggage  I  cannot  transport,  and  without 
provisions?" 

From  Tipton  I  telegraphed,  on  the  7th,  as  follows: 

"  I  did  not  receive  your  telegram  ordering  me  to  move  with  all  the  troops 
from  California  to  Tipton  till  after  my  arrival  here.  Consequently,  I  brought 
only  my  own  division,  agreeably  to  previous  orders." 

On  the  12th  I  wrote  as  follows : 

"  I  have  received  the  general's  orders  directing  my  division  to  move  in  the 
morning.  Not  one-half  of  my  division  has  yet  reported.  Colonel  Ellis's  cav- 
,alry  are  without  ammunition,  cartridge-boxes,  swords,  pistols,  and  greatcoats, 
and  many  of  them  are  greatly  in  want  of  clothing.  The  men  of  the  Indiana 
batteries  are  in  want  of  greatcoats,  clothing,  and  ammunition.  Requisitions 
have  been  sent  in  for  ambulances,  but  they  have  not  been  furnished.  Some  of 
our  mules  are  unshod,  and  we  shall  have  them  lame  and  unserviceable  unless 
we  can  be  furnished  with  portable  forges  and  blacksmiths'  tools.  About  fifty 
tents  are  needed  for  the  division.  As  we  shall  have  to  send  our  teams  back  for 
provisions  after  four  days'  march,  we  should  not  leave  here  with  less  than  60,000 
rations,  as  we  cannot  calculate  on  their  return  in  less  than  fifteen  days  to  our 
camp,  even  if  we  should  remain  stationary  at  the  end  of  our  four  days'  march. 
The  cavalry  regiment  has  not  a  wagon,  and  Colonel  Palmer's  and  Colonel 
Eland's  have,  neither  of  them,  sufficient  for  their  baggage.  To  enable  them  to 
move  efficiently  we  need  at  least  100  wagons  and  the  ambulances  already  or 
dered  to  be  supplied  to  the  division  by  the  general  commanding." 

Here  is  a  letter  to  Adjutant  General  Thomas  in  relation  to  the  same  affair : 

"  CAMP  NEAR  TIPTON,  October  15. 

"GENERAL:  When  I  parted,  day  before  yesterday,  from  General  Cameron, 
he  remarked  to  me  :  '  On  you,  sir,  I  place  great  dependence.'  I  hope  you  will 
consider  it  due  to  me  to  explain  fully  to  the  honorable  Secretary  of  War  how 
completely  I  have  been  ignored  in  the  department  of  the  west.  On  the  13th 
of  September  I  reported  to  General  Fremont,  in  St.  Louis,  and  did  not  see  him 
again  while  I  remained  in  that  city.  Instead  of  being  permitted  to  attack  Gen 
eral  Price,  who  was  then  at  Warrensburg  marching  to  attack  Lexington,  I  was, 
on  the  16th,  ordered  to  Rolla.  After  remaining  a  week  at  Holla  I  was  ordered 
to  Jefferson  City.  You  will  see  by  my  letter  of  the  4th  instant  that  instead  of 
a  division,  I  informed  General  Fremont  that  I  marched  from  Jefferson  with 
only  one  regiment  fit  to  take  the  field,  and  this  regiment  was  without  the  neces 
sary  transportation.  This  morning  I  have  for  duty  only  2,684  men,  the  cavalry 
portion  of  the  command  being  without  swords,  pistols,  cartridge-boxes,  and  ammu 
nition  for  their  guns.  We  are  here  by  order  of  General  Fremont,  waiting  trans 
portation.  You  can  see  plainly,  by  this  simple  state  of  facts,  that  no  blame  or 
praise  can  attach  to  me  on  account  of  any  of  the  operations  in  this  department." 

On  the  18th  of  October  I  wrote  to  General  Fremont  from  Tipton  a  letter, 
from  which  I  read  the  following : 

"  I  have  made  every  effort  to  obtain  the  necessary  supplies,  but  without  suc 
cess.  I  shall  move  to  Versailles  to-morrow,  but  without  the  means  to  transport 
supplies.  The  division  will  soon  be  in  a  destitute  condition.  Please  inform 
me  at  Versailles  if  the  general  commanding  wishes  me,  under  the  circumstances 
in  which  we  are  placed,  still  to  advance." 


238  TESTIMONY. 

Dr.  Barnes,  my  medical  director,  was  ordered  to  report  to  General  Fremont. 
In  my  reply  to  the  order,  I  state  to  Colonel  Eaton : 

"  I  am  very  sorry  to  have  received,  this  evening,  the  order  detaching  Surgeon 
Barnes  from  my  command,  as  he  was  assigned  to  me  by  the  President  at  my 
particular  request.  I,  however,  fully  appreciate  the  necessity  of  Dr.  Barnes 
being  at  headquarters,  as  I  found  the  hospital  at  Warsaw  with  300  sick  in  it, 
who  had  been  absolutely  without  anything  to  eat  for  two  days.  I  shall  be  at 
Mountview  to-morrow  with  a  part  of  my  command,  but  without  provisions,  and 
with  my  transportation  in  a  very  crippled  state,  from  the  want  of  mules  and 
horses." 

[See  letter  of  General  Pope  to  General  Hunter,  hereto  attached.] 
That  comprises  pretty  much  all  the  information  up  to  that  time.  I  arrived  at 
Springfield  on  the  3d  day  of  November,  just  as  tattoo  'was  beating,  about  9 
o'clock.  I  was  under  the  impression,  from  what  I  had  heard  on  the  way,  that 
General  Fremont  had  left  for  the  east.  I  inquired  where  the  quarters  were  that 
he  had  vacated,  intending  to  take  possession  of  them  myself,  and  learned  that 
he  was  still  there.  I  found  him,  with  all  the  generals  of  his  command  assem 
bled,  discussing  a  plan  for  attacking  the  enemy  the  next  morning  at  Wilson's 
Creek — everything  arranged  for  the  attack.  I  said  nothing  on  the  subject  at 
all ;  but  I  was  fully  convinced,  from  what  I  had  heard,  that  there  was  no 
enemy  at  all.  It  is  said  that  I  countermanded  General  Fremont's  order  for  the 
battle  the  next  day.  It  is  not  so.  I  gave  no  order  in  the  case  whatever. 
General  Fremont  left  the  next  morning  for  the  east,  and  I  assumed  the  command. 
I  spent  the  day  in  examining  the  positions  around  Springfield  and  the  different 
camps  there.  I  sent  out  a  couple  of  regiments  of  cavalry  to  reconnoitre  and 
examine  the  ground  about  Wilson's  Creek.  They  returned  in  the  evening,  and 
reported  that  no  enemy  had  been  there,  and  that  they  were  sixty  or  seventy 
miles  off,  at  Cassville.  The  next  day  after  that  I  went  out  myself  to  Wilson's 
Creek,  with  a  party  to  bury  some  dead  that  were  said  to  have  been  left  on  the 
battle-field  there.  We  found  five  bodies,  and  buried  them. 

By  Mr.  Julian : 

Question.  This  was  the  5th  of  November  that  you  went  out  there  ? 

Answer.  I  think  it  was  the  5th,  but  I  am  not  confident  about  that;  it  may 
have  been  the  6th.  But  that  General  Price  was  at  Cassville  at  that  time  will 
appear  from  a  letter  of  his  own,  (that  is,  one  from  his  adjutant  general,)  enclosing 
a  treaty  that  had  been  made  by  General  Fremont  with  General  Price.  Here  is 
a  copy  of  that  letter : 

"  HEADQUARTERS  MISSOURI  STATE  GUARDS, 

"  Cassville,  Missouri,  November  5,  1861. 

"GENERAL:  I  am  instructed  by  Major  General  Price  to  acknowledge  the 
receipt  of  Assistant  Adjutant  General  Eaton's  letter  of  November  2,  enclosing 
a  proclamation  drawn  up  in  accordance  with  the  propositions  submitted  in 
my  letter  of  the  26th  of  October.  Major  General  Price  directs  me  to  say  that 
he  receives  your  assent  to  his  propositions  with  much  satisfaction,  and  the 
agreements  and  provisions  set  forth  in  the  proposed  mutual  proclamation  fully 
meet  his  approbation.  He  has  filled  up  and  signed  both  copies  of  said  procla 
mation  received  from  Assistant  Adjutant  General  Eaton,  one  of  which  is  retained 
for  publication  and  distribution,  and  the  other  herewith  enclosed  to  you  for  a 
like  purpose.  Major  General  Price  also  approves  of  the  agreement  entered  into 


TESTIMONY.  239 

on  his  part  by  Messrs.  Williams  and  Barclay,  and  herewith  returns  the  original 
statement,  retaining  a  copy  of  the  same. 

"  I  am,  general,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

"HENRY  LITTLE,  Adjutant  General. 
"Major  General  J.  C.  FREMONT, 

"  Commanding  United  States  Forces,  Sjwingfield,  Missouri." 

That  is  a  letter  from  General  Price's  command  at  Cassville,  of  the  5th,  the 
day  after  I  took  command. 

By  Mr.  Odell: 

Question.  When  was  this  battle  to  have  been  fought  ? 

Answer.  On  the  morning  of  the  4th,  the  morning  I  took  command. 

By  Mr.  Gooch : 

.Question.  On  what  information  did  you  come  to  the  conclusion  that  there  was 
no  enemy  at  Wilson's  Creek,  or  in  that  vicinity  ? 

Answer.  I  came  to  that  conclusion  from  conversations  with  various  officers  of 
my  acquaintance  there,  who,  notwithstanding  the  reports,  did  not  believe  any 
thing  of  the  kind. 

Question.  How  did  you  find  the  belief  of  the  officers  generally  on  that  point  1 

Answer.  I  asked  them  about  what  they  thought  of  it,  and  I  found  that  they 
did  not  believe  it  at  all. 

Question.  Was  that  the  general  belief  of  the  officers  ] 

Answer.  It  was  among  those  I  met  with. 

Question.  You  saw  and  conversed  with  a  great  many  of  the  officers  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  When  you  made  the  reconnoissance  out  in  the  vicinity  of  Wilson's 
Creek,  were  there  any  traces  of  the  enemy  having  been  there1? 

Answer.  Not  the  least.  I  questioned  people  who  lived  there — a  man  who 
had  a  mill-right  on  the  creek  where  the  battle  had  been  fought,  and  he  said 
there  had  been  no  enemy  there  at  all.  There  might  have  been  a  few  scouts, 
but  not  any  force  at  all. 

Question.  Were  they  Union  people  living  out  in  that  vicinity? 

Answer.  One  man  that  we  found  at  the  mill  professed  to  be  a  Union  man. 
There  were  a  great  many  Union  people  through  that  part  of  Missouri,  about 
Springfield.  I  think  Mrs.  Phelps,  who  appeared  to  be  better  posted  than 
anybody  else  there,  told  me  that  there  was  no  enemy  in  the  neighborhood  there 
at  all.  She  is  the  wife  of  Colonel  Phelps,  member  of  Congress  from  Mis 
souri. 

By  the  chairman : 

Question.  Did  you  continue  the  arrangement  made  by  General  Fremont  with 
General  Price] 

Answer.  No,  sir ;  I  annulled  it  at  once.  Here  is  the  letter  I  wrote  to  head 
quarters  : 

"HEADQUARTERS  WESTERN  DEPARTMENT, 

"  Springfield,  Missouri,  Nove?nber  1,  1861. 

"  GENERAL  :  Enclosed  you  will  find  copies  of  certain  negotiations  earned  on 
between  Major  General  J.  C.  Fremont,  of  the  first  part,  and  Major  General 
Sterling  Price,  of  the  second  part,  having  for  objects,  first,  to  make  arrangements 
for  the  exchange  of  prisoners ;  second,  to  prevent  arrests  or  forcible  interference 
in  the  future  'for  the  mere  entertainment  or  expression  of  political  opinions;' 
third,  to  insure  that  'the  war  now  progressing  shall  be  confined  exclusively  to 


240  TESTIMONY. 

armie«rin  the  field;'  and,  fourth,  the  immediate  disbandinent  of  'all  bodies  of 
armed  men  acting  without  the  authority  or  recognition  of  the  major  general 
commanding,  and  not  legitimately  connected  with  the  armies  in  the  iield.' 

"You  will  also  find  enclosed  a  copy  of  my  letter  of  this  date,  despatched  un 
der  a  flag  of  truce,  to  General  Price,  stating  that  'I  can  in  no  manner  recognize 
the  agreement  aforesaid,  or  any  of  its  provisions,  whether  implied  or  direct,  and 
I  can  neither  issue  nor  allow  to  be  issued  the  joint  proclamation  purporting  to 
have  been  signed  by  Generals  Price  and  Fremont  on  the  1st  day  of  November, 
A.  D.  1861.'  It  would  be,  in  my  judgment,  impolitic  in  the  highest  degree  to 
have  ratified  General  Fremont's  negotiations,  for  the  following,  amongst  many 
other,  obvious  reasons  :  The  second  stipulation,  if  acceded  to,  would  render  the 
enforcement  of  martial  law  in  Missouri,  or  any  part  of  it,  impossible,  and  would 
give  absolute  liberty  to  the  propagandists  of  treason  throughout  the  length  and 
breadth  of  the  State.  The  third  stipulation,  confining  operations  exclusively 
to  armies  in  the  field,  would  practically  annul  the  confiscation  act  passed  during 
the  last  session  of  Congress,  and  would  furnish  perfect  immunity  to  those  dis 
banded  soldiers  of  Price's  command  who  have  now  returned  to  their  homes, 
but  with  the  intention  and  under  the  pledge  of  rejoining  the  rebel  forces  when 
ever  called  upon ;  and,  lastly,  because  the  fourth  stipulation  would  blot  out  the 
existence  of  loyal  men  of  the  Missouri  home  guards,  who  have  not,  it  is  al 
leged,  been  recognized  by  act  of  Congress,  and  who,  it  would  be  claimed,  are 
therefore  'not  legitimately  connected  with  the  armies  in  the  field.' 

"There  are  many  other  objections  quite  as  powerful  and  obvious,  which  might 
be  urged  against  ratifying  this  agreement.  It  is  addressed  '  to  the  peaceably 
disposed  citizens  of  the  State  of  Missouri,'  fairly  allowing  the  inference  to  be 
drawn  that  citizens  of  the  United  States  (the  loyal  and  true  men  of  Missouri) 
are  not  included  within  its  benefits.  In  fact,  the  agreement  would  seem  to  me, 
if  ratified,  a  concession  of  all  the  principles  for  which  the  rebel  leaders  are  con 
tending,  and  a  practical  liberation  for  use  in  other  and  more  immediately  im 
portant  localities  of  all  their  forces  now  kept  employed  in  this  portion  of  the 
State. 

"  I  have  the  honor  to  be,  general,  most  respectfully,  your  most  obedient  servant, 

«D.  HUNTER, 
"  Major  General  Commanding. 
"Brigadier  General  THOMAS,  Adjutant  General  U.  S.  A." 

By  Mr.  Covode : 

Question.  Did  you  hold  a  council  of  war  after  arriving  at  Springfield  ? 

Answer.  I  did. 

Question.  At  that  council  did  you  determine  to  retreat,  fall  back,  or  to  ad 
vance  ?  What  was  the  decision  of  that  council  ? 

Answer.  There  was  a  difference  of  opinion  in  regard  to  what  should  be  done. 
I  had  read  to  them  a  letter  which  I  had  received  from  the  President  on  the  sub 
ject  of  returning,  and  asked  their  opinion  on  it.  General  McKinstry  recom 
mended  that  we  should  go  forward,  not  that  he  expected  to  meet  Price  at  all. 
None  of  us  believed  he  would  allow  us  to  overtake  him,  but  he  thought  a  de 
monstration  should  be  made  ;  that  we  should  go  forward.  General  Pope,  I  be 
lieve,  did  not  at  that  time  express  any  very  decided  opinion  one  way  or  the 
other ;  but  he  stated  afterwards  that  he  thought  I  was  right  in  not  going  for 
ward.  The  two  Germans — Asboth  and  Sigel — chimed  in  with  McKinstry. 

Question.  They  wanted  to  go  forward  ? 

Answer.  They  thought  a  demonstration  would  have  a  better  effect.  None  of 
them  pretended  that  they  thought  we  could  catch  Price  at  all.  But  they 
thought  it  would  have  a  better  effect  on  the  country  to  make  a  move  forward. 
General  Turner  was  the  other  general  of  division,  and  he  thought  differently. 


TESTIMONY.  241 

By  the  chairman : 

Question.  What  were  your  orders  from  the  President  ? 
Answer.  I  have  a  copy  of  them  here : 

"  WASHINGTON  October  24,  1861 

"  SIR  :  The  command  of  the  department  of  the  west  having  devolved  upon 
you,  I  propose  to  offer  you  a  few  suggestions,  knowing  how  hazardous  it  is  to 
hind  down  a  distant  commander  in  the  field  to  specific  lines  of  operations,  as  so 
much  always  depends  on  the  knowledge  of  localities  and  passing  events.  It  is 
intended,  therefore,  to  leave  considerable  margin  for  the  exercise  of  your 
judgment  and  discretion. 

"  The  main  rebel  army  (Prices)  west  of  the  Mississippi  is  believed  to  have 
passed  Dade  county  in  full  retreat  upon  northwestern  Arkansas,  leaving  Mis 
souri  almost  free  from  the  enemy,  excepting  in  the  southeast  part  of  the  State. 
Assuming  this  basis  of  fact,  it  seems  desirable — as  you  are  not  likely  to  over- 
•take  Price,  and  are  in  danger  of  making  too  long  a  line  from  your  own  base  of 
supplies  and  re-enforcements — that  you  should  give  up  the  pursuit,  halt  your 
main  army,  divide  it  into  two  corps  of  observation,  one  occupying  Sedalia  and 
the  other  Holla,  the  present  termini  of  railroads,  then  recruit  the  condition  of 
both  corps  by  re-establishing  and  improving  their  discipline  and  instruction, 
perfecting  their  clothing  and  equipments,  and  providing  less  uncomfortable 
quarters.  Of  course  both  railroads  must  be  guarded  and  kept  open,  judiciously 
employing  just  so  much  force  as  is  necessary  for  this.  From  these  two  points, 
Sedalia  and  Rolla,  and  especially  in  judicious  co-operation  with  Lane  on  the 
Kansas  border,  it  would  be  very  easy  to  concentrate  and  repel  any  army  of  the 
enemy  returning  on  Missouri  on  the  southwest.  As  it  is  not  probable  any  such 
attempt  to  return  will  be  made  before  or  during  the  approaching  cold  weather, 
before  spring  the  people  of  Missouri  will  be  in  no  favorable  mood  for  renewing, 
for  next  year,  the  troubles  which  have  so  much  afflicted  and  impoverished  them 
during  this. 

"  If  you  take  this  line  of  policy,  and  if  as  I  anticipate  you  will  see  no  enemy 
in  great  force  approaching,  you  will  have  a  surplus  force  which  you  can  with 
draw  from  those  points  and  direct  to  others,  as  may  be  needed — the  railroads 
furnishing  ready  means  of  re-enforcing  those  main  points,  if  occasion  requires. 

"  Doubtless  local  uprisings,  for  a  time,  will  continue  to  occur,  but  those  can  be 
met  by  detachments,  and  local  forces  of  our  own,  and  will,  ere  long,  tire  out 
of  themselves. 

"  While,  as  stated  at  the  beginning  of  this  letter,  a  large  discretion  must  be, 

and  is   left  with  yourself,  I  feel  sure  that  an  indefinite  pursuit  of  Price,  or  an 

attempt,  by  this  long  and  circuitous  route,  to  reach  Memphis,  will  be  exhaust- 

ive  beyond  endurance,  and  will  end  in  the  loss  of  the  whole  force  engaged  in  it. 

"  Your  obedient  servant, 

"A.  LINCOLN. 

"  The  COMMANDER  of  the  department  of  the  west." 

By  Mr.  Gooch  : 

Question.  Did  your  own  judgment  correspond  with  the  instructions  from  the 
President  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Covode : 

Question.  What  time  did  you  receive  that  letter  1     Before  the  council  ? 
Answer.  Yes,  sir ;  I  submitted  it  to  the  council. 

By  Mr.  Gooch  : 

Question.  On  what  day  did  you  call  your  council  ? 
Part  iii 16 


242  TESTIMONY. 

Answer.  My  impression  is  that  it  was  on  the  7th  of  November. 

Question.  Composed  of  the  same  officers  that  General  Fremont  had  in  his 
council  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir  ;  I  only  called  the  generals  commanding  divisions — five  of 
them. 

Question.  Those  generals  were  also  in  General  Fremont's  council  1 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  There  were  others  in  his  council  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir ;  he  had  the  brigade  generals  in  his  council. 

Question.  The  same  men  you  had  in  your  council  were  also  in  his  council  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  with  the  exception  of  General  Turner,  who  took  com 
mand  of  my  division  when  I  left  it. 

Question.  Was  there  any  question  in  your  council  as  to  where  the  enemy  was  ? 

Answer.  I  think  not. 

Question.  Where  did  you  believe  him  to  be  at  that  time  ? 

Answer.  At  Cassville. 

Question.  Did  the  generals  composing  your  council  concur  in  that  belief? 

Answer.  I  think  they  did. 

Question.  Have  you  any  doubt  now  that  he  was  then  at  Cassville  ? 

Answer.  None  whatever. 

Question.  Was  there  any  considerable  portion  of  his  force  at  a  nearer  point — 
at  Wilson's  creek,  or  in  its  vicinity  ? 

Answer.  I  do  not  believe  there  was  any  force  at  all  at  Wilson's  creek.  He 
had  a  guard  in  advance  of  Cassville,  of  course,  and  McCulloch  was  said  to  be 
about  fifteen  miles  south  of  Cassville,  with  his  command,  still  nearer  the  Arkan 
sas  line. 

By  Mr.  Julian  : 

Question.  You  say  that  McKinstry,  Asboth  and  Sigel,  all  believed  there  was 
no  enemy  near  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir,  that  is  my  impression.  In  fact  I  have  reports  now  from 
Sigel,  whom  I  sent  out  to  Wilson's  creek,  that  there  was  no  enemy  in  that 
neighborhood  at  all.  I  had  reports  every  day  from  men  in  Price's  camp. 
There  was  a  certain  Major  Wright  there,  who  had  a  battalion  of  spies — very 
efficient  men,  indeed — all  young  men  from  that  portion  of  the  country  in  south 
western  Missouri.  They  would  go  off  in  their  farmer  clothes  and  stay  two  or 
three  days  in  Price's  camp ;  and  every  day,  almost,  Major  Wright  would  re 
ceive  a  report  from  some  of  those  men. 

Question.  Those  generals  were  still  for  making  an  advance  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  What  was  General  Fremont's  opinion  about  the  locality  of  Price's 
army  at  the  time  you  took  the  command  ? 

Answer.  He  notified  me  several  times  during  the  day  I  arrived  there  that 
Price  was  immediately  on  him ;  that  an  attack  would  take  place  the  next  day. 
He  appeared  to  think,  of  course,  that  they  were  at  Wilson's  creek,  or  he  would 
not  have  made  dispositions  to  attack  him  the  next  morning. 

By  Mr.  Gooeh: 

Question.  Do  you  know  on  what  information  General  Fremont  came  to  the 
conclusion  that  the  enemy  was  at  Wilson's  creek  ? 
Answer.  No,  sir,  I  do  not. 

By  Mr.  Julian  : 

Question.  Do  you  know  whether  he  had  sent  out  scouts  to  determine  that 
fact1? 

Answer.  I  presumed  he  had,  of  course. 


TESTIMONY.  243 

By  Mr.  Gooch : 

Question.  Is  it  not  a  remarkable  fact  that  there  should  have  been  so  much 
doubt  in  relation  to  that  matter ;  that  General  Fremont,  being  there  in  com 
mand,  should  be  under  the  impression  that  he  was  to  attack  the  enemy  the  next 
morning,  and  you,  upon  assuming  command,  should  be  convinced  that  there  was 
no  enemy  there  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir,  I  think  it  is  very  remarkable  indeed. 

Question.  Did  you  convey  to  General  Fremont  the  order  to  supersede  him  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir ;  he  had  it  two  or  three  days  before ;  he  sent  it  to  me. 

Question.  His  relinquishing  the  command  and  your  taking  it  was  contingent 
upon  your  coming  up  and  reaching  that  point  at  Springfield  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  He  was  to  have  left  for  St.  Louis  before  I  arrived,  but  he 
concluded  to  remain  until  I  arrived.  He  had  made  all  preparations  to  leave  for 
St.  Louis  before  I  arrived.  Here  is  an  order  I  sent  to  the  colonel  commanding 
the  Indiana  brigade,  on  the  first  of  November.  I  had  left  him  behind,  on  ac 
count  of  not  having  transportation  sufficient  to  come  up  : 

"  MOUNT  VIEW,  November  I,  1861. 

"  COLONEL  HOREY  :  General  Fremont  informs  me  the  enemy  is  marching  on 
him  at  Spraigneld.  You  will  join  me  with  the  least  delay  with  your  command, 
leaving  all  your  tents,  and  bringing  with  you  only  your  mess-pans  and  camp 
kettles.  I  march  at  daylight  in  the  morning,  and  hope  you  will  join  me  during 
the  night." 

He  was  some  ten  or  twelve  miles  in  my  rear.  He  did  join  me  during  the 
night,  and  we  marched  at  daylight  in  the  morning. 

Question.  Was  the  movement  of  General  Fremont  to  Springfield  from  St. 
Louis,  at  the  time  it  was  made,  a  judicious  movement,  in  a  military  point  of 
view,  considering  the  condition  of  the  enemy  and  the  position  of  Missouri  at 
the  time  ? 

Answer.  I  did  not  so  consider  it.  Price  had  gone  up  to  Lexington  and  done 
all  the  damage  he  could  there,  and  he  retreated  from  Lexington  when  we  had 
only  about  a  couple  of  thousand  of  men  at  Sedalia,  making  seventy  miles  in 
two  days.  And  when  he  was  going  at  the  rate  of  seventy  miles  in  two  days 
from  a  force  of  two  thousand  men  at  Sedalia,  I  had  no  idea  he  was  going  to  al 
low  General  Fremont  to  catch  him ;  and  I  thought  those  troops  might  be  used 
to  much  greater  advantage  on  the  Mississippi  and  in  Kentucky  than  to  be  fol 
lowing  after  General  Price  down  to  Arkansas. 

Question.  Was  not  the  movement  of  General  Fremont  necessary  to  compel 
or  induce  Price  to  leave  Missouri  ? 

Answer.  Certainly;  I  have  no  idea  he  would  have  gone  out  without  that 
movement,  but  what  was  the  object  of  making  him  go  out  compared  with  the 
using  these  thirty  odd  thoi/rsand  troops  in  another  direction  ? 

Question.  You  think  that  object  was  accomplished,  but  more  might  have  been 
accomplished  by  using  the  troops  in  another  direction  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  no  doubt  that  object  was  accomplished,  because  I  had 
positive  notice  before  I  left  Springfield  that  Price  was  in  Arkansas.  There 
had  been  so  much  talk  about  a  battle  there  that  I  delayed  marching  for  several 
days  to  see  if  there  was  any  possibility  of  his  coming  to  attack  us,  or  any  prob 
ability  of  his  allowing  us  to  attack  him. 

By  Mr.  Covode: 

Question.  What  was  the  effect  upon  the  country  of  your  falliag  back  at  that 
time ;  was  there  not  a  considerable  amount  of  mischief  done  ? 
Answer.  Yes,  sir;  there  always  is. 


244  TESTIMONY. 

Question.  Had  you  remained  at  Springfield  would  it  have  been  in  your  power 
to  have  prevented  that? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Had  you  advanced  would  the  enemy  have  fled  from  you? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Then  it  would  have  saved  a  great  deal  of  Western  Missouri  from 
desolation  if  you  had  advanced  from  Springfield. 

Answer.  I  do  not  know  that  we  would  have  saved  much.  They  had  ravaged 
the  whole  country  twice — in  going  up  and  coming  down. 

Question.  Did  you  fall  back  without  any  other  council  of  war  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  So  that  there  was  no  council  that  determined  to  fall  back? 

Answer.  No,  sir;  I  called  a  council  merely  to  get  their  views.  In  regard  to 
General  McKinstry,  I  had  no  confidence  in  him  whatever.  I  considered  him  a 
traitor.  And  with  respect  to  the  two  German  generals,  they  are  very  good  sol 
diers,  Sigel  is  a  very  good  soldier.  They  merely  said,  with  General  McKinstry, 
that  we  better  make  a  demonstration — not  that  they  believed  we  would  catch 
Price  at  all,  but  they  thought  it  would  have  a  great  deal  better  effect  on  the 
country  to  march  out  two  or  three  days  and  come  back  again.  An  hour  after 
the  council  was  over  my  adjutant  general  came  to  me  and  said  I  had  been  be 
trayed  ;  that  he  had  heard  the  whole  proceeding  of  this  council  repeated  by 
a  newspaper  reporter.  He  told  me  what  he  had  heard  and  asked  me  if  such 
and  such  things  had  taken  place  in  the  council.  I  told  him  that  was  precisely 
what  had  taken  place.  He  said  "Somebody  has  betrayed  you."  I  said  "It  is 
General  McKiustry ;  you  order  him  to  leave  here  to-morrow  morning  and  report 
at  St.  Louis."  So  I  disposed  of  him  at  once.  The  day  after  I  had  a  telegram 
from  Washington  ordering  me  to  put  him  in  close  confinement,  to  be  sent  down 
to  St.  Louis.  I  forwarded  that  on  to  St.  Louis  and  had  it  done. 

Question.  Do  you  know  where  that  order  originated? 

Answer.  I  do  not  know  about  that;  I  assumed  my  command  on  the  4th,  and 
had  no  communication  with  the  government  here  before  that. 

By  Mr.  Julian  : 

Question.  You  think  he  disclosed  the  proceedings  of  that  council  ? 

Answer.  I  have  no  doubt  about  it  at  all.  In  regard  to  the  opinion  of  those 
German  generals,  I  think  they  just  chimed  in  with  McKinstry,  because  he  stated 
his  opinion  in  a  very  positive,  dogmatical  manner,  and  they  had  been  so  accus 
tomed  to  defer  to  him  that  they  simply  assented  to  what  he  said.  I  took  the 
.whole  responsibility  of  the  retrograde  movement  on  myself;  that  is,  I  had  the 
approval  of  General  Pope  and  General  Turner. 

Question.  What  was  the  condition  of  the  troops  when  you  took  command  ? 

Answer.  They  were  in  pretty  good  condition.  We  have  heard  a  great  deal 
of  talk  about  their  being  in  a  state  of  mutiny,  and  very  insubordinate,  &c.,  but 
I  noticed  nothing  of  the  kind.  I  did  not  notice  the  first  act  of  insubordination. 

Question.  I  mean  their  physical  condition  ? 

Answer.  They  were  in  pretty  good  physical  condition.  We  fortunately  had 
very  fine  weather,  indeed,  and  the  stopping  at  Springfield  enabled  the  trains  to 
come  up. 

Question.  They  were  in  good  spirits  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Odell : 

Question.  When  did  this  mutinous  spirit  show  itself? 
Answer.  I  saw  nothing  of  it  at  all. 


TESTIMONY.  245 

By  Mr.  Gooch  : 

Question.  Was  there,  as  far  as  you  could  judge,  any  desire  on  the  part  of  the 
troops  to  push  forward  ? 

Answer.  I  do  not  know  that  there  was ;  1  do  not  think  that  there  was ;  I 
never  knew  them  to  express  any  feeling  one  way  or  the  other. 

By  Mr.  Odell : 

Question.  Was  there  any  dissatisfaction  manifested  by  the  troops  upon  your 
taking  command  ? 

Answer.  Not  that  I  know  of. 

By  Mr.  Julian  : 

Question.  Was  there  any  feeling  manifested  by  the  officers  or  men  on  account 
of  General  Fremont  being  superseded? 

Answer.  No,  sir ;  not  so  far  as  I  witnessed.  I  was  told  that  the  German 
officers  had  called  upon  General  Fremont,  and  he  had  made  them  speeches,  and 
they  had  made  him  speeches,  and  some  of  the  speeches  made  in  the  presence  of 
General  Fremont  were  insubordinate ;  but  I  saw  nothing  of  the  kind  when  I 
assumed  command. 

By  Mr.  Covode : 

Question.  What  course  did  General  Fremont  take  in  regard  to  the  insubordi 
nate  speeches  ? 

Answer.  He  took  no  course  whatever,  according  to  the  statement  I  heard. 
He  did  not  reprove  them  at  all  for  it,  but  I  believe  rather  encouraged  it. 

By  Mr.  Julian  : 

Question.  Did  you  see  any  act  of  insubordination  ? 
Answer.  No,  sir ;  none  at  all. 
Question.  You  do  not  know  anything  about  it  ? 
Answer.  No,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Gooch : 

Question.  So  that,  of  your  own  knowledge,  you  do  not  know  that  any  insubor 
dinate  speeches  were  made  ? 
Answer.  No,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Covode : 

Question.  How  did  you  learn  that  he  rather  encouraged  them  1 

Answer.  From  the  officers  there. 

Question.  From  whom  ? 

Answer.  I  could  not  name  any  particular  individual. 

Question.  We  think  it  is  important. 

Answer.  If  the  committee  want  a  statement  of  that  kind  I  can  get  a  hundred 
officers  who  will  make  the  statement. 

Question.  We  only  want  one  or  two  names. 

Answer.  My  impression  is  that  General  Pope  was  one  of  them.  I  do  not 
remember  any  other  name  now. 

By  Mr.  Odell : 

Question.  Are  there  any  other  facts  connected  with  this  western  department 
that  you  deem  it  important  or  essential  to  state  1 
Answer.  I  do  not  think  of  anything  at  present. 


246  TESTIMONY. 


The  following  letters  from  General  Pope  to  General  Hunter  were  read  : 

HEADQUARTERS  SECOND  DIVISION, 

Syracuse,  October  12,  1861. 

DEAR  GENERAL  :  I  received,  at  one  o'clock  last  night,  the  extraordinary 
order  of  General  Fremont  for  a  forward  movement  of  his  whole  force. 

The  wonderful  manner  in  which  the  actual  facts  and  condition  of  things  here 
are  ignored  stupefies  me.  One  would  suppose  from  this  order  that  divisions  and 
brigades  are  organized,  and  are  under  immediate  command  of  their  officers  ;  that 
transportation  is  in  possession  of  all ;  that  every  arrangement  of  supply  trains  to 
follow  the  army  has  been  made ;  in  fact,  that  we  are  in  a  perfect  state  of  pre 
paration  for  a  move. 

You  know,  as  well  as  I  do,  that  the  exact  reverse  is  the  fact ;  that  neither 
brigades  nor  divisions  have  been  brought  together,  and  that  if  they  were  there 
is  not  transportation  enough  to  move  this  army  one  hundred  yards  ;  that,  in  truth, 
not  one  solitary  preparation  of  any  kind  has  been  made  to  enable  this  advance 
movement  to  be  executed.  I  have  never  seen  my  division,  nor  do  I  suppose  you 
have  seen  yours.  1  have  no  cavalry  even  for  a  personal  escort,  and  yet  this 
order  requires  me  to  send  forward  companies  of  pioneers  protected  by  cavalry. 
Is  it  intended  that  this  order  be  obeyed,  or,  rather,  that  we  try  to  obey  it,  or  is 
the  order  only  designed  for  Washington  aiid  the  papers  ?  If  such  a  movement 
is  made  without  provision  or  camp  equipage  of  any  kind,  of  necessity  the  whole 
force  must  return  ignominiously,  the  next  day,  to  the  railroad.  Please  explain 
to  me  all  this,  and  let  me  know  what  you  design  doing. 

I  am  here  without  a  command.  Only  the  other  day  I  was  ordered  here  with 
the  force  from  Boonville.  Now  I  am  ordered  to  go  back  in  the  direction  of 
Sedalia.  I  am  here  myself,  as  I  happened  to  be  in  Georgetown  when  the  order 
reached  me ;  but  Kelton  has  no  transportation  for  his  brigade  at  Boonville,  and 
has  for  ten  days  been  trying  to  press  wagons  for  thirty  miles  in  every  direction 
around  him.  I  suppose  that  he  has  met  with  little  success,  as  that  whole  re 
gion  has  been  stripped  before  he  reached  there. 

I  went  to  Jefferson  City,  the  last  time  I  saw  you,  for  the  express  purpose  of 
getting  transportation  for  my  division,  and  explained  to  General  Fremont  pre 
cisely  what  I  have  said  above. 

Now,  in  the  face  of  the  fact  that  he  knew  no  transportation  was  furnished, 
and  that  Kelton  has  none,  he  should  coolly  order  such  a  movement,  and  exspect 
it  to  be  made,  I  cannot  understand  on  any  reasonable  or  common-sense  hypoth 
esis.  Please  enlighten  me,  if  you  can,  and  at  all  events  let  me  know  what  you 
intend  to  do,  as  I  presume  you  to  be  in  the  same  situation  that  I  am. 

I  will  be  obliged  to  you  for  any  late  paper  or  news. 
Very  truly,  yours, 

JNO.  POPE. 

Major  General  HUNTER,  Tipton. 

CAMP  THREE  MILES  WEST  OF  OTTERVILLE, 

October  18,  1861. 

DEAR  GENERAL:  I  received  your  note  yesterday  morning,  and  I  am  really 
sorry  I  could  not  come  down  to  see  you  before  I  left  Syracuse.  I  am  anxious 
to  know  the  result  of  the  Secretary's  visit  and  its  object.  Upon  his  action  on 
the  subject,  in  my  judgment,  rests  the  safety  of  this  command  from  great  suffer 
ing.  If  we  attempt  to  go  south  of  the  Osage  without  supplies  for  at  least  a 
month,  and  without  much  better  preparation  for  everything  than  exists  now,  I 
do  not  believe  one-half  of  these  troops  will  ever  return  alive.  The  winter  is 
coming  on  us.  The  men  of  this  division  are  without  overcoats,  their  clothes  in 


TESTIMONY.  247 

rags,and  only  one  blanket  apiece ;  110  provision  trains  or  depots  organized,  and, 
so  far  as  I  can  see,  no  object  in  view. 

I  shall,  however,  move  from  here  and  occupy  the  point  designated  with  five 
regiments,  being  all  I  can  get  anything  like  transportation  for.  I  can,  perhaps, 
carry  eight  or  ten  days'  rations  for  the  five  regiments  by  making  very  short 
marches.  I  have  nearly  a  thousand  sick  men  in  the  division — of  course  there 
u  no  sort  of  arrangement  to  take  care  of  them.  I  have  had  buildings  hired  in 
Otterville,  and  shall  establish  a  hospital  there  for  the  division,  as  far  as  I  can 
do  so,  without  hospital  supplies  of  any  kind. 

Each  division  commander  is  left  to  himself.  I  don't  know  where  to  look  for 
provisions  short  of  St.  Louis,  or  where  for  quartermaster  or  any  other  stores 
short  of  the  same  place,  neither  do  I  know  to  whom  I  can  apply  for  anything 
this  side  of  St.  Louis.  I  have  written  and  telegraphed  for  300,000  rations,  as 
1  intend  to  establish  at  Otterville  a  depot  of  provisions  and  of  such  stores  as  I  can 
get  for  my  own  command. 

Altogether  this  is  the  most  remarkable  campaign  I  ever  saw,  heard  of,  or 
read  of. 

Do  let  me  know  all  about  the  Secretary's  visit  and  its  results.  Write  me,  if 
you  have  time,  about  your  own  movements  and  plans,  what  steps  you  have 
taken  to  get  the  means  to  move,  and  how  soon  you  expect  to  go. 

Give  my  regards  to  Shaffer,  and  believe  me  truly  yours, 

JNO.  POPE. 

Major  General  HUNTER, 

Camp  near  Tipton. 

I  bave  not  a  single  ambulance  in  the  whole  division. 

CAMP  NEAR  QUINCY,  October  26. 

DEAR  GENERAL  :  I  reached  here  last  evening,  and  intend  to  remain  until  my 
trains  come  up.  I  found  that  by  going  direct  to  Hazle  creek  I  merely  got  into 
a  pocket,  to  get  out  of  which  I  would  be  compelled  to  return  to  the  forks  of  the 
road.  I  am  on  the  main  road  to  Stockton,  about  eighteen  miles  from  Warsaw. 

Fremont  left  a  point  twelve  miles  beyond  this  yesterday,  intending  to 
be  at  Bolivar  last  night.  Why  he  has  gone  so  much  further  east  I  don't  know, 
unless  (as  I  suspect)  he  intends  to  return  to  St.  Louis  by  way  of  Rolla,  leaving 
us  to  get  back  as  we  best  can. 

I  have  no  orders  for  any  further  movement ;  have  you  1  I  saw  the  express 
man  from  Fremont  with  despatches  for  you,  is  my  reason  for  asking. 

I  have  a  good  camp,  open  prairie  near  the  timber,  good  water,  and  forage 
enough  for  a  few  days. 

I  shall  anxiously  await  orders  from  you. 

Very  truly,  yours, 

JNO.  POPE. 

Major  General  D.  HUNTER,  Warsaw. 

CAMP  OF  SECOND  DIVISION, 

Near  Quincy,  October  26,  1861. 

DEAR  GENERAL:  I  received  an  hour  ago,  by  the  hands  of  Dr.  Mack,  "beef 
contractor,"  the  order  for  a  further  movement  to  the  south.  Dr.  Mack  has  the 
same  order  for  you,  but  for  fear  of  accident  I  send  you  a  copy  of  mine. 

Dr.  Mack  states  that  the  troops  in  advance  of  us  are  living  on  quarter  rations, 
and  are  pushing  forward  to  "  Neosho  "  at  the  rate  of  twenty  miles  a  day.  Within 
a  few  days  they  will  be  out  of  subsistence  entirely.  He  says  they  talk  of  sup? 
ply  trains  behind  to  be  coming  up,  but  none  have  passed  me,  nor  do  I  know  of 
any  between  here  and  Rolla.  Even,  however,  if  there  were  such  trains  they 


248  TESTIMONY. 

could  not  possibly  overtake  a  command  travelling  at  such  a  rate.  The  troops 
in  advance  seem  to  me  doomed  to  destruction,  or  to  such  suffering  as  would  make 
death  grateful.  I  have  few  days'  rations  and  cannot  move  until  my  trains 
reach  here,  which,  I  trust,  will  be  in  a  couple  of  days.  Of  course,  following  ia 
the  rear  of  the  armies  of  Fremont  and  Price  no  supplies  can  be  expected  from 
the  country. 

Price  is  doubtless  in  Arkansas,  as  he  was  at  Neosho  five  days  ago  still  mov 
ing  south.  When  our  forces  have  succeeded  in  reaching  Neosho,  or  Arkansas 
itself,  what  is  to  be  accomplished,  or  rather  what  does  any  sane  man  suppose 
will  be  the  result  1  The  prospect  before  us  is  appalling,  and  we  seem  to  be  led 
by  mad  men.  Of  course,  General  Fremont  and  the  men  around  him,  whose 
official  existence  depends  upon  his  not  being  superseded,  are  desperate.  But 
should  they  be  permitted  to  drag  to  destruction,  or  at  least  to  great  and  unne 
cessary  suffering,  the  30,000  men  of  this  army,  for  no  other  purpose  than  to  save, 
if  possible,  their  own  official  lives  1  I  shall  obey  the  order  and  go  on  as  soon  as 
my  supplies  arrive  here,  but  it  will  be  with  a  heavy  heart  and  grievous  forbod- 
ings.  If  anything  were  to  be  accomplished  it  would,  perhaps,  be  endurable, 
But  no  possible  result  will  be  or  can  be  attained,  except  to  allow  Price  to  deprive 
the  country  of  30,000  troops  for  the  entire  winter.  Let  what  will  come  these 
troops  cannot  be  again  put  into  the  field  before  spring. 

Please  write  me  what  you  propose  to  do,  that  we  may  act  in  concert  and  save 
the  force  in  advance  of  us  from  starvation,  although  we  suffer  great  hardships 
ourselves  in  the  attempt. 

As  soon  as  I  receive  my  supply  trains  I  will  push  on  and  share  my  rations 
with  those  who  will  be  in  the  most  need  of  them.  My  supplies,  even  under  the 
most  favorable  circumstances,  will  go  but  a  little  way  with  so  large  a  force  as  is 
in  advance,  but  I  will  do  the  best  I  can. 

I  think  Fremont  crazy  or  worse. 
Very  truly  your  friend, 

JNO.  POPE. 

Major  General  D.  HUNTER,  in  camp. 

Please  send  me  any  late  papers  you  may  have. 


WASHINGTON,  March  8,  1862. 

Captain  CHAUNCEY  McKEEVER  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  chairman : 

Question.  What  is  your  rank  and  position  in  the  army  ? 

Answer.  I  am  a  captain  of  the  regular  service  in  the  adjutant  general's  de 
partment. 

Question.  Were  you  with  General  Fremont  while  in  command  of  the  western 
department  1 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Please  state  in  your  own  way  what  you  deem  material  concerning 
the  administration  of  that  department. 

Answer.  I  arrived  at  St.  Louis  the  latter  part  of  August — about  the  30th  of 
August — and  remained  on  duty  there  until  General  Fremont  was  relieved. 
When  I  arrived  there  I  found  not  a  very  large  number  of  troops  in  the  depart 
ment  that  were  organized  ;  and  the  most  of  them  appeared  to  be  wanting  either 
in  instruction  or  in  arms  or  clothing,  for  they  were  very  badly  armed  and  very 
poorly  clothed.  There  Avas  a  great  scarcity  of  everything.  There  seemed  to 
be  very  little  transportation ;  a  great  scarcity  of  wagons  and  animals.  There 
seemed  to  be  a  great  deficiency  particularly  of  wagons  arid  harness.  There  was 


TESTIMONY.  249 

a  very  small  amount  of  money  in  the  quartermaster's  department.     The  con 
stant  complaint  was  that  there  was  not  money  to  buy  anything  with. 

Question.  What  effective  force  do  you  suppose  General  Fremont  had  when 
you  went  there — what  force  well  appointed  and  ready  for  the  field  ? 

Answer.  There  was  a  large  number  on  the  rolls,  but  I  doubt  whether  he  had 
an  effective  army  of  over  20,000  men  at  that  time.  There  were  a  great  'many 
came  in  afterwards,  but  the  most  of  them,  as  they  arrived  in  St.  Louis,  received 
arms  there,  so  they  ctuld  not  have  had  any  before  at  all — had  been  in  camp 
without  arms.  I  saw  very  few  regiments  during  the  whole  time  I  was  there 
that  I  considered  well  armed.  Their  arms  generally  were  of  an  inferior  char 
acter. 

Question.  What  was  the  condition  of  the  department  when  you  arrived  there 
as  regards  the  position  and  strength  of  the  enemy,  and  what  was  necessary  to 
be  done  ? 

Answer.  At  the  time  I  arrived  there  very  little  seemed  to  be  known  at  all 
about  the  position  of  Price  and  his  army.  I  do  not  think  it  was  known  that  he 
was  so  near  Lexington,  or  that  it  was  expected  he  would  attack  Lexington  at  all ; 
and  there  were  occasional  reports  that  the  enemy  were  advancing  up  along  the 
Mississippi  river  in  the  direction  of  Ironton,  Pilot  Knob,  and  Cape  Girardeau. 
The  first  I  knew  at  all  of  Price's  army  being  in  so  large  a  force  was  after  we 
heard  he  had  attacked  Lexington.  But  I  had  then  been  but  a  very  short  time 
in  the  department,  and  had  very  little  to  do  except  with  the  rolls.  I  was  not 
the  senior  adjutant  general  then.  Captain  Kelton  was  the  senior  adjutant  gen 
eral.  I  therefore  knew  very  little  of  what  was  going  on,  or  what  were  the  plans. 
I  knew  very  little  about  the  military  disposition  of  the  enemy,  or  of  our  own 
force.  I  think  Price's  attack  on  Lexington  was  rather  unexpected.  I  supposed 
at  the  time  an  effort  would  be  made  to  relieve  Lexington,  and  made  from  the 
northern  side  of  the  river,  from  General  Pope's  command ;  and  my  impression 
always  was  that  the  proper  plan  for  Colonel  Mulligan  to  pursue  would  have 
been  to  vacate  his  position  in  Lexington,  because  it  was  not  a  defensible  one.  I 
do  not  see  how  he  could  very  well  expect  to  get  re-enforcements  when  he  allowed 
the  passage  of  the  river  to  be  obstructed  by  the  enemy's  seizing  his  steamers. 
He  certainly  knew  the  strength  of  the  enemy  for  some  days,  and  if  they  were 
as  strong  as  he  represents  I  do  not  think  he  should  have  remained  there.  I  do 
not  think  that  either  courage  or  prudence  required  him  to  remain  there.  His 
position,  if  chosen  in  a  military  point  of  view,  was  certainly  an  indefensible  one, 
for  if  he  was  cut  off  from  water  he  certainly  could  not  expect  to  hold  out  long. 
The  river  at  that  time  of  the  year  is  low,  and  large  steamboats  cannot  go  up 
there.  The  railroad  did  not  go  near  Lexington,  and  it  was  almost  impossible 
for  an  army  to  march  from  the  terminus  of  the  railroad  to  Lexington  for  want 
of  transportation ;  and  at  the  time  we  heard  of  the  attack  upon  Lexington  there 
were  very  few  troops  in  the  city  of  St.  Louis. 

Question.  What  was  the  distance  from  the  end  of  the  railroad  to  Lexington  ? 
Answer.  I  do  not  recollect  exactly  how  far  it  was ;   I  should  suppose  it  was 
fifty  or  sixty  miles.    They  had  burned  the  Lamine  River  bridge,  so  that  the  road 
was  not  passable  much  beyond  California.    They  had  to  repair  the  bridge  after 
wards. 

Question.  Were  you  with  General  Fremont  when  he  was  superseded  by 
General  Hunter  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir ;  I  was  in  St.  Louis  in  charge  of  his  headquarters  there. 
All  the  papers  and  records  were  kept,  and  all  the  office  duty  was  performed  in 
St.  Louis,  under  direction  of  General  Fremont,  in  pursuance  of  special  orders. 

Question.  What  do  you  know  about  the  construction  of  the  fortifications 
about  St.  Louis,  of  which  so  much  has  been  said  ? 

Answer.  My  impression  is  that  they  were  constructed  on  what  is  called  the 
German  plan,  which  the  engineers  in  our  army  were  not  inclined  to  think  was 


250  TESTIMONY. 

the  best  system  by  any  means.  I  do  not  know  that  they  cost  any  more ;  but  I 
believe  our  engineers  think  that  is  not  the  best  system.  The  German  system 
is  rather  an  old  system,  upon  which  a  great  many  improvements  have  now  been 
made. 

Question.  Under  whose  direction  were  they  built  ? 

Answer.  Under  the  direction  of  Major  Kappner  and  Colonel  Hessendenbet. 
Major  Kappner,  who,  I  have  understood,  is  an  old  Austrian  officer,  is  rather  an 
elderly  man ;  I  should  think  he  is  over  sixty  years  of  age.  Sp  far  as  my  inter 
course  with  him  is  concerned,  I  should  think  him  a  very  honorable,  upright 
man.  I  believe  he  built  five  forts  at  day  labor.  Those  that  I  saw  appeared  to 
be  thoroughly  built,  and  capable  of  a  pretty  strong  defence. 

Question.  Do  you  know  whether  they  were  economically  built  or  otherwise? 

Answer.  The  five  built  by  Major  Kappner  were  built  as  cheaply  as  they  well 
could  be  built  under  the  circumstances.  The  labor  and  the  material  used  were 
paid  for  at  a  higher  rate  probably  than  otherwise  would  have  been  the  case, 
because  they  did  not  know  when  they  could  get  their  money.  The  quarter 
master's  department,  as  they  knew,  was  out  of  funds,  and  then,  too,  there  were 
rumors  afloat  that  General  Fremont  would  be  superseded,  and  they  supposed 
his  accounts  would  be  suspended,  and  they  might  not  get  their  pay  at  all.  The 
five  forts  that  were  built  by  Major  Kappner  cost  perhaps  $60,000,  as  I  have 
understood.  That  seemed  to  me  to  be  a  very  reasonable  sum  to  pay  for  them. 

Question.  What  do  you  know  about  the  other  forts  built  there  ? 

Answer.  I  have  never  read  the  whole  of  the  contract ;  but  I  have  seen  either 
the  original  or  a  certified  copy  of  it,  which  was  in  the  hands  of  the  congressional 
contract  committee  that  went  out  there.  It  appeared  to  me  that  the  prices  were 
very  high  indeed.  I  think  there  were  five  other  forts,  or  six  at  the  outside  ;  and 
if  they  were  paid  for  entirely  according  to  the  terms  of  that  contract,  I  think 
the  contractor  must  have  received  $250,000  or  $300,000,  and  must  have  made 
a  good  thing  out  of  it  if  he  was  anything  of  a  business  man.  I  have  never 
examined  the  forts,  but  I  have  heard  the  engineers  who  examined  them  say 
they  were  about  the  size  of  the  others.  The  only  ground  I  ever  heard  for  pay 
ing  so  much  more  for  these  forts  than  the  others  was,  that  the  contractor  said 
that  he  worked  on  them  day  and  night.  But  that  does  not  seem  to  me  to  justify 
the  difference  between  $60,000  and  $250,000,  unless  the  forts  were  very  much 
larger ;  and  Major  Kappner  says  the  plan  and  material  used  were  about  the 
same  for  all.  And  he  is  one  who  should  know  that,  as  I  understand  he  laid 
them  out,  staked  them  off  and  all  that,  and  was  to  inspect  the  work  from  time 
to  time,  as  the  building  of  the  forts  progressed,  upon  which  money  was  to  be 
advanced  to  the  contractor.  If  the  estimates  were  handed  in,  they  never  came 
to  the  office,  but  the  money  was  paicT  over  on  the  positive  orders  of  General 
Fremont  on  the  quartermaster's  department.  I  should  say  if  the  contractor  was 
paid  at  that  rate,  he  must  have  made  a  very  handsome  sum  of  money  if  he 
understood  his  business  at  all. 

Question.  Did  you  observe,  during  your  service  there,  any  maladministration 
in  that  department ;  if  so,  who  was  to  blame  for  it  ? 

Answer.  I  never  thought  the  quartermaster's  department  was  well  managed. 
The  person  who  was  acting  as  quartermaster  when  I  arrived  there,  Major  Mc- 
Kinstry,  seemed  to  me  to  have  too  many  duties  to  perform.  He  was  quartermas 
ter  of  the  city,  acting  quartermaster  general  on  General  Fremont's  staff,  provost 
marshal  of  the  city,  and,  afterwards,  acting  general  of  division.  It  seemed  to 
me  that  those  were  more  duties  than  any  one  man  could  well  and  promptly  per 
form.  And  it  struck  me  that  there  was  not  sufficient  preparation  made  to  take 
the  field  in  the  way  of  transportation.  The  quartermaster  had  not  provided 
wagons  or  harness,  and  they  had  but  just  commenced  purchasing  animals  when  I 
arrived  there.  When  General  Fremont  left  St.  Louis  to  take  the  iield,  about  the 
27th  of  September,  I  do  not  think  there  was  transportation  enough  to  have 


TESTIMONY.  251 

moved  one  division  of  his  army  as  it  should  be  moved,  or,  at  any  rate,  not  more 
than  enough  for  one  division.  They  were  purchasing  wagons  and  harness  as 
late  as  the  25th  of  October  or  the  1st  of  November.  Even  at  that  time  his 
army  was  not  sufficiently  supplied  with  transportation.  They  were  all  com 
plaining  of  want  of  transportation. 

Question.  Was  General  Fremont  deficient  in  exertions  to  get  transportation  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir ;  as  soon  as  he  made  up  his  mind  to  take  the  field  after 
Price,  he  made  every  exertion  to  get  transportation.  He  ordered  the  quarter 
master  to  purchase  wherever  he  could  get  it  without  limiting  the  price  or  any 
thing.  I  received  orders  several  times  to  direct  the  quartermaster  to  purchase, 
mules,  wagons,  harness,  &c.  Whether  he  knew  before  he  started  that  the 
quartermaster  had  not  then  purchased  the  transportation  I  do  not  know.  There 
was  a  great  scarcity  of  transportation  at  the  time.  The  fact  is,  at  the  time  Lex 
ington  was  attacked,  there  was  scarcely  any  troops  prepared  to  take  the  field. 
They  were  waiting  for  arms.  I  think  some  10,000  Austrian  muskets  had  been 
>scnt  to  Cincinnati  to  be  altered  and  rifled.  But  I  did  not  consider  they  were  a 
good  weapon  even  when  improved.  They  did  not  seem  to  give  satisfaction  at 
all.  Complaints  were  made  that  the  locks  were  not  good  ;  that  the  guns  would 
go  off  at  half-cock  ;  that  the  locks  would  break ;  that  the  hammers  would  break 
off.  General  Fremont  had  considerable  cavalry  there.  The  most  of  them  had 
horses,  but  they  did  not  have  sabres,  carbines,  or  pistols ;  and  as  late  as  the 
1st  of  November  there  were  several  regiments  there  that  had  not  arms  at 
all.  After  General  Fremont  started  he  was  continually  urging  me  to 
send  forward  the  1st  Iowa  cavalry  to  join  him;  but  I  was  unable  to  do 
so  because  they  could  not  be  supplied  with  arms.  It  was  a  regiment 
a  thousand  strong,  and  they  had  had  horses  for  some  mouths ;  but  they  had  no 
arms,  nor  had  General  Fremont  a  sufficient  number  of  field  pieces  to  supply  his 
artillery.  There  were  companies  in  St.  Louis  when  I  left  that  had  not  been 
supplied  with  guns,  and  several  others  were  down  at  Jefferson  Barracks  waiting 
for  guns  to  come  on  from  the  east.  There  was  a  great  deficiency  in  arms  of 
all  kinds  there.  I  think  General  Fremont  tried  in  all  directions  to  get  them. 
The  reply  from  Washington  was  that  they  had  no  arms  to  give  him ;  that  the 
ordnance  department  could  not  'supply  them.  The  impression  here  seemed  to 
be  that  there  were  more  arms  in  Missouri  than  there  really  were.  When  the 
Secretary  of  War  came  out  there,  he  asked  what  had  become  of  some  10,000 
arms  sent  out  to  General  Lyon,  but  no  one  seemed  to  know  anything  about 
them.  It  was  supposed  that  they  had  been  distributed  to  the  home  guards,  and 
not  turned  im.  What  arms  were  there  were  rusty,  out  of  order,  and  not  in  con 
dition  to  be  used  at  all.  Captain  Callender,  the  ordnance  officer  there,  certainly 
exerted  himself  to  the  utmost,  and  purchased  wherever  he  could  find  weapons, 
and  whenever  he  could  get  authority  to  do  so.  He  seemed  to  make  all  the  exer 
tions  in  his  power.  And  I  think  that  the  fact  that  so  many  reports  came  out  to 
St.  Louis,  and  the  west,  that  General  Fremont  was  to  be  removed  interfered  a 
great  deal  with  the  efficiency  of  his  command.  I  do  not  think  all  his  orders 
were  as  promptly  obeyed,  or  that  the  same  exertions  were  made  by  a  great 
many  of  the  officers,  because  they  thought  he  was  to  be  removed,  and  they 
could  act  as  they  pleased  with  impunity. 

Question.  They  thought  that  General  Fremont  was  in  disfavor  with  the  ad 
ministration? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  I  think  so.  General  Curtis,  I  think,  acted  under  that 
supposition.  He  undertook  to  take  powers  up.on  himself  that  certainly  were 
not  delegated  to  him  by  the  army  regulations,  or  any  orders  from  Washington, 
that  I  am  aware  of.  He  undertook  to  send  a  flag  of  truce  through  our  lines 
to  Price,  at  Springfield,  for  an  exchange  of  prisoners,  for  which  he  was  repri 
manded  by  General  Fremont,  and  informed  that  if  he,  or  any  other  officer,  un 
dertook  to  do  a  like  act  again  he  should  be  arrested.  He  seemed  to  think  he 


252  TESTIMONY. 

had  a  right  to  send  troops  out  of  the  city  when  and  where  he  pleased,  just  be 
cause  General  Fremont  was  absent;  that  I  could  not  act  in  General  Fremont's 
name  because  he  was  not  there,  although  I  had  written  instructions  from  Gen 
eral  Fremont  what  to  do,  and  special  instructions  for  special  cases. 

There  were  certain  reports  came  to  St.  Louis  that  Jeff.  Thompson,  whom  1 
was  instructed  to  keep  an  eye  upon,  was  advancing.  I  was  instructed  to  watch 
Cape  Girardeau  and  fronton,  and  see  that  they  were  re-enforced  in  case  of  at 
tack.  On  learning  that  Jeff.  Thompson,  or  a  part  of  his  force,  had  burned  the 
Big  River  bridge,  I  ordered  General  Grant,  in  the  name  of  General  Fremont,  to 
send  re-enforcements  to  Cape  Girardeau,  and  ordered  the  command  to  start 
from  there  to  intercept  Thompson's  retreat.  I  also  re-enforced  Irontou  and 
Pilot  Knob.  I  also  sent  a  battery  of  the  1st  Missouri  light  artillery,  under  the 
command  of  Major  Schoneld.  I  sent  him  in  charge  because  I  knew  he  was  an 
officer  of  experience,  and  I  felt  a  little  solicitous  about  the  place.  He  went  at 
my  special  request.  Of  course  I  consulted  him  about  it,  and  he  agreed  to  go. 
All  the  orders  were  issued,  of  course,  in  the  name  of  General  Fremont,  accord 
ing  to  instructions.  Major  Schofield  had  been  assistant  adjutant  general  for 
General  Lyon,  and  I  knew  he  was  thoroughly  posted  there.  We  agreed  that 
that  was  all  the  re-enforcements  that  were  necessary;  that  Colonel  Carlin,  with 
his  own  force  and  the  additional  force  I  had  sent  him,  ought  to  be  able  to  drive 
Jeff.  Thompson  back ;  and  with  Colonel  Plummer  coming  up  from  Cape  Girar 
deau,  I  was  in  hopes  to  cut  off  Thompson  entirely.  A  despatch  that  was  sent 
from  Colonel  Plummer  to  Colonel  Carlin  informing  him  what  he  was  going  to 
do,  was  intercepted  by  the  enemy,  and  he  immediately  fell  back  off  the  main 
road  to  Fredericktown.  Colonel  Carlin  and  Colonel  Plummer  joined  their  forces, 
and  attacked  the  enemy  there,  and  whipped  him.  There  was  telegraphic  com 
munication  opened  between  Pilot  Knob  and  St.  Louis,  and  I  was  kept  fully  in 
formed  of  the  condition  of  things  there.  General  Curtis  also  received  some 
telegrams  from  some  parties  who  gave  him  wrong  information,  exaggerated  Jeff. 
Thompson's  forces,  said  that  he  had  10,000  or  15, 000  men,  and  was  advancing  on  St. 
Louis.  And  G  eneral  Curtis  acted  as  though  he  thought  it  was  all  true.  He  went 
out  and  inspected  all  the  fortifications,  and  ordered  the  1st  Iowa  cavalry  down 
to  Jefferson  Barracks  to  scout  out  from  there.  Now,  I  had  positive  information 
that  there  was  no  enemy  there.  This  Iowa  cavalry  had  been  under  orders  for 
some  time  to  join  General  Fremont  as  soon  as  they  were  equipped.  One  squadron 
had  been  equipped  the  day  previous,  but,  owing  to  pressing  business  and  the 
re-enforcing  Pilot  Knob,  I  had  not  sent  them  off.  And  I  then  ordered  this 
cavalry  to  proceed  and  join  General  Fremont  at  Tipton.  General  Curtis  ordered 
also  a  part  of  one  of  the  Missouri  regiments  down.  I  directed  him,  in  the  name 
of  General  Fremont,  to  withdraw  those  troops,  as  they  were  not  needed  down 
there.  The  battle  was  fought  as  I  had  expected,  and  as  I  had  ordered.  I 
ordered  Colonel  Carlin  distinctly  to  attack  Jeff.  Thompson.  He  did  so  and 
defeated  him.  They  pursued  them  but  a  short  distance.  I  do  not  know  why 
they  did  not  pursue  them  further.  They  were  successful,  had  an  ample  force, 
and  there  was  no  need  of  any  more  troops.  To  have  sent  more  troops  down 
there  would  have  been  an  expense  to  the  government  that  was  not  necessary. 
I  think  there  was  no  necessity  for  General  Curtis  interfering  in  the  matter  at 
all.  I  reported  to  General  Fremont,  and  he  approved  of  what  I  had  done. 

Question.  What  is  your  opinion  in  regard  to  the  failure  to  re-enforce  Colonel 
Mulligan  at  Lexington  ? 

Answer.  I  had  been  so  short  a  time  in  the  office  that  I  knew  but  little  of  the 
general  affairs  of  the  department  at  that  time.  It  was  only  after  the  surrender 
of  Colonel  Mulligan  that  I  was  appointed  the  principal  adjutant  general.  I 
therefore  knew  very  little  about  what  could  be  done.  I  did  not  know  exactly 
how  General  Fremont's  troops  were  posted,  or  how  many  he  had.  I  think  he 
had  only  some  2,000  or  3,000  in  the  city.  Regiments  were  arriving  there  every 


TESTIMONY.  253 

tl.iy,  but  they  had  no  arms,  and  no  baggage  wagons,  and  no  tents.  There  vri.s 
a  great  scarcity  of  tents  in  the  department.  It  appeared  to  me  almost  impossi 
ble  for  General  Fremont  to  have  sent  troops  to  Lexington  in  sufficient  numbers 
to  save  it  before  it  fell.  Of  course,  however,  having  arrived  there  so  lately,  I 
could  not  tell  what  might  have  been  done  to  strengthen  Lexington  if  it  had 
been  understood  that  Price  was  going  there,  After  it  was  attacked  it  appeared 
to  me  too  late  to  do  anything  to  save  it.  I  do  not  know  what  information 
General  Fremont  had  in  reference  to  Price's  movements ;  whether  he  could 
have  anticipated  the  attack  on  Lexington  or  not ;  and  I  did  not  know  what 
orders  Colonel  Mulligan  had.  I  know  that  General  Fremont  ordered  troops 
from  the  northern  part  of  Missouri  to  go  to  the  relief  of  Lexington ;  but  when 
they  arrived  at  the  river,  they  were  scarcely  in  sufficient  numbers  to  have  been 
of  much  service,  and  they  had  no  means  to  cross  the  river,  the  boats  having  all 
been  seized  by  Price's  army  before  they  got  there.  I  have  no  means  of  esti 
mating  the  number  of  Price's  force.  I  have  always  supposed  it  was  very  much 
exaggerated,  because  I  do  not  think  he  could  have  brought  that  number  there 
and  subsisted  them  without  more  having  been  known  about  it.  He  had  enough 
to  take  the  place,  and  I  suppose  that  was  all  that  was  necessary. 

Question.  How  was  General  Fremont  about  being  accessible  to  those  who 
had  important  business  with  him  1 

Answer.  It  was  very  frequently  difficult  to  get  to  see  him ;  but  I  think  that 
was  because  he  had  so  much  to  do— because  he  was  so  busy.  I  think  he  de 
voted  his  whole  time  to  business.  He  was  in  his  office  from  very  early  in  the 
morning  until  late  at  night. 

Question.  Had  he  any  system  by  which  persons  having  important  business 
with  him  could  be  admitted  to  see  him  1 

Answer.  I  think  a  great  deal  depended  upon  certain  members  of  his  staff'.  I 
think  that  they  frequently  did  not  tell  the  general  that  persons  were  there  in 
waiting ;  that  they  took  upon  themselves  to  decide  whether  their  business  was 
of  importance  or  not.  There  were  a  great  many  persons  came  there  With  what 
they  considered  important  information,  when  they  really  had  no  information  at 
all,  as  the  general  knew  all  about  it  beforehand.  But  they  seemed  to  think 
that  because  they  had  just  come  from  the  country  they  had  information  of  im 
portance. 

Question.  I  refer  to  those  who  came  upon  important  business,  or  with  in 
formation  that  it  was  necessary  for  the  general  to  have. 

Answer.  I  have  heard  persons  talk  about  their  not  being  able  to  see  him ; 
but  I  never  knew  of  an  instance  where  it  was  very  necessary  for  a  person  to 
see  the  general  that  he  did  not  see  him.  If  he  knew  that  they  were  there  and 
had  important  business  with  him,  they  could  generally  see  him.  I  heard  the 
honorable  Mr.  Gurley  say  once  that  he  had  to  wait  two  days  to  see  him.  I  do 
not  know  that  the  general  knew  he  was  there,  or,  if  he  did,  that  there  was  any 
thing  particular  the  general  had  to  say  to  him.  Mr.  Gurley  went  there  as  a 
member  of  General  Fremont's  staff  some  time  before  he  took  the  field,  and  I 
suppose  he  had  no  particular  orders  to  give  him. 

Question.  Was  there  anything  unusual  about  his  accessibility  as  a  person  en 
gaged  in  the  business  he  was  engaged  in  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir ;  I  think  not.  It  is  always  more  or  less  difficult  to  see  a 
commander  of  a  department.  General  Halleck  was  so  overrun  with  visitors  he 
had  a  staff  officer  there  who  would  sometimes  take  your  card  up,  and  sometimes 
not.  General  Fremont's  officers  were  all  at  his  headquarters,  and  he  was  always 
there,  and  it  seemed  to  me  that  somebody  was  with  him  all  the  time.  After  I 
was  the  chief  adjutant  general  I  always  walked  into  his  room  whenever  I  had 
matters  of  importance  to  communicate  to  him,  and  got  through  with  the  business 
as  rapidly  as  possible,  because  the  general  always  seemed  to  be  busy. 


254  TESTIMONY. 


WASHINGTON,  March  14,  1862 

Colonel  CHESTER  HARDING,  Jr.,  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  chairman : 

Question.  Please  state  to  us  yoiu'  rank  and  position  in  the  army. 

Answer.  I  am  at  present  adjutant  general  of  the  State  of  Missouri. 

Question.  Were  you  there  under  the  administration  of  the  western  depart 
ment  by  General  Fremont  1 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  during  the  whole  time. 

Question.  Please  give  us  a  statement  of  all  that  you  deem  material  in  that 
administration  that  came  under  your  notice. 

Answer.  On  the  26th  of  July,  when  General  Fremont  arrived,  I  was  sta 
tioned  at  the  arsenal.  I  had  been  acting  for  General  Lyon,  under  his  orders, 
from  the  time  of  his  departure.  Here  is  that  order : 

HEADQUARTERS  DEPARTMENT  WEST, 

Special  order.]  St.  Louis  Arsenal,  June  13,  1861. 

1.  In  the  absence  of  the  department  commander,  Lieutenant  Colonel  Chester 
Harding,  jr.,  will  give  the  necessary  directions  for  carrying  out  the  proper  policy 
of  the  government  as  has  been  verbally  expressed  by  the  undersigned,  and  all 
orders  given  by  him  will  be  regarded  as  bv  authority. 

N.  LYON, 
Brigadier  General  United  States  Volunteers,  Commanding. 

When  General  Fremont  arrived,  he  ordered  me  to  report  to  him  for  duty  as 
assistant  adjutant  general  upon  his  staff.  I  went  with  General  Fremont  to 
Cairo,  as  his  adjutant  general  in  the  field,  and  returned  with  him. 

Question.  State  what  force  you  took  there. 

Answer.  We  took  3,800  men.  That  is  not  the  exact  number,  but  it  was  in 
the  neighborhood  of  3,800. 

Question.  How  did  you  go  there  ? 

Answer.  In  seven  steamboats,  besides  the  one  which  General  Fremont  had 
himself — seven  transports  for  troops. 

Question.  For  what  purpose  did  he  charter  a  boat  for  himself  to  go  there ; 
what  was  the  object  of  it  ? 

Answer.  He  had  considerable  business  to  do,  and  I  suppose  it  was  for  the 
purpose  of  being  more  private  than  he  could  have  been  had  he  been  on  the 
same  boat  with  the  troops. 

Question.  How  was  that  boat  furnished  ;  was  there  anything  extraordinary 
expensive,  or  ostentatious  about  it  ?  Please  state  how  that  was. 

Answer.  The  boat  was  always  a  very  fine  boat  and  magnificently  furnished, 
and  had  been  furnished  by  the  Alton  Packet  Company.  There  were  very  few 
state-rooms  in  her.  The  saloon  and  cabin  were  supplied  with  sofas. 

Question.  Did  General  Fremont  add  anything  to  it  ? 

Answer.  I  do  not  know  of  any  change  being  made  in  and  about  her  in  con 
sequence  of  General  Fremont  taking  her — either  extra  furniture  or  any 
change  at  all. 

Question.  Please  state  whether  there  was  on  that  expedition  anything  showy 
or  ostentatious  above  the  ordinary  movement  of  armies. 

Answer.  Nothing  that  I  discovered.  I  heard  some  talk  about  General 
Fremont  coming  down  to  the  boat  in  a  carriage  drawn  by  four  horses,  but  I  did 
not  see  the  carriage  myself.  I  went  on  board  the  boat  early  in  the  morning 
before  he  arrived.  She  was  lying  in  the  stream  then. 


TESTIMONY.  255 

Question.  Was  he  ostentatious  in  his  bearing  and  deportment  about  St. 
Louis  ? 

Answer.  It  never  struck  me  so.  He  had  a  fine  house,  and  he  had  plenty  of 
orderlies  around  stationed  at  different  passages.  They  were  generally  in  the 
basement  of  the  house,  and  they  had  plenty  to  do  to  keep  people  from  rushing 
up  stairs  ;  but  I  never  saw  anything  indicating  a  desire  to  be  very  magnificent. 

Question.  What  do  you  say  of  his  inaccessibility  1  It  has  been  sometimes  a 
matter  of  complaint  that  even  a  man  of  business  could  not  get  at  him. 

Answer.  1  presume  it  was  very  difficult  for  citizens  who  went  there  not  upon 
business  to  see  him  ;  and. perhaps  it  was  difficult  for  those  who  went  upon  busi 
ness  and  he  was  engaged  and  occupied  with  other  matters.  I  have  myself  had 
to  wait  a  day  or  two  even  after  I  had  been  ordered  there,  and  get  in  the  room. 
He  would  tell  me  he  could  not  attend  to  me  then  and  ask  me  to  call  again  at 
such  a  time. 

Question.  Was  he  attentive  to  business  there  1 

Answer.  He  was  occupied  all  the  time.     I  never  saw  him  idle  one  moment. 

Question.  Was  he  unnecessarily  exclusive  in  your  judgment  I 

Answer.  In  my  judgment  he  was  not.  If  he  had  received  all  the  visitors 
who  wished  to  see  him  he  never  would  have  done  any  business  at  all. 

Question.  You  have  spoken  of  the  visit  to  Cairo.  What  was  the  condition  of 
affairs  when  you  got  there  ;  what  amount  of  troops  were  there  ? 

Answer.  General  Prentiss  made  to  me  a  brigade  return  when  we  arrived 
there,  showing  the  forces  which  he  had  in  Cairo  and  opposite  to  Bird's  Point. 
My  impression  is,  that,  including  the  three  months  men,  that  report  showed 
something  like  5,600  men. 

Question.  Does  that  report  include  those  that  Fremont  took  along  or  not  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir ;  exclusive  of  the  re-enforcements. 

Question.  How  were  they  armed  and  equipped  1 

Answer.  I  made  no  inspection,  and  saw  none  of  the  troops  excepting  two  or 
three  regiments  that  were  on  the  west  bank  of  the  river  at  Bird's  Point. 
These  were  very  weil  armed  ;  but  I  do  not  think  that  any  regiment  in  the  ser 
vice  in  the  western  States  at  that  time  could  be  said  to  be  well  equipped  with 
everything. 

Question.  Were  those  positions,  Cairo  and  Bird's  Point,  or  either  of  them, 
threatened  in  any  way  by  the  enemy  1 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  all  the  southeastern  part  of  Missouri  and  the  different 
points  there  were  threatened. 

Question.  By  what  force,  as  near  as  you  could  ascertain  ? 

Answer.  We  supposed  frojn  all  the  reports  that  we  could  gather,  and  from 
intelligence  that  General  McClellan,  General  Prentiss,  and  General  Pope  re 
ceived,  that  they  could  collect,  including  Missouri  irregulars,  something  like 
20,000  troops  at  Pocahontas  and  Pitman's  Ferry,  and  would  be  joined  by 
Watkins  with  his  men  from  New  Madrid,  and  by  McBride,  who  was  collecting 
forces,  and  had  at  one  time  2,500  men  in  Oregon  and  Texas  counties,  on  the 
borders. 

Question.  State  the  condition  of  things  in  the  western  department  when 
General  Fremont  arrived  there.  What  was  the  amount  of  the  forces,  and  how 
were  they  armed,  equipped,  &c.,  when  he  took  command  ? 

Answer.  On  the  26th  day  of  July,  1861,  there  were  in  St.  Louis,  four  regi 
ments  of  the  United  States  reserve  corps,  who  could  not  be  ordered  from  the 
county  of  St.  Louis  without  their  own  consent.  They  numbered  very  nearly  four 
thousand  men.  The  term  of  service  of  the  first  and  second  regiments  was  to 
expire  on  the  7th  day  of  August,  and  of  the  3d  and  4th,  on  the  8th  day  of  Au 
gust.  The  5th  regiment  of  the  United  States  reserve  corps,  whose  time  was  to 
expire  on  the  llth  of  August,  was  part  of  it  in  Lexingtion  and  part  of  it  in  St. 
Louis.  The  4th  regiment  of  Missouri  volunteers,  Colonel  Schittner,  the  2d  regi- 


"256  TESTIMONY. 

nient,  Oolouel  Boernstine,  with  the  exception  of  two  companies  under  (now) 
Colonel  Austerhaus,  and  a  portion  of  the  3d  and  5th  Missouri  were  in  the  arsenal 
or  near  it,  their  term  of  service  having  expired.  They  remained  together  simply 
to  obtain  their  pay  and  to  be  re-organized.  The  8th  Missouri  volunteers  was 
not  quite  complete  in  its  organization,  but  still  could  have  taken  the  field,  and 
was  sent  to  Cape  Girardeau  in  the  course  of  a  few  days.  They  had  no  trans 
portation.  They  numbered  about  800  men  at  that  time,  or  very  nearly  up  to 
the  minimum.  A  portion  of  Backhof 's  artillery  battalion  was  in  the  arsenal  for 
the  purpose  of  being  mustered  out  and  paid  off.  Those  were  all  the  troops  in 
or  neat  the  city,  with  the  exception  of  skeleton  companies  of  the  9th  and  10th 
regiments  of  Missouri  volunteers,  which  were  then  forming. 

Question.  Can  you  give  in  general  terms  the  number  of  the  troops  available 
in  his  department  at  that  time  1 

Answer.  Here  is  a  statement  which  shows  the  position  of  all  our  Missouri 
troops  at  the  time  when  General  Fremont  arrived.  The  1st  regiment,  Colonel 
Blair,  was  at  Springfield.  The  2d  regiment  was  in  the  arsenal  for  mustering 
out  and  reorganization.  The  3d  regiment  was  in  the  field  at  Springfield,  Mis 
souri,  with  the  exception  of  the  three  months'  men,  who  had  returned  to  be 
mustered  out.  The  4th  regiment  was  in  the  arsenal  to  be  mustered  out  and  re 
organized.  The  5th  regiment  was  in  the  field  at  Springfield,  Missouri,  with  the 
exception  of  the  three  months'  men,  who  had  returned  to  be  mustered  out.  .The 
6th  regiment,  Colonel  Bland,  was  at  Pilot  Knob  and  Ironton.  Of  the  7th  regi 
ment,  two  companies  were  in  Jefferson  City  and  eight  in  Boonville.  The  8th 
regiment  was  then  at  the  Abbey  Park,  in  St.  Louis.  The  9th  regiment  had  but 
226  men,  distributed  around  among  skeleton  companies,  and  they  were  at  the 
arsenal,  not  clothed  or  equipped.  The  10th  regiment  was  in  the  same  condition, 
and  with  about  the  same  number  of  troops.  What  afterwards  became  the  en 
gineer  regiment  of  the  west  was  then  just  started,  and  there  were  76  mechanics 
in  the  arsenal.  Bud's  battery,  154  men,  were  in  the  arsenal,  and  we  had  just 
received  authority  to  keep  them  and  get  them  their  guns  and  artillery  accoutre 
ments.  There  were  554  of  Bayle's  rifle  battalion  at  Holla.  There  were  307, 
that  is,  three  companies,  of  the  23d  Illinois  in  the  arsenal,  but  under  orders  to 
go  to  Jefferson  City,  where  the  remaining  seven  companies  were  stationed. 
There  were  two  companies  of  Backhof 's  artillery  battalion  in  the  field  at  Spring 
field  ;  a  portion  of  one  company  was  at  Jefferson  City  and  another  portion  at  Boon 
ville.  Of  the  pioneer  company,  120  men,  half  of  it  was  at  Springfield  ;  a  section 
was  in  St.  Charles,  and  a  section  at  Pilot  Knob.  The  first  four  regiments  of  the 
United  States  reserve  corps  were  in  St.  Louis ;  and  of  the  5th,  a  part  was  at 
Lexington  and  a  part  at  St.  Louis.  Besides  these,  there  were  23  companies  of 
home  guards,  who  were  guarding  the  railroad  bridges  and  tracks  in  different 
parts  of  the  State ;  making  a  total  of  15,943  troops. 
Question.  How  were  they  armed  and  equipped  ? 

Answer.  The  regiments  in  the  field  were  tolerably  well  armed  and  equipped. 
There  had  been  great  difficulty  in  procuring  cartridge-boxes,  knapsacks,  &c., 
and  the  other  accoutrements  for  the  field  when  General  Lyon  started  for 
Boonville,  and  Sigel's  command  went  to  the  field  insufficiently  supplied  with 
these.  Subsequently,  from  the  accoutrements  which  the  government  sent  with 
ten  thousand  arms  for  distribution  among  the  loyal  inhabitants  of  the  State  of 
Missouri,  we  took  enough  to  supply  the  troops  in  the  field.  None  of  the  regi 
ments  had  a  proper  supply  of  army  wagons. 

Question.  Were  you  there  at  the  time  that  General  Lyon  fought  the  battle  of 
Springfield? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  It  has  been  said  that  General  Fremont  was  culpable  for  not  granting 
aid  or  sending  him  re-enforcements.  How  was  that  ? 

Answer.  My  own  opinion  is  that  General  Fremont  had  the  choice  of  one  of 


TESTIMONY.  257 

two  things  to  do ;  to  re-enforce  General  Lyon,  which  he  might  have  done  by 
neglecting  the  southeast,  or  let  Lyon  get  along  the  best  way  he  could  with  what 
force  he  had,  and  keep  the  southeast.  He  had  not  force  enough  in  a  condition 
to  move  to  accomplish  both  purposes  at  that  time. 

Question.  What  do  you  mean  by  the  southeast  ? 

Answer.  That  whole  country  from  Pocahontas  up  by  Pitman's  Ferry,  includ 
ing  Ironton,  Holla,  and  Cairo. 

Question.  You  have  stated  how  that  part  was  threatened  at  the  time  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  General  Fremont's  plan  of  operations  there  was  not  the 
plan  that  I  would  have  followed  if  I  had  been  in  command. 

Question.  In  what  particular,  in  your  judgment,  did  he  err  ? 

Answer.  I  thought  all  along,  and  so  advised  General  McClellan  and  the  other 
generals,  that  the  proper  way  to  prevent  troops  from  coming  up  from  Pocahontas 
was  to  occupy  the  heads  of  the  only  roads  by  which  they  could  move,  and  to 
push  down  our  forces  by  the  way  of  Greenville  towards  the  Arkansas  line.  In 
fact,  that  plan  was  agreed  to  at  one  time,  and  the  forces  were  ordered  over  to 
me  at  the  arsenal  for  the  purpose  of  making  a  movement ;  but  subsequently 
General  McClellan  countermanded  the  movement  of  some  regiments  that  were 
intended  to  go  in  that  direction. 

Question.  Where  did  he  order  them  to  when  he  countermanded  the  movement  1 

Answer.  They  were  held  in  reserve  in  case  Cairo  should  be  attacked.  It 
was  upon  the  representations  of  General  Prentiss  and  General  Pope  that  the 
order  was  countermanded.  That  was  all  the  force  we  wanted  to  keep  the  south 
east,  and  if  we  could  have  had  the  five  regiments  General  Lyon  could  have 
been  re-enforced  easy  enough. 

Question.  And  that,  you  say,  was  prevented  by  General  McClellan's  orders  ? 

Answer.  He  countermanded  the  order  which  had  been  given  in  the  first  place 
for  Grant's  and  some  other  regiments. 

Question.  So  that  five  regiments  had  to  be  held  in  reserve  instead  of  going  on 
that  expedition  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir ;  not  the  five.  Wyman's  regiment  was  one  of  the  regiments 
that  was  ordered  off,  and  Marsh's  20th  Illinois  was  another.  Our  stores  at  Holla 
had  accumulated  so  that  there  was  a  vast  amount  of  government  property  there 
at  risk,  and  McBride  was  not  far  off  with  forces  varying  from  day  to  day,  never 
having  any  permanent  force,  but  varying  from  1,500  to  2,500  men.  Farmers 
would  come  out  and  join  him  and  stay  two  or  three  days  and  go  home  again ; 
but,  at  any  time,  he  could  collect  a  large  force  to  make  a  dash  upon  an  exposed 
point.  It  was  necessary  to  protect  that  place,  and  I  sent  Wyman  there.  I 
sent  Marsh  to  Cape  Girardeau,  because  it  was  a  very  good  base  for  operations 
through  the  southeastern  portion  of  the  State,  with  a  good  road  back  from  there 
to  Bloomfield  and  Greenville,  and  communication  could  be  kept  up  with  Irontou 
very  easily ;  and  because,  also,  there  was  so  much  talk  about  Cairo,  and  so 
much  apprehension  felt  that  it  was  in  danger,  I  wanted  him  to  be  where  General 
Prentiss  could  feel  that,  in  case  of  an  attack,  he  could  call  on  Marsh  to  re-enforce 
him.  Cape  Girardeau  is  only  fifty  miles  from  Cairo. 

Question.  It  has  been  thought  that  re-enforcements  might  have  been  spared 
from  Rolla  to  go  down  and  help  Lyon  1 

Answer.  It  was  through  some  of  General  Lyon's  orders  that  the  troops  were 
not  moved  forward  from  Rolla.  As  I  stated  before,  Wyman  was  at  Rolla.  I 
had  been  organizing,  as  fast  as  I  could,  the  men  for  Bayles's  rifle  regiment, 
and  had  some  500  of  them  sent  down  and  stationed  at  Rolla,  with  a  design  to 
move  Wyman  forward  as  soon  as  Bayles  was  strong  enough  to  hold  the  place. 
Before  the  battle  of  Springfield,  and  after  the  three  months'  men  began  to  be 
anxious  about  their  pay,  General  Lyon  sent  some  of  them  back.  He  sent  back, 
among  others,  the  4th  regiment  United  States  reserve  corps,  which  was  at 

Part  iii 17 


258  TESTIMONY. 

Springfield  with  him ;  and  he  gave  authority  to  the  officers  who  were  going  to 
reorganize  some  of  the  three  months  regiments  to  pick  up  everybody  they  could 
find  and  bring  them  to  the  arsenal  for  reorganization.  In  that  way  nearly  the 
whole  of  Bayles's  command  came  up  to  the  arsenal  just  about  the  time  General 
Fremont  arrived,  and  left  nobody  at  Rolla  but  Wy man's  force. 

Question.  Then,  in  your  opinion,  General  Lyon  could  not  be  spared  any 
troops  from  Rolla,  for  the  reasons  you  have  given  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir. 

Question.  Was  there  any  military  necessity  for  Lyon  fighting  the  battle  there, 
or  could  he  have  retreated  ? 

Answer.  Of  that  I  can  only  speak  from  what  the  regular  officers  and  others 
have  said  since  their  return.  There  have  been  various  opinions  about  it.  Some 
think  that  the  battle  was  fought  in  the  best  place ;  that  it  was  necessary  to  fight 
it  there.  Others  think  there  was  another  stronger  place  nearer  Springfield 
which  might  have  been  held,  and  that  our  troops  should  have  awaited  the  attack 
of  Price  there;  it  was  known  Price  was  about  to  attack  us;  but  how  much 
weight  their  opinion  is  entitled  to  I  have  no  means  of  judging. 

Question.  It  is  a  debatable  question  among  military  gentlemen  1 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  You  know  the  amount  of  troops  under  Fremont;  you  know  the 
condition  of  Cairo  and  other  exposed  parts  of  his  department;  and  taking  it  all 
into  consideration,  under  all  the  circumstances,  what  do  you  say  as  a  military 
man  of  Fremont  not  re-enforcing  Lyon] 

Answer.  I  would  think  that,  according  to  his  own  views  about  the  neces 
sities  of  the  case,  he  acted  in  a  proper  manner;  but  the  view  which  he  took, 
and  which  the  other  generals  took,  of  affairs  in  Missouri,  was  one  that  I  never 
did  agree  to,  and  am  not  convinced  yet. 

Question.  I  am  not  now  speaking  of  the  original  plan  of  the  campaign ;  but, 
under  the  circumstances  that  he  had  planned  it,  was  it  in  his  power  and  ought 
he  to  have  really  re-enforced  Lyon? 

Answer.  I  do  not  think  he  could  have  done  it  and  carried  out  his  plans. 
The  troops  were  not  there  to  do  it  with;  that  is,  to  do  it  immediately.  He  or 
dered  them  as  he  came  along,  and  they  commenced  coming  rapidly  to  the  State, 
and  we  were  hard  at  work  furnishing  them  after  they  arrived  as  rapidly  as 
possible,  trying  to  get  them  ready  to  take  the  field. 

Question.  Did  you  accompany  Fremont  to  Springfield  and  were  you  present 
when  he  was  superseded? 

Answer.  No,  sir.  On  the  15th  of  August  I  left  General  Fremont's  staff  and 
took  command  of  a  regiment.  He  assigned  me  to  the  command  of  a  district 
embracing  the  lines  of  the  Pacific  railroad  and  Southwest  Branch ;  and  from 
that  time  until  he  was  removed  I  wras  in  charge  of  that  department,  a  brigade 
command. 

Question.  His  commissary  department  and  his  contracts  have  been  criticised ; 
do  you  know  anything  about  those  things'? 

Answer.  Nothing  in  the  world.  I  was  never  in  General  Fremont's  confi 
dence  in  respect  to  his  campaign  or  his  operations  in  the  city  for  supplying  his 
troops. 

Question.  Do  you  know  anything  about  the  building  of  those  fortifications  in 
St.  Louis? 

Answer.  Nothing  at  all,  further  than  that  I  have  seen  them  and  been  in 
them. 

Question.  But  you  do  not  know  whether  the  prices  for  them  were  exorbitant 
or  moderate? 

Answer.  No,  sir. 

Question.  Now  let  me  ask  you  as  to  the  necessity  of  building  those  fortifica 
tions,  or  the  military  expediency  of  them  ? 


TESTIMONY.  259 

Answer.  I  do  not  think  they  were  necessary  myself;  but  a  great  many  per 
sons,  who  ought  to  know  better  than  I,  did  think  so. 

Question.  Would  they  not  enable  our  forces  to  defend  the  city  with  less  force 
than  to  attempt  it  without  fortifications  ? 

Answer.  I  think  that  the  battle  that  will  defend  St.  Louis  will  have  to  be 
fought  a  good  many  miles  away  from  it.  They  would  not  have  assisted  us  in 
case  of  an  attack  by  the  river. 

Question.  What  would  be  the  difference,  as  to  the  propriety  of  it,  between 
fortifying  that  city  and  this?  Was  it  necessary  that  this  city  should  have  been 
defended  by  fortifications'? 

Answer.  I  certainly  think  so,  with  the  enemy  right  at  the  door.  They  came 
as  near  as  Arlington  Heights,  as  I  understand. 

Question.  Suppose  then  that  they  had  come  that  near  St.  Louis,  as  they  did 
approach  pretty  near  sometimes1? 

Answer.  If  they  ever  got  as  far  as  St.  Louis  they  would  be  in  strength 
enough  to  pay  very  little  attention  to  the  forts. 

Question.  You  do  not  believe  much  in  fortifications  ? 

Answer.  Oh!   yes,  sir;    but  I  think  that  our  fight  for  St.  Louis  must  neces 
sarily  have  taken  place  at  a  long  distance  from  the  city. 
By  Mr.  Gooch : 

Question.  I  see  that  you  differ  greatly  from  General  Fremont  in  regard  to  the 
amount  of  forces  at  Cairo  at  the  time  of  your  visit  ? 

Answer.  I  saw  in  General  Fremont's  publication  a  statement  that  General 
Prentiss  had  about  1,200  men.  That  led  me  to  reflect,  and  I  think  that  that  is 
a  mistake.  I  think  that  among  his  adjutant  general's  papers  in  St.  Louis 
will  be  found  General  Prentiss's  report  of  the  3d  of  August. 

By  Mr.  Chandler: 

Question.  May  not  the  discharge  of  the  three  months  men  about  that  time 
explain  it  ? 

Answer.  In  making  the  statement  I  did  of  5,500  men  I  included  the  three 
months  men. 

By  Mr.  Wade: 

Question.  The  time  of  their  enlistment  was  about  expiring  at  that  time  1 
Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Might  not  that  reconcile  the  discrepancy  1 

Answer.  That  will  reconcile  it.  I  do  not  think  there  were  over  1,200  three 
years  men. 

By  Mr.  Gooch : 

Question.  Can  you  give  us  the  whole  force  of  the  western  department  at  the 
time  General  Fremont  took  command  ] 

Answer.  In  addition  to  what  I  have  already  mentioned,  there  were  two 
regiments  of  Illinois  troops,  and  one  of  Iowa  troops,  the  second  Iowa,  Colonel, 
now  General,  Curtis  upon  the  line  of  the  Hannibal  and  St.  Joseph  railroad. 
General  Pope  was  in  northeast  Missouri  with  a  portion  of  his  division.  I  do 
not  know  what  troops  or  regiments  constituted  his  force.  Colonel  Mulligan  was 
at  Jefferson  City.  General  Lyon's  column  consisted  of  the  1st  Missouri  rifle 
battalion,  of  the  2d  Missouri,  two  companies,  the  3d  Missouri  and  the  5th  Mis 
souri,  these  last  two  regiments  having  been  weakened  by  the  loss  of  their  three 
months  men,  the  1st  Iowa,  the  1st  and  2d  Kansas,  five  companies  of  regular 
infantry,  and  five  companies,  I  think,  of  regular  cavalry ;  I  believe  there  were 
five.  I  have  a  post  return  at  my  room.  He  also  had  Totten's  battery,  regu 
lars,  two  volunteer  batteries,  and  Dubois's  regular  battery. 


260  TESTIMONY. 

Question.  Can  you  give  us  a  statement  of  the  whole  force  in  the  western 
department  at  the  time  General  Fremont  took  command1? 

Answer.  I  can,  with  the  exception  of  giving  the  numbers  of  General  Pope's 
command  in  northwestern  Missouri. 

Question.  Have  you  stated  the  aggregate  amount,  with  the  exception  of  the 
forces  under  General  Pope1? 

Answer.  No.  I  did  not  include  General  Lyon's  column,  nor  did  I  include 
the  three  regiments  that  were  stationed  on  the  Hannibal  and  St.  Joseph  road 
in  the  statement  which  I  gave. 

Question.  Adding  those  to  those  you  have  already  referred  to,  and  excepting 
the  forces  under  General  Pope,  how  many  were  there  in  all  ? 

Answer.  Besides  the  15,000  I  have  spoken  of,  there  were  in  the  State  when 
General  Fremont  arrived:  Marsh's  20th  Illinois  regiment,  about  900  strong,  at 
Cape  Girardeau ;  Wyman's  regiment,  about  a  thousand  strong,  at  Holla ;  the 
2d  Iowa,  about  950  strong,  at  St.  Joseph  and  along  the  line  of  the  Hannibal 
and  St.  Joseph  railroad ;  the  16th  Illinois,  Colonel  Smith,  about  900  strong, 
also  guarding  the  line  of  that  road ;  and  another  Illinois  regiment,  the  number 
of  which  I  have  forgotten,  about  900  strong.  With  General  Lyon,  besides  the 
1st,  2d,  3d,  and  5th  Missouri  and  an  artillery  battalion,  which  I  have  included 
in  the  list  before  given,  there  were  two  Kansas  regiments  and  one  Iowa  regi 
ment,  making  an  aggregate  of  about  2,400  men,  and  the  regular  infantry  and 
cavalry  of  which  I  have  spoken.  Besides  these,  'General  Pope  had  moved  into 
northeast  Missouri  with  a  portion  of  his  troops  from  Illinois.  I  do  not  know 
the  strength  of  his  command.  I  believe  those  were  all  the  troops  that  were  in 
Missouri  on  the  26th  of  July. 

Question.  What  other  troops  were  there  in  the  western  department,  aside 
from  those  in  Missouri  ? 

Answer.  I  have  no  means  of  knowing  what  troops  there  were  in  the  western 
department  outside  of  Missouri. 

Question.  State  what  changes  were  made  in  the  department,  including  the 
State  of  Missouri,  from  the  4th  of  March  to  the  time  when  General  Fremont 
took  command  1 

Answer.  On  the  4th  of  March  General  Harney  was  in  command  of  the  de 
partment  of  the  west.  This  department  included  the  territory  between  the 
Mississippi  river  and  the  department  of  New  Mexico.  Captain  Lyon,  the 
senior  line  officer  of  the  United  States  army,  was  subsequently  placed  in  com 
mand  of  the  troops,  and  General  Harney,  to  that  extent,  relieved.  General 
Harney  was  afterwards  reinstated,  and  again  relieved.  Captain  Lyon  had  been, 
in  the  meantime,  promoted  to  a  brigadier  generalship  and  the  command  of  the 
department  devolved  upon  him  by  reason  of  seniority.  While  General  Lyon 
was  at  Boonville,  in  June,  an  order  was  issued  detaching  Missouri  from  the 
department  of  the  west  and  attaching  it  to  the  department  of  the  Ohio,  then 
commanded  by  General  McClellan.  This  organization  continued  until  the 
western  department  was  created,  and  General  Fremont  assigned  to  the  com 
mand  of  it. 

Question.  Will  you  state  the  effect  which  was  produced  upon  Missouri  by 
those  changes  ? 

Answer.  The  effect  of  attaching  Missouri  to  a  command  already  as  large  as 
that  of  the  department  of  the  Ohio  was  to  deprive  us  of  the  supervision  and 
action  of  a  commanding  general  upon  the  spot.  General  McClellan  was  busy 
with  his  column  in  Western  Virginia,  and  it  was  very  difficult  to  advise  with 
him,  or  apprise  him  of  occurrences  in  the  State,  and  he  could  not  give  us  the 
attention  which  our  situation  required.  I  attribute  our  troubles,  to  a  great 
extent,  to  the  change  in  the  department.  There  never  was  a  time  when  we  did 
not  need  the  personal  presence  of  the  general  who  had  the  power  to  order  what 
circumstances  required. 


TESTIMONY.  26  L 

Question.  Do  you  know  the  instructions  given  to  Colonel  Mulligan  in  relation 
to  holding  Lexington,  and  the  reasons  why  he  was  not  re-enforced? 

Answer.  I  have  no  knowledge  on  the  subject. 

Question.  What  force,  in  your  judgment,  should  have  heen  kept  at  Cairo? 

Answer.  Enough  to  garrison  the  forts  and  man  the  batteries.  If  a  land  at 
tack  was  threatened  it  must  necessarily  come  by  the  way  of  the  roads  through 
the  swamp  region  in  the  southeast,  and  those  roads  would  be  easily  held  by  a 
small  number  of  troops. 

Question.  What  is  your  estimate  in  numbers  of  the  troops  necessary  to  man 
the  fortifications  and  hold  the  roads  to  which  you  have  alluded  ? 

Answer.  I  should  suppose  four  thousand  men  plenty.  If  re-enforcements 
were  required  at  any  time  they  could  very  easily  be  sent  by  the  Illinois  Central 
railroad  and  by  the  river  in  time  to  meet  any  attack.  I  have  made  a  concise 
statement  of  matters  in  Missouri,  and  I  also  have  certain  letters  and  telegraphic 
despatches  which  I  offer  to  the  committee  as  a  part  of  my  testimony. 

PACIFIC,  October  5,  1861. 

On  the  14th  June,  1861,  Brigadier  General  Lyon  moved  up  the  Missouri 
river,  taking  with  him  the  1st  and  2d  regiments  Missouri  volunteers,  three 
small  companies  of  regular  infantry,  Totten's  battery,  (four  pieces,)  and  an 
eight-inch  howitzer,  with  a  few  artillerists.  On  the  day  before  a  battalion  of 
the  3d  Missouri  had  been  sent  to  the  southwest,  and  was  speedily  followed  by 
the  remainder  of  that  regiment,  the  5th  Missouri,  two  batteries  (four  pieces  each) 
of  light  artillery,  and  a  battalion  of  rifles.  The  last-named  corps  was  to  occupy 
the  railroad  to  Rolla,  until  relieved  by  the  Home  Guard,  and  afterwards  to  garri 
son  that  place.  Such  of  the  troops  as  could  be  spared  from  Fort  Leavenworth 
and  two  regiments  of  Kansas  volunteers  had  been  ordered  to  make  their  way  to 
Springfield,  where  it  was  designed  that  the  three  columns  should  effect  a  junc 
tion.  At  the  same  time,  the  fourth  Missouri  occupied  Bird's  point,  one  Illinois 
and  two  Iowa  regiments  held  the  line  of  the  Hannibal  and  St.  Joseph  railroad; 
the  arsenal  was  garrisoned  by  the  skeleton  companies  of  the  then  unformed  6th, 
7th,  and  8th  Missouri,  numbering  about  eight  hundred  bayonets,  all  told;  the 
powder  magazine  was  held  by  Captain  Tracy,  with  a  half  company  of  recruits, 
and  St.  Loftis  was  left  in  charge  of  a  small  company  of  United  States  general 
service  recruits  and  the  United  States  reserve  corps,  who  could  not  be  moved 
from  there  without  their  consent.  Excepting  a  few  small  outposts  in  Kansas 
arid  Nebraska  there  were  no  other  troops  subject  to  General  Lyon's  orders. 
The  Home  Guarc^,  which  afterwards  did  good  service  in  protecting  the  railroads, 
had  not  been  armed  or  equipped  by  the  United  States. 

At  Boonville  General  Lyon  was  joined  by  the  1st  Iowa,  and  troops  from 
Illinois  were  sent  to  fill  their  places  on  the  Hannibal  and  St.  Joseph  railroad, 
the  country  along  the  line  being  in  such  a  disturbed  condition  that  a  large  force 
had  to  be  maintained  in  that  region. 

While  General  Lyon  was  lying  at  Boonville,  he  received  the  official  informa 
tion  that  Missouri  had  been  detached  from  the  department  of  the  west  and  at 
tached  to  the  department  of  the  Ohio,  under  command  of  Major  General  Mc- 
Clcllan.  During  the  same  interval,  the  5th  regiment  United  States  reserve 
corps  was  sent  up  the  river,  and  eventually  became  the  garrison  of  Lexington  ; 
the  4th  regiment  of  the  same  corps,  with  three  companies  of  the  3d,  and  the 
small  company  of  general  service  recruits  above  mentioned,  were  ordered  to  the 
southwest,  to  strengthen  Sigel's  column ;  a  part,  and,  at  a  later  period,  the 
whole,  of  the  7th  Missouri,  were  stationed  at  Boonville,  which  place  they  held 
on  the  26th  July,  1861,  the  date  of  Major  General  Fremont's  arrival  at  St. 
Louis. 

There  now  came  intelligence  of  the  gathering  of  a  formidable  army  in  the 


262  TESTIMONY. 

unprotected  southeast.  Tennessee  and  Arkansas  troops  were  concentrating 
at  Pocahontas  and  Pitman's  Ferry;  Missouri  rebels  were  assembling  under 
Watkins  and  McBride.  There  seemed  little  reason  to  doubt  that  the  enemy 
could  advance,  threatening  Bird's  Point,  Cairo,  Ironton,  Holla,  and  even  St. 
L/ouis,  with  a  force  exceeding  twenty  thousand  men.  So  great  appeared  the 
danger  that  General  Lyon  hesitated  for  a  time  whether  he  would  not  give  up 
his  projected  expedition  to  Springfield,  and  take  the  field  in  the  southeast. 
Leaving  that  region,  however,  to  the  care  of  the  then  commanding  general,  he 
finally  carried  out  his  original  plan,  and  took  up  his  line  of  march  from  Boon- 
ville,  starting  about  July  4.  In  the  face  of  the  information  received,  it  would 
have  been  criminal  neglect  to  leave  Holla  or  Irouton  unprotected.  The  13th 
Illinois  was  brought  from  Casey ville  and  sent  to  the  former  place ;  the  6th 
Missouri,  still  incomplete,  went  to  the  latter.  The  20th  Illinois  embarked  for 
Cape  Girardeau,  it  being  the  intention  that  other  Illinois  troops  should  occupy 
the  intervening  country  and  points  further  south.  They  could  not  be  obtained, 
however,  and  from  the  7th  July,  until  General  Fremont's  expedition  down  the 
Mississippi  had  reached  Bird's  Point,  there  never  was  a  day  when  the  rebels 
could  not  hav€>ovemm  the  southeast. 

By  the  middle  of  July  every  bayonet  that  could  be  spared  from  the  city  had 
been  sent  into  the  field.  The  remaining  seven  companies  of  the  3d  United 
States  reserve  corps,  all  the  organized  companies  of  the  8th  Missouri,  Lieutenant 
Colonel  Schaeffer's  battalion  of  the  2d,  the  4th  Missouri,  then  just  returned  from 
Bird's  Point,  were  all  actively  employed  in  northeast  Missouri  in  meeting  the 
movement  of  Harris  and  others,  supposed  to  be  an  advance  upon  the  capital, 
while  a  similar  advance  was  to  take  place  from  the  southwest,  thus  dispersing 
or  capturing  the  convention  then  about  to  meet.  In  fact,  there  remained  scarcely 
enough  men  in  the  arsenal  to  perform  the  ordinary  guard  duty,  and  in  the  city 
proper  so  few  of  the  reserve  corps  that  daily  visits  were  paid  to  headquarters 
by  prominent  citizens  remonstrating  against  leaving  the  city  defenceless. 

This  state  of  affairs  lasted  only  a  few  days.  The  expedition  into  northeast 
Missouri  returned  in  about  a  week.  The  4th  regiment  United  States  reserve 
corps  and  the  detachment  of  the  3d  before  mentioned  returned  to  the  city  from 
the  southwest.  The  rifle  battalion,  theretofore  stationed  at  Holla,  and  most  of 
the  three  months  men  of  the  3d  and  5th  Missouri,  came  back  at  about  the  same 
time.  The  battalion  of  the  2d,  which  had  been  stationed  at  Jefferson  City,  was 
relieved  by  Mulligan's  Irish  brigade,  so  that  on  the  26th  July,  1861,  General 
Fremont  found,  in  the  city  and  arsenal,  the  1st  and  2d  regiments  United  States 
reserve  corps,  whose  term  of  service  would  expire  on  the  7th  August ;  the  3d 
and  4th  regiments  United  States  reserve  corps,  whose  term  woukj,  expire  on  the 
8th  August ;  the  2d  Missouri,  a  part  of  the  3d  and  5th,  and  the  whole  of  the 
4th  and  of  the  rifle  battalion,  together  with  a  part  of  Backhof 's  artillery  bat 
talion,  all  of  whose  terms  of  service  had  then  expired,  and  who  kept  together 
merely  to  be  mustered  out  of  service  and  paid.  In  other  words,  there  were  no 
troops  except  the  8th  Missouri  in  or  near  the  city  at  the  time  of  General  Fre 
mont's  arrival,  who  could  be  ordered  upon  any  distant  service.  About  the  20th 
of  July  General  Pope,  with  a  part  of  his  brigade,  took  the  field  in  northeast 
Missouri,  in  pursuance  of  orders  from  General  Fremont.  His  force  was  the  only 
increase  that  had  been  made  in  the  number  of  troops  on  duty  in  this  State,  and 
he  had  enough  work  on  his  hands  to  give  it  employment  in  the  region  to  which 
it  was  assigned. 

Looking,  then,  to  the  position  of  affairs  in  this  State  on  the  26th  of  July, 
1861,  it  will  be  found  that  General  Lyon  was  in  the  southwest,  in  need  of  re- 
enforcernents.  There  was  trouble  in  the  northwest,  requiring  more  troops  than 
were  there.  In  the  northeast  there  were  no  more  troops  than  were  required  to 
perform  the  task  allotted  to  them ;  while  in  the  south  and  southeast  there  was  a 


TESTIMONY.  263 

rebel  array  of  sufficient  force  to  endanger  Bird's  Point,  Cape  Girardeau,  Ironton, 
Rolla,  and  St.  Louis,  and  no  adequate  preparation  was  made  to  meet  it. 

General  Fremont  sent  the  eighth  Missouri  to  Cape  Girardeau  and  the  fourth 
United  States  reserve  corps  (whose  term  of  service  was  to  expire  on  the  8th  of 
August)  to  re-enforce  Bland  at  Ironton.  He  took  some  of  General  Pope's  force 
from  him,  added  to  it  two  battalions  of  the  first  and  second  United  States  re 
serve  corps,  (whose  term  of  service  was  to  expire  on  the  7th  of  August,)  equipped 
BuePs  light  battery,  and  started  about  the  first  of  August  for  Bird's  Point  with 
the  troops  thus  collected,  being  something  less  than  3,800  men,  and  being  also 
all  the  available  troops  in  this  region,  expecting  to  find  an  enemy  not  less  than 
20,000  strong.  Subsequent  events  showed  that  the  rebel  force  was  not  over 
estimated,  and  nothing  but  the  re-enforcements  sent  to  the  points  above  named, 
and  the  expedition  down  the  river,  prevented  its  advance  upon  them.  Common 
report  greatly  magnified  these  re-enforcements,  and  it  was  generally  believed  in 
the  city,  and  no  doubt  so  reported  to  the  rebel  leaders,  that  Fremont  had  moved 
some  ten  or  twelve  thousand  troops  to  the  southeast ;  while,  in  fact,  he  did  not 
have  over  fifty-five  hundred  to  move,  and  was  not  strong  enough  at  any  point 
to  take  the  field  and  commence  offensive  operations.  General  Fremont  was  not 
inattentive  to  the  situation  of  General  Lyon's  column,  and  went  so  far  as  to  re 
move  the  garrison  of  Boonville,  in  order  to  send  him  aid.  During  the  first  days 
of  August  troops  arrived  in  the  city  in  large  numbers  ;  nearly  all  of  them  were 
unarmed — all  were  without  transportation ;  regiment  after  regiment  laid  for 
days  in  the  city  without  any  equipments,  for  the  reason  that  the  arsenal  was 
exhausted,  and  arms  and  accoutrements  had  to  be  brought  from  the  east.  From 
these  men  General  Lyon  would  have  had  re-enforcements,  although  they  were 
wholly  unpracticed  in  the  use  of  the  musket  and  knew  nothing  of  movements 
in  the  field;  but,  in  the  meantime,  the  battle  of  the  10th  of  August  was  fought. 

CHESTER  HARDING,  JR., 
Late  Ass't  Adj't  Gen'l  upon  the  Staff  of  Brig.  Gen.  Lyon. 


WASHINGTON,  March  17,  1862. 
Colonel  ANSELM  ALBERT  sworn  and  examined. 

By  the  chairman  : 

Question.  What  is  your  rank  and  position  in  the  army  ? 

Answer.  I  am  a  colonel,  but  not  of  any  regiment.  I  was  appointed  by 
General  Fremont  on  his  staff,  and  so  missed  the  opportunity  to  enter  a  regi 
ment.  I  then  commanded  the  second  brigade  in  the  fourth  division  as  act 
ing  brigadier  general,  but  have  never  been  confirmed  as  colonel  or  general, 

By  Mr.  Odell : 

Question.  Are  you  now  in  the  army  ? 
Answer.     I  am  "now  on  General  Sigel's  staff. 

By  the  chairman  : 

Question.  At  whose  instance  have  you  appeared  before  the  committee  ? 

Answer.  I  understood  I  was  to  be  summoned,  and  hurried  up  and  came 
on  and  found  the  summons  here. 

Question.  Were  you  with  General  Fremont  during  his  command  of  the 
western  department  ? 

Answer.  I  was,  from  a  little  before  he  started  from  St.  Louis  for  Spring 
field. 

Question.  About  what  time  was  that  ? 

Answer.  I  was  appointed  on  his  staff  on  the  23d  of  August,  but  I  did  not 


264  TESTIMONY. 

enter  upon  active  service  until  about  the  23d  of  September.  When  General 
Frdmont  first  came  to  St.  Louis  I  was  with  the  army  at  Springfield  under 
General  Lyon.  I  was  wounded  and  made  prisoner  at  the  battle  of  Wilson's 
creek,  when  I  was  exchanged  and  came  back.  I  was  still  unwell  and 
could  not  enter  immediately  upon  active  service. 

Question.  What  amount  of  force  had  General  Fremont  when  he  first  took 
command  of  that  department  ? 

Answer.  I  think  he  had  but  a  small  force.  I  was  in  the  field,  and  know 
that  we  had  under  General  Lyon  only  some  four  thousand  and  some  few 
hundred  effective  men.  The  most  of  them  were  three  months  men  who  had 
served  out  their  time,  and  were  only  kept  by  the  efforts  of  their  officers,  who 
told  them  it  was  absolutely  necessary  for  them  to  remain  until  other  troops 
could  come  and  relieve  them. 

Question.  Do  you  know  anything  about  General  Fremont  fortifying  St. 
Louis  ? 

Answer.  I  found  the  city  fortified  when  my  health  was  re-established  and 
I  entered  upon  service  again  ;  the  fortifications  were  nearly  completed  then. 

Question.  You  know  nothing  about  the  cost  of  those  fortifications  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir  j  my  opinion  is  that  the  fortifications  were  absolutely 
necessary  and  that  they  helped  a  great  deal. 

Question.  You  were  with  General  Lyon  at  the  time  he  fought  the  battle 
at  Wilson's  creek  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir  ;  and  I  was  wounded  and  captured  there.  At  that  time 
I  was  lieutenant  colonel  of  the  3d  Missouri  three  months  volunteers. 

Question.  What  induced  General  Lyon  to  fight  that  battle  instead  of  re 
treating  before  so  large  an  army  ? 

Answer.  There  was  a  difference  of  opinion  whether  to  retreat  or  to  fight. 
It  was  thought  that  it  might  be  more  dangerous  to  retreat  without  fighting 
them  than  it  was  to  fight  them.  We  underrated  the  enemy  and  the  enemy 
overrated  us.  I  know  General  Lyori's  views  about  it  very  well,  because  on 
a  former  occasion,  about  the  first  of  August,  we  had  advanced  against  the 
enemy  as  far  as  Dug  Spring,  and  there  General  Lyon  was  not  sure  whether 
he  should  continue  to  advance  and  attack  the  enemy,  or  whether  he  should 
fall  back  to  Springfield  or  still  further  back.  He  called  a  council  of  war 
there,  at  which  I  was  present.  His  spies  at  the  time  reported  that  there 
were  about  25,000  or  30,000  in  the  enemy's  army.  Still  he  thought  we 
might  be  able  to  beat  the  enemy.  But  in  case  we  were  beaten  we  would 
be  entirely  lost.  He  asked  the  opinion  of  everybody  there  in  the  council  of 
w.ar,  and,  if  I  recollect  rightly,  there  was  nobody  there  but  General  Sigel 
who  at  all  expressed  the  opinion  that  we  should  attack  the  enemy.  General 
Lyon  complained  very  bitterly  at  the  time  of  how  much  his  command  had 
been  neglected. 

By  Mr.  Odell : 

Question.  What  did  he  mean  by  being  neglected  ? 

Answer.  It  was  neglected  in  every  way.  He  was  not  re-enforced  •  the 
men  had  hardly  any  clothes  to  wear,  and  had  not  been  paid. 

By  the  chairman  : 

Question.  Were  the  council,  all  but  General  Sigel,  for  retreating  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  What  was  the  final  decision  of  that  council  ? 

Answer.  The  decision  of  the  council  of  war  would  very  likely  have  been 
to  retreat  further  than  Springfield.  But  it  was  broken  up  by  the  report  that 
our  outposts  had  been  attacked  by  the  enemy,  and  as  we  had  merely  agreed 


TESTIMONY.  265 

to  retreat,  we  left  the  council  undecided  how  far  we  should  retreat.  We 
retreated  only  to  Springfield. 

Question.  You  say  that  General  Lyon  made  great  complaint  of  being 
neglected.  Did  he  say  who  was  to  blame? 

Answer.  He  said  that  instead  of  re-enforcing  him  they  had  at  one  time 
gone  so  far  as  to  order  him  to  send  one  of  his  regiments  to  the  east. 

Question.  Who  made  that  order  ? 

Answer.  The  order  must  have  been  issued  by  the  War  Department,  or  by 
General  Scott. 

Question.  What  regiment  was  that  ? 

Answer.  The  first  Missouri,  Colonel  Blair. 

Question.  Where  was  it  ? 

Answer.  It  was  with  us. 

By  Mr.  Odell  : 

Question.  Was  it  removed  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir  ;  the  order  was  countermanded.  General  Lyon  said  the 
neglect  towards  him  had  gone  so  far  that  they  had  actually  ordered  away 
one  of  his  regiments. 

By  the  chairman: 

Question.  Do  you  know  enough  about  the  necessities  of  General  Fremont's 
command  at  that  time  to  give  an  opinion  as  to  whether  he  could  and  ought 
to  have  re-enforced  General  Lyon  ? 

Answer.  I  do  not  think  that  at  the  time  he  had  any  troops  to  spare  in  St. 
Louis,  and  every  place  in  Missouri  was  threatened  by  attack  of  the  enemy; 
and  it  was  quite  natural  that  some  misfortune  should  happen  at  some  one 
place.  I  think  Bird's  Point  and  Cairo  were  very  important  places  to  be 
taken  care  of. 

By  Mr.  Odell  : 

Question.  Did  you  not  get  re-enforcements  after  the  battle  ? 

Answer.  After  the  battle  I  only  know  what  I  was  told,  for  I  was  a  prisoner. 

Question.  Were  you  not  told  that  there  were  re-enforcements  sent  to 
Lyon's  division  after  the  battle  ? 

Answer.  I  understood  that  Colonel  Wyman,  at  Rolla,  had  orders  to  goto 
him,  but  he  disobeyed  them.  I  do  not  know  whether  for  good  reasons  or  for 
bad  ones. 

Question.  Was  not  Colonel  Stephenson  also  ordered  to  go  to  General 
Lyoivs  relief? 

Answer.  That  I  do  not  know. 

Question.  Was  not  your  division  re-enforced  after  the  battle  ? 

Answer.  After  the  battle  the  whole  force  retreated  to  Rolla,  and  several 
regiments  came  there. 

Question.  How  many  ? 

Answer.  I  do  not  know,  I  was  a  prisoner  for  three  or  four  weeks  after  the 
battle  and  was  sick  and  did  not  know  what  was  going  on. 

Question.  Did  not  General  Fremont  send  several  regiments  to  re-enforoe 
General  Lyon's  division  after  the  battle  of  Springfield  ? 

Answer.  I  do  not  know. 

Question.  You  have  an  opinion  about  it,  have  you  not  ? 

Answer.  I  suppose  several  regiments  were  sent,  because  when  I  went 
through  Rolla  afterwards  I  saw  several  regiments  there  that  I  did  not  see 
before. 

Question.  Could  not  they  have  been  sent  to  Springfield  as  well  as  to  Rolla  ? 


266  TESTIMONY. 

Answer.  There  is  a  railroad  all  the  way  to  Rolla,  but  between  Holla  and 
Springfield  is  about  one  hundred  and  twenty  miles,  and  no  railroad  at  all, 
arid  it  would  have  been  difficult  to  get  the  troops  on. 

Question.  Armies  should  not  stop  for  bad  roads,  should  they  ? 

Answer.  We  always  marched,  whether  the  roads  were  good  or  bad.  But 
those  troops  could  not  have  got  to  Springfield  in  time.  Our  regiment  oiice 
inarched  three  days  to  gain  about  eleven  miles;  still  they  marched. 

Question.  Did  General  Lyon  make  any  complaint  about  not  being  re-en 
forced  ? 

Answer.  He  made  those  complaints  I  have  said. 

Question.  When  ? 

Answer.  Before  the  battle. 

Question.  How  long  before  ? 

Answer.  About  nine  days,  at  the  council  of  war  at  Dug  Spring.  He 
never  made  any  allusion  to  General  Frdmont.  He  made  one  allusion  against 
Colonel  Blair. 

By  Mr.  Covode: 

Question.  What  was  that  ? 

Answer.  Because  the  1st  Missouri  regiment  of  volunteers  had  been 
ordered  east,  and  if  it  had  been  so  ordered,  it  was  through  the  influence  of 
its  commander,  Colonel  Blair. 

By  Mr.  Odell: 

Question.  Do  you  know  anything  about  the  surrender  of  Lexington  ? 

Answer.  I  can  say  very  little  about  that.  I  know  the  general  state  of 
affairs,  and  that  it  was  very  difficult  to  move  the  army,  because  there  was 
hardly  any  transportation  or  troops  to  move.  And  the  cavalry  had  no  arms; 
one  regiment  I  know  had  to  drill  with  stick  swords,  just  the  same  principle 
as  wooden  cannon.  A  day  or  two  before  Colonel  Mulligan  surrendered,  I  went 
to  the  office,  though  I  was  hardly  able  to  do  any  work;  I  recollect  hearing 
some  telegraphic  correspondence  with  Colonel  Jefferson  C.  Davis  at  Jefferson 
City.  He  was  asked  whether  he  thought  he  was  strong  enough  to  break 
through  the  enemy's  lines  and  take  some  provisions  to  our  troops.  He  said 
he  was  strong  enough  to  break  through  the  lines,  but  he  had  no  transporta 
tion  to  take  provisions.  Of  course  it  would  be  of  no  use  to  get  through 
without  they  could  take  provisions  with  them. 

By  Mr.  Gooch: 

Question.  Did  you  go  with  General  Frdrnout  on  his  march  to  Springfield  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Were  you  present  with  General  Fre'mont  at  Springfield  the 
night  before  he  was  superseded  ? 

Answer.  I  was. 

Question.  Were  you*  present  at  his  council  of  war  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  What  can  you  tell  us  about  the  position  of  the  enemy  at  that 
time? 

Answer.  The  enemy  were  at  different  places  on  the  road  from  Springfield 
to  Cassville.  The  nearest  part  of  their  forces  were  at  Wilson's  creek,  which 
is  about  ten  miles  from  SpringfieM,  and  then  they  were  at  all  the  good 
camping  places  along  the  road,  at  Dug  Spring  and  Crane  creek.  The  re 
serves  were  at  Springfield,  where  General  Price  had  his  headquarters. 

Question.  How  many  of  the  enemy  were  at  Wilson's  creek  ? 

Answer.  Only  the  advance  guard,  as  you  might  call  it,  a  couple  of  thou 
sand  of  men,  more  or  less. 


TESTIMONY.  267 

Question.  How  near  to  them  were  the  nearest  forces  ? 
Answer.  Some  five  or  six  miles  beyond  Wilson's  creek,  and  at  different 
places  along  the  road. 

By  Mr.  Odell: 

Question.  The  main  body  of  the  army  was  at  Cassville  ? 
Answer.  The  reserves;  I  did  not  say  the  main  body. 

By  Mr.  Gooch: 

Question.  Where  was  the  main  body? 

Answer.  It  may  have  been  at  Dug  Spring. 

Question.  How  far  is  that  from  Springfield  ? 

Answer.  Perhaps  eighteen  or  twenty  miles. 

Question.  How  do  you  know  that  Price's  forces  were  located  as  you  have 
represented  ? 

Answer.  I  know  that  because  General  Fremont  had  entered  into  an  agree 
ment  with  General  Price  about  the  war  in  Missouri,  that  no  guerillas  should 
be  employed,  and  he  had  sent  Lieutenant  Max  Tosk  with  a  flag  of  truce  to 
the  headquarters  of  General  Price  to  have  the  agreement  signed.  I  saw 
this  officer  going  and  when  he  came  back,  and  as  I  was  very  much  interested 
at  the  time  to  know  everything  about  the  position  of  the  enemy  I  questioned 
him.  The  agreement  was  signed  at  Cassville,  and  the  furthest  troops  we 
had  were  there;  there  could  hardly  be  any  doubt  about  that. 

By  Mr.  Odell: 

Question.  How  far  is  Cassville  from  Springfield  ? 

Answer.  It  is  sixty  or  severity  miles,  I  should  think. 

Question.  That  was  where  General  Price's  headquarters  were  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.     The  agreement  was  signed  there. 

Question.  Do  you  know  the  date  of  that  agreement  ? 

Answer.  I  think  it  was  the  2d  of  November. 

Question.  What  day  was  General  Fremont  superseded  ? 

Answer.  I  think  it  was  the  4th  of  November. 

Question.  Within  two  days  of  the  time  the  agreement  was  signed  ? 

Answer.  Yes,'  sir. 

Question.  You  say  you  questioned  this  officer  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  What  information  did  you  get  from  him  ? 

Answer.  Just  as  I  have  stated  to  you.  He  said  he  found  the  enemy's 
troops  at  all  these  different  places;  he  told  me  the  names  of  several  of  the 
officers  whose  acquaintance  I  had  made  when  a  prisoner — Lieutenant  Tosk 
had  been  made  prisoner  also  at  the  battle  of  Wilson's  creek,  and  knew  those 
men  by  sight,  and  personally,  and  so  he  knew  when  he  saw  them  that  cer 
tain  regiments  were  there. 

Question.  Was  this  messenger  one  of  General  Fremont's  messengers  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Who  had  been  to  Cassville  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  And  he  returned  directly  to  General  Fremont  and  told  you  this  ? 

Answer.  He  did  not  come  back  while  General  Fremont  was  there.  He 
came  back  after  General  Hunter  had  taken  the  command. 

Question.  You  say  he  told  you  the  forces  were  thus  stationed  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  How  long  after  General  Hunter  had  taken  the  command  did  he 
come  back? 

Answer.  I  think  the  next  day,  say  the  5th  of  November. 

Question.  Is  that  the  only  means  you  have  of  knowing  what  the  position 
of  the  enemy  was  ? 


268  TESTIMONY 

Answer.  No,  sir;  I  was  asked  how  I  know  now  that  the  enemy  was  at 
those  places,  and  I  told  what  he  said,  but  it  was  a  part  of  my  business  then 
to  send  out  spies  and  scouting  parties  to  get  all  the  information  I  could, 
and  all  the  reports  of  the  scouts  and  of  the  spies  were  to  the  effect  that  the 
main  body  of  the  enemy  were  very  near  us,  only  a  few  miles  beyond  Wil 
son's  creek.  But  I  regard  the  information  got  from  Lieutenant  Tosk  as- more 
valuable  than  any  other,  because  he  had  a  better  chance  to  see  the  enemy, 
and  he  had  no  interest  to  make  himself  important,  and  he  told  me  all  he 
knew  about  it. 

Question.  You  were  present  at  that  council  of  war  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Did  you  expect  to  engage  the  enemy  the  next  day  ? 

Answer.  We  expected  to  inarch  towards  the  enemy  and  engage  him  if  we 
found  him  at  or  near  Wilson's  creek;  if  we  had  not  found  him  at  that  place 
we  would  have  found  him  somewhere  else.  On  that  march  from  Tipton 
the  enemy  had  all  the  advantage  in  retreating  quickly  through  an  open 
country,  while  we  lacked  transportation,  and  our  provisions  were  scarce; 
still  we  gained  forty  miles  on  him  in  about  ten  days.  After  reaching  Spring 
field  the  enenvy  had  to  retreat  over  a  narrow  road  to  Arkansas,  through 
timber  and  up  the  hills,  while  we  could  take  the  open  road  and  gain  twice 
the  time;  I  know  we  should  have  caught  him  at  Cassville,  or  at  least  have 
caught  his  main  body  there.  It  was  calculated  so  that  if  we  did  not  find 
him  at  this  place  we  should  find  him  at  the  second  or  third  place. 

By  Mr.  Gooch: 

Question.  From  the  information  which  your  scouts  brought  to  you  at 
that  time,  did  you  believe  that  the  enemy  was  in  considerable  force  within 
twenty  or  thirty  miles  of  Springfield  ? 

Answer.  We  had  every  reason  to  believe  so.  Major  Clark  Wright,  who 
had  command  of  Missouri  volunteers,  made  a  report  very  nearly  in  these 
words:  "  My  scouts  report  that,  not  only  every  road,  but  every  footpath  is 
alive  with  soldiers.  They  are  swarming  like  bees  in  a  hive,  and  advancing 
towards  Wilson's  creek." 

Question.  You  supposed  that  the  enemy  were  coming  back  to  give  you 
battle  ? 

Answer.  I  supposed  they  were  going  to  make  a  show  of  doing  so,  and  I 
believe  if  we  had  not  waited  in  Springfield  afterwards,  we  should  have  had 
an  opportunity  of  beating  them;  and  if  we  had  not  beaten  them  the  results 
would  have  been  very  important.  At  that  time,  if  we  had  driven  Price's 
men  into  Arkansas,  the  most  of  his  Missouri  troops  would  have  left  him, 
especially  as  the  agreement  between  him  and  General  Fremont  would  have 
been  in  force,  which  agreement  General  Hunter  revoked. 

Question.  Did  you,  after  that  council  of  war,  go  forward  from  Springfield 
on  any  reconnoitering  party  ? 

Answer.  I  myself  did  not. 

Question.  So  you  have  no  personal  knowledge  from  anything  which  you 
had  seen  before,  or  anything  which  you  have  seen  since  that  council  of  war, 
of  the  position  of  the  enemy,  but  you  judge  wholly  from  the  reports  of 
scouts  and  messengers  sent  out  ? 

Answer.  I  have  some  other  reasons  for  believing  that  the  enemy  were 
very  near.  While  we  were  waiting  there  the  enemy  set  fire  to  everything 
to  prevent  our  marching  after  them,  and  the  fires  were  as  near  as  ten  miles 
from  Springfield.  And  I  have  been  over  that  same  country  twice  since, 
and  have  seen  what  had  been  done  there,  and  have  heard  what  the  few 
people  left  there  have  told  me.  They  said  that  the  sun  could  not  be  seen 
distinctly  for  two  or  three  days  on  account  of  the  smoke. 


TESTIMONY.  269 

By  Mr.  Odell: 

Question.  What  force  had  the  enemy  ? 
Answer.  Perhaps  25,000  or  30,000  men. 
Question.  What  was  your  force  ? 
Answer.  About  32,000  effective  men. 

By  Mr.  Gooch: 

Question.     Did  you  retreat  with  the  army  under  General  Hunter  ? 
Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Odell: 

Question.  At  what  time  did  General  Hunter  take  command  ? 

Answer.  The  4th  of  November,  I  think. 

Question.  When  he  took  command  you  were  in  council  ? 

Answer.  We  were  in  council  when  he  arrived. 

Question.  Did  you  communicate  to  him  that  the  enemy  were  advancing  ? 

Answer.  He  heard  the  proceedings  of  the  council  of  war. 

Question.  Did  you  tell  him  about  it  ? 

Answer.  My  functions  on  the  staff  ceased  when  General  Hunter  took  com 
mand. 

Question.  Did  any  of  the  other  officers  tell  him  ? 

Answer.  These  reports  to  General  Frdmont  were  made  in  the  presence  of 
General  Hunter.  He  did  not  say  at  the  time  that  he  would  take  command 
immediately. 

By  Mr.  Gooch  : 

Question.  Have  you  any  doubt  now  that  the  forces  of  the  enemy  were 
stationed  at  the  points  you  have  indicated  ? 

Answer.  I  have  not  the  least  doubt  about  it.  I  have  been  over  that  road 
twice  since.  I  went  to  Arkansas  on  General  SigePs  staff,  under  General 
Curtis,  and  have  just  returned  from  there.  There  are  but  few  men  left  there 
who  can  tell  anything  about  it. 

Question.  Did  the  information  which  you  obtained  as  you  passed  over  the 
road  since  that  time  satisfy  you  that  Price's  troops  were  there  at  that  time  ? 

Answer.  I  am  perfectly  satisfied  of  it. 

Question.  You  say  there  were  2,000  men  at  Wilson's  creek? 

Answer.  I  cannot  tell  the  exact  number,  but  there  was  a  large  number,  a 
large  advance  guard  ;  that  is,  it  would  be  an  advance  guard,  supposing  their 
army  to  be  facing  this  way. 

Question.  Did  you  learn  which  way  that  force  was  moving  at  that  time — 
whether  towards  Springfield  or  towards  Arkansas  ? 

Answer.  They  were  just  waiting  there.  They  commenced  their  retreat 
several  days  afterwards — in  fact,  they  did  not  retreat  far.  The  Arkansas 
troops  crossed  over  the  line,  and  went  into  winter  quarters  about  ten  miles 
beyond  the  line,  and  the  Missouri  troops  came  back  into  Missouri  right 
away  after  we  left. 

By  Mr.  Odell  : 

Question.  Did  not  a  reconnoissance  go  out  with  General  Hunter  ? 

Answer.  I  went  with  General  Hunter  one  time,  but  we  did  not  gp  more 
than  a  half  a  mile  or  a  mile  from  town. 

Question.  Did  not  a  reconnoissance  go  out  the  day  after  General  Hunter 
took  command  ? 

Answer.  I  do  not  know. 


270  TESTIMONY. 

By  Mr.  Gooch  : 

Question.  Did  you  at  any  time  make  a  reconnoissance  with  General  Hun 
ter  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir  ;  but  only  a  half  a  mile  or  a  mile  outside  of  town. 

Question.  Do  you  know  whether  he  sent  a  recounoissance  out  as  far  as 
Wilson's  creek  ? 

Answer.  I  do  not  know. 

By  Mr.  Julian  : 

Question.  Was  there  any  difference  of  opinion  in  the  council  of  war  as 
regards  the  position  of  the  enemy  ? 

Answer.  There  was  not  the  least  doubt  expressed  by  anybody. 

Question.  It  was  agreed  on  all  hands  that  there  would  be  a  fight  soon  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  The  most  would  have  gone  out  with  the  expectation 
to  meet  the  enemy  soon.  My  opinion  was  that  the  enemy  would  not  have 
given  us  battle  until  we  had  got  to  Crane  creek,  which  was  about  the 
centre  of  his  lines,  so  that  their  forces,  in  advance,  could  fall  back  to  that 
place,  and  the  reserves  could  come  up  and  concentrate  there. 

Question.  You  think  the  fortifications  at  St.  Louis  were  necessary  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  • 

Question.  Why  do  you  think  so  ? 

Answer.  The  city  of  St.  Louis,  like  most  American  cities,  is  built  over  a 
very  large  space  of  ground,  and  if  you  want  to  defend  such  a  city  you  want 
an  enormous  number  of  men,  and  if  you  have  not  the  necessary  number  of 
men,  you  must  make  it  up  of  fortifications  or  something  else.  The  popula 
tion  of  the  city  itself,  at  that  time,  was  troublesome  enough.  One  of  the 
most  dangerous  classes  of  population  were  the  Irishmen.  They  were  all 
gained  to  our  side  by  being  employed  to  build  those  fortifications,  and  now 
they  flock  to  our  regiments,  though  it  was  hardly  possible  to  get  one  or  two 
regiments  before  that  time. 

Question.  You  are  acquainted  with  the  subject  of  fortifications  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Are  the  fortifications  there  well  constructed  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir,  I  think  so.  They  are  very  well  laid  out.  The  general 
plan  of  the  fortifications  is  very  good.  I  only  saw  them  when  they  were 
nearly  done. 

Question.  You  do  not  know  anything  about  the  contracts  for  building 
them? 

Answer.  No,  sir. 


WASHINGTON,  March  17,  1862. 
E.  L.  BEARD  sworn  and  examined. 

By  Mr.  Julian  : 

Question.  At  what  time  did  you  enter  into  the  employ  of  the  government 
under  General  Fremont  ? 

Answer.  About  the  last  of  August;  I  do  not  recollect  the  exact  date. 

Question.  Where  had  you  been  residing  previous  to  that  time  ? 

Answer.  For  13  years  previous  I  had  been  residing  in  California. 

Question.  In  what  business  was  you  engaged  in  California  ? 

Answer.  In  farming  and  in  building  mills  for  crushing  quartz,  but  farming 
was  my  principal  business. 


TESTIMONY.  271 

Question.  Are  you  acquainted  with  machinery? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir,  with  the  constructing  of  machinery,  putting  up 
mills,  &c. 

Question.  Prior  to  your  going  to  California,  where  was  your  residence,  and 
what  was  your  business  ? 

Answer.  I  resided  at  Lafayette,  Indiana,  for  some  13  years.  My  business 
was  constructing  the  Wabash  arid  Erie  canal  from  1834  to  1842.  After 
that,  I  was  engaged  in  milling,  running  freight  boats  on  the  canal,  &c. 

Question.  How  did  you  happen  to  come  to  St.  Louis  at  the  time  you  men 
tioned  ?  At  whose  instance  ? 

Answer.  At  my  own  instance. 

Question.  General  Fremont  employed  you  ? 

Answer.  After  my  arrival  there,  yes,  sir.  He  sent  for  me  soon  after  my 
arrival;  a  day  or  two  after. 

Question    Go  on  and  state  about  your  contract,  its  terms,  &c. 

Answer.  Soon  after  my  arrival  in  St.  Louis  General  Fremont  sent  for  me, 
and  in  an  interview  I  had  with  him  he  said  that  the  fortifications  that  were 
then  being  built  by  the  government  forces  were  progressing  very  slowly, 
and  that  he  doubted  whether  they  would  be  finished  in  six  months  at  the 
rate  at  which  they  were  then  being  prosecuted.  He  wished  to  know  from 
me  in  what  time  I  could  build  them,  and  for  what  amount.  He  requested 
me  to  go  with  the  engineer  and  see  the  ground,  and  the  fortifications  then 
commenced,  and  report  to  him  as  soon  as  I  could.  I  did  so,  and  submitted 
a  proposition  to  finish  the  works  in  thirty  days,  for  the  sum  of  $315,000. 
That  proposition  was  made  on  the  4th  of  September,  in  writing,  and  it  was 
indorsed  on  the  back  by  General  Fremont,  requesting  the  quartermaster  to 
make  out  a  contract  with  me.  It  was  not  an  order  to  make  a  contract  as  I 
had  proposed,  but  it  was  left  to  the  quartermaster  to  decide  how  to  make 
it.  I  went  to  General  McKinstry  with  the  order,  and  he  objected  to  making 
a  contract  for  a  gross  sum.  He  stated  that  I  must  make  a  bid  for  each 
separate  article,  so  much  per  yard  for  excavation  and  embankment,  so  much 
for  lumber,  &c.  For  one  reason  or  other,  during  the  press  of  business  there, 
the  signing  of  the  contract  was  delayed  until  the  25th  of  September,  and 
at  that  time  the  work  was  nearly  finished. 

Question.  What  time  did  the  work  begin  ? 

Answer.  About  the  first  of  September  I  commenced  purchasing  tools  and 
breaking  ground;  but  I  did  not  really  commence  work  until  the  4th  of  Sep 
tember,  about.  I  was  collecting  materials  together,  &c.,  but  there  was 
some  delay  on  the  part  of  the  engineers  in  laying  off  the  work.  There 
were  really  some  two  or  three  errors  in  the  first  that  were  laid,  in  getting 
under  way.  The  work  was  substantially  completed  and  ready  for  mounting 
guns;  the  stock-houses  completed  about  the  4th  of  October.  I  was  at  work 
until  the  20th  or  21st  of  October,  sodding  the  embankments,  fixing  up  the 
soldiers'  quarters  in  the  block-houses,  and  building  drawbridges  into  the 
forts.  They  could  not  be  finished  until  the  guns  were  moved  inside.  There 
was  some  delay  for  the  want  of  gun-carriages,  I  believe,  and  the  guns  were 
not  mounted,  though  they  were  on  hand.  In  the  meantime,  by  the  10th  or 
15th  of  October,  when  the  work  was  finished,  the  exigency  at  that  time 
really  to  all  appearance  had  vanished ;  St.  Louis  was  then  considered  safe. 
But  at  the  time  I  commenced  the  work  the  general  impression  was  to  the 
effect  that  it  was  doubtful  whether  St.  Louis  could  be  held  or  not;  it  was 
feared  that  Price  would  take  it.  After  the  fall  of  Lexington,  there  was 
really  quite  a  panic  and  a  feeling  of  doubt  that  St.  Louis  would  follow. 

Question.  Was  the  contract  drawn  up  according  to  the  suggestions  you 
mentioned,  specifying  the  items,  &c.  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  General  McKinstry  and  myself  fixed  the  prices. 


272  TESTIMONY. 

Question.  Was  the  contract  made  between  you  and  General  McKinstry  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  General  Fremont  left  it  to  General  McKinstry? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  altogether.  The  prices  were  arranged  between  General 
McKinstry  and  myself. 

Question.  Whose  names  were  signed  to  the  contract  ? 

Answer.  General  McKinstry's  and  my  own;  no  others.  It  was  inserted  by 
the  clerk  in  the  body  of  the  contract  that  it  was  by  order  of  Major  General 
J.  C.  Fremont. 

By  Mr.  Covode: 

Answer.  Did  you  not  say  that  it  was  not  made  in  accordance  with  the 
proposition  you  submitted  to  General  Fremont,  but  in  accordance  with  the 
suggestions  of  General  McKinstry  ? 

Answer.  I  made  my  proposition  to  the  general,  who  submitted  it  or  referred 
it  to  the  quartermaster  to  make  a  contract;  and  the  quartermaster  and 
myself  settled  upon  the  prices,  and  we  were  disputing  about  the  prices  for 
some  time  before  the  contract  was  completed. 

By  Mr.  Julian: 

Question.  General  Fremont  referred  it  all  to  General  McKinstry  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  he  did  not  go  into  the  details  at  all;  that  was  for  the 
quartermaster  to  attend  to. 

Question.  General  Fremont  was  very  busy,  I  suppose  ? 

Answer.  Not  only  that;  he  did  not  interfere  in  such  matters.  General 
McKinstry  and  I  were  discussing  the  prices  for  some  time,  but  finally  we 
agreed  upon  them. 

Question.  What  do  you  say  about  those  prices  ? 

Answer.  I  say  that  if  I  had  had  sixty  or  ninety  days  to  do  the  work  in 
those  prices  would  be  extravagantly  high.  But  to  do  it  in  the  time  I  was 
compelled  to  do  it  in,  they  are  not  too  high.  The  contract  specifies  that  I 
am  to  do  each  particular  portion  of  the  work  in  five  days.  It  has  been 
stated  that  I  was  to  do  all  the  work  in  five  days,  which  is  not  correct.  The 
contract  specified  that  I  was  to  do  each  portion  of  the  work  within  five  days 
of  the  time  when  it  should  be  laid  off ;  and  I  complied  with  the  contract  in 
every  instance  in  that  particular;  the  block-houses,  and  all  the  work  per 
taining  to  the  fortifications. 

Question.  In  view  of  the  limited  time  in  which  you  were  compelled  to 
complete  the  works,  were  the  prices  fair  prices,  or  were  they  exorbitant? 

Answer.  They  were  very  fair  prices;  they  gave  a  good  profit.  The  work 
cost  two  or  three  times  more,  doing  it  in  the  time  I  did,  than  it  would  cost 
if  I  had  had  three  or  four  times  as  much  time  to  do  it  in. 

Question.  In  what  respect  was  the  cost  so  much  increased  by  the  limited 
time? 

Answer.  I  had  to  keep  on  hand  a  large  number  of  men  ready  to  cover  the 
work  as  fast  as  it  was  laid  off.  Then  I  had  to  work  men  night  and  day; 
and  the  costs  of  lights  for  night  work  alone  was  over  $3,000.  The  cost  of 
the  lumber  was  very  much  enhanced.  Nearly  all  the  mills  in  St.  Louis  were 
engaged  in  getting  out  lumber  for  mortarboats  and  gunboats  then  being 
built.  I  had  to  bring  my  saw-logs  by  railroad  some  forty  miles,  and  could 
only  get  two  or  three  mills  to  work  for  me. 

Question.  You  say  you  made  a  good  profit  ? 

Answer.  I  cannot  tell.  I  do  not  know  what  the  work  amounts  to.  I  have 
been  denied  the  measurement  of  the  work.  The  work  has  been  measured, 
but  I  cannot  obtain  a  certified  copy  of  it.  I  have  applied  to  General  Halleck 
for  it,  and  to  General  Cullom,  who  is  the  chief  of  the  topographical  engineers 
at  St.  Louis,  and  to  the  parties  who  made  the  measurement.  But  the  order 


TESTIMONY.  273 

of  General  Cullom  to  the  engineers  who  made  the  measurement  was  that 
under  no  circumstances  was  I  to  be  allowed  any  note  or  information  by 
which  I  could  ascertain  the  measurement  of  the  work.  All  means  of  arriving 
at  the  cost  of  the  work  is  denied  me.  I  do  not  know  anything  about  it.  I 
cannot  tell  whether  I  have  made  anything  or  not.  But  my  supposition  was 
that  I  would  make  something.  I  have  made  application  to  the  Secretary  of 
War  for  an  order  to  General  Halleck  to  furnish  me  a  certified  copy  of  the 
measurement  which  he  has  in  his  office  in  St.  Louis;  but  the  Secretary  of 
War  declined  to  do  so,  on  the  ground  that  it  would  be  exercising  arbitrary 
•authority  over  General  Halleck's  department. 

Question.  You  were  required,  I  understand,  to  complete  the  work  in  a  very 
limited  time  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  I  agreed  to  finish  it  in  thirty  days,  but  that  stipulation 
is  not  in  the  contract.  The  difficulty  was  in  having  the  work  laid  off  fast 
enough.  I  found  that  was  the  great  obstacle  to  having  the  work  finished  in 
'thirty  days;  and  when  I  came  to  have  the  contract  made  out  I  bound  myself 
to  have  each  portion  of  the  work  finished  within  five  days  from  the  time  it 
was  laid  off.  I  did  that  in  order  to  protect  myself.  I  might  be  bound  to  do 
everything  in  thirty  days,  and  then,  not  having  the  work  laid  off,  I  would 
not  be  able  to  do  it  in  that  time,  but  would  be  left  too  much  at  the  mercy  of 
the  engineers. 

Question.  You  had  the  work  completed  within  the  time  agreed  upon  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  the  work  was  all  substantially  finished  on  the  4th  of 
October,  ready  for  the  guns  to  be  mounted.  The  block-houses  were  com 
pleted.  There  was  a  little  work,  such  as  sodding,  to  be  done.  That  was 
not  all  done  until  the  21st  or  the  22d  of  October. 

By  Mr.  Covode: 

Question.  When  General  McKinstry  told  you  that  you  would  have  to  make 
your  proposition  in  detail  for  the  work  did  you  speak  to  General  Fremont 
about  it  ? 

Answer.  I  told  General  Fremont  that  General  McKinstry  refused  to  give 
a  contract  for  the  amount  in  gross,  but  required  me  to  make  it  in  detail. 
The  general  told  me  that  it  was  very  proper  that  it  should  be  so  done,  and 
that  General  McKinstry  and  myself  must  arrange  that  between  ourselves. 

Question.  He  declined  to  interfere  ? 

Answer.  He  did  not  interfere  for  me  at  all. 

By  Mr.  Gooch: 

Question.  When  were  the  rates  agreed  upon  between  you  and  McKinstry  ? 

Answer.  They  were  finally  settled  on  the  25th  day  of  September. 

Question.  They  were  not  agreed  upon  until  that  time  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir;  there  were  some  alterations  made  on  that  day. 

Question.  Then  the  larger  part  of  the  work  was  done  before  the  rates 
were  agreed  upon  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  What  more  did  it  cost  you  to  build  those  works  in  haste  than 
they  would  have  cost  if  built  within  a  reasonable  time  ? 

Answer.  I  should  say,  perhaps,  three  times  as  much. 

Question.  What  did  you  pay  extra  per  day  for  your  men  ? 

Answer.  For  carpenters  1  paid  half  a  dollar  per  day  extra. 

Question.  What  was  the  ordinary  price  for  carpenters  ? 

Answer.  We  paid  a  dollar  and  a  half  and  a  dollar  and  seventy-five  cents 
apiece  for  carpenters,  and  for  boss  carpenters  five  dollars  to  seven  dollars 
i    a  day. 

Question.  What  percentage  above  ordinary  prices  ? 
Part  iii 18 


274  TESTIMONY. 

Answer.  I  did  not  pay  over  fifty  per  cent  extra  on  the  labor. 

Question.  Did  you  pay  fifty  per  cent,  extra. 
Answer.  Yes,  sir;  about  that  on  the  labor. 

Question.  What  would  be  a  fair  price  for  excavation  at  St.  Louis  pei 
cubic  yard  ? 

Answer.  In  ordinary  times,  and  to  do  it  as  it  is  ordinarily  done,  I  woulc 
take  it  for  twenty  to  twenty-five  cents  a  yard. 

Question.  Would  not  that  be  a  very  liberal  price  ? 

Answer.  Twenty-five  cents  would  be;  twenty  cents  would  be  a  fair  price 

Question.  What  for  earth  embankments  ? 

Answer.  About  twenty-five  or  thirty  cents  in  ordinary  times. 

Question.  What  would  be  a  fair  price  for  puddled  earth  ? 

Answer.  From  forty-five  to  fifty  cents. 

Question.  Would  not  that  be  a  very  liberal  price  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir.  On  the  Wabash  and  Erie  canal  I  have  had  as  high  a; 
sixty  cents  for  puddled  earth. 

Question.  What  would  ordinarily  be  a  fair  price  for  sodding  ? 

Answer.  About  fifty  cents  a  yard. 

Question.  What  would  be  a  fair  price  for  paving  yards  and  walks  ? 

Answer.  I  think  about  a  dollar  a  yard  would  be  about  right. 

Question.  You  think  you  got  about  fairly  paid  for  that  ? 

Answer.  I  think  I  did  not  get  enough. 

Question.  What  would  be  about  a  fair  price  per  gallon  for  building  cis 
terns  ? 

Answer.  I  think  six  cents  a  gallon  would  be  a  fair  price.  There  was  ; 
large  profit  on  the  cisterns,  but  I  did  not  make  anything  on  the  earthworks 

Question.  What  would  be  a  fair  price  for  lumber  in  St,  Louis  ? 

Answer.  I  paid  as  high  as  $23,  $27,  and  $32  per  M.  I  bought  some  fo 
$15  per  M.  The  ordinary  price  is  from  $12  to  $15  per  M,  but  I  had  to  pa; 
as  high  as  $23,  $27,  and  $32  per  M. 

Question.  And  got  $100  per  M  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  that  is,  measured  in  the  work  after  it  is  all  done. 

Question.  That  includes  the  work  and  the  lumber  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  What  percentage  of  loss  is  there  upon  the  lumber  in  measuring 
it  in  the  work  ? 

Answer.  That  I  could  not  tell.     I  did  not  keep  an  account  of  it. 

Question.  I  do  not  mean  exactly,  but  what  would  be  the  probabl 
amount  ? 

Answer.  I  should  think  about  fifteen  per  cent,  of  loss. 

Question.  What  was  the  proportion  of  each  kind  of  lumber  used  ? 

Answer.  I  could  not  state  that,  except  from  memory.  But  the  most  of  : 
was  squared  timber  that  I  had  to  pay  big  prices  for. 

Question.  What  is  a  fair  price  for  roofing? 

Answer.  I  think  I  paid  $3  50  and  I  got  $4  50  for  it.  I  paid  $3  50  or  $-. 
I  forget  which. 

Question.  So  you  commenced  the  work  and  worked  some  twenty  or  twenty 
five  days,  and  then  agreed  upon  the  prices  ? 

Answer.  The  prices  were  talked  over  all  the  time  from  the  4th  of  Septen 
ber  until  the  contract  was  made.  But  they  were  not  finally  agreed  upo 
until  the  25th  of  September,  when  the  contract  was  signed. 

Question.  Why  did  you  go  to  work  before  you  knew  the  rates  at  whic 
you  were  to  be  paid  for  it  ? 

Answer.  Just  on  the  assurance  of  the  general  and  the  necessities  of  th 
case.  I  trusted  to  the  quartermaster  for  the  prices.  I  thought  we  coul 
make  a  bargain  in  some  way. 


TESTIMONY.  275 

Question.  What  is  the  whole  amount  of  your  claim  for  building  those  for 
tifications  ? 

Answer.  I  could  not  tell  that  for  the  reason  that  I  have  not  been  able  to 
settle  all  my  bills  yet;  they  are  not  all  in.  As  soon  as  I  can  get  the  meas 
urement  of  the  work  and  a  settlement  with  the  quartermaster,  I  can  tell. 

By  Mr.  Odell: 

Question.  You  have  your  own  measurement  ? 
Answer.  No,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Gooch: 

Question.  Can  you  not  get  a  measurement? 

Answer.  No,  sir;  I  cannot  get  it. 

Question.  Did  you  not  make  any  measurement  or  cause  any  to  be  made  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir,  only  a  rough  guess  at  it.  I  am  to  settle  with  the  quar 
termaster  at  the  prices  stipulated  in  my  contract  on  the  certificate  of  the 
engineer  in  charge  of  the  work.  But  I  cannot  get  that  certificate. 

Question.  Were  the  moneys  paid  you  all  paid  without  a  certificate  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  paid  on  account  of  the  contract,  without  a  certificate 
of  the  engineer  of  the  amount  of  work  done. 

Question.  When  did  you  begin  ? 

Answer.  I  began  breaking  ground  about  the  first  of  September;  but  I  did 
not  get  fairly  at  work  before  the  4th  of  September. 

Question.   When  did  you  receive  your  first  payment  ? 

Answer.  The  general  ordered  $10,000  to  be  paid  to  me  somewhere  along 
the  last  of  August;  and  then  $15,000  more  soon  after. 

Question.  You  received  $25,000  before  you  had  done  anything  ? 

Answer.  I  had  commenced,  but  had  not  done  much. 

Question.  How  many  dollars  worth  of  work  had  been  done  on  the  2d  day 
of  September  ? 

Answer.  Scarcely  anything  had  been  done  except  purchasing  tools,  making 
preparations,  &c. 

Question.  You  had  $25,000  paid  you  in  advance  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.- 

Question.  How  much  work  had  been  done  on  the  5th  day  of  September? 

Answer.  I  had  some  3,000  or  4,000  men  employed  at  work  there. 

Question.  How  much  work  had  been  done  then  ? 

Answer.  I  could  not  tell  you  how  much  work  had  been  done. 

Question.  They  had  been  at  work  two  days  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  three  or  four  days;  but  they  had  not  done  much  until 
the  4th  day  of  September.  I  had  made  large  demonstrations,  but  they  had 
not  got  at  work. 

Question.  On  September  5  yon  received  $60,000  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  That  made  $85,000  in  all  that  you  had  then  received  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  The  difficulty  was  in  getting  money;  the  quartermas 
ter  was  short.  I  had  made  an  estimate  of  how  much  money  I  would  require 
to  go  on  and  finish  the  work.  I  made  a  requisition  on  the  4th,  5th  or  6th  of 
September  for  $135,000.  The  quartermaster  had  only  $60,000,  and  the  order 
was  given  for  that.  Then  there  was  $66,000  in  the  hands  of  Mr.  Turnley, 
and  an  order  was  given  me  for  that  to  make  up  my  requisition  for  $130,000. 

Question.  Then  you  had  been  paid  $151,000  when  you  had  been  at  work 
only  two  days  ? 

Answer.  Six  or  eight  days  only.  I  did  not  receive  the  $66,000  then,  I 
think. 

Question.  You  had  $151,000  when  you  had  been  at  work  only  two  days  ? 


276  TESTIMONY. 

Answer.  Well,  sir;  when  I  had  been  at  work,  fairly  at  work,  two  days. 

Question.  Why  was  that  ? 

Answer.  Because  I  required  that  amount  of  money  on  hand  to  enable  m 
to  finish  the  work  in  time. 

Question.  Then  you  took  your  whole  pay  in  advance  ? 

Answer.  To  that  extent,  yes,  sir. 

Question.  You  had  no  contract  ? 

Answer.  I  had  merely  made  a  proposition. 

Question.  You  had  been  at  work  two  days  ? 

Answer.  I  had  broken  ground  on  the  1st  of  September,  but  had  not  dor 
much  until  the  4th. 

Question.  Then  you  had  really  been  at  work  two  days  when  you  had  pai 
to  3rou  $151,000,  and  that  without  any  bond,  contract  or  agreement? 

Answer.  There  was  no  contract,  bond  or  agreement,  except  the  prop 
sition  I  made. 

By  Mr.  Odell: 

Question.  Had  your  proposition  been  accepted  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir;  it  was  not  accepted  the  way  I  had  made  it.  I  made 
proposition,  and  General  Fremont  indorsed  on  the  back  of  it  an  order  to  tl 
quartermaster  to  make  out  a  contract. 

Question.  What  was  your  proposition  ? 

Answer.  To  do  all  the  earthwork  and  timberwork  required  by  the  en£ 
neers  for  the  fortifications  and  defence  of  St.  Louis  from  St.  Malachi  chun 
to  the  bank  of  the  Mississippi  river,  with  all  the  fieldworks,  block-house 
&c.,  and  have  it  all  completed  within  thirty  days,  and  to  do  each  portic 
within  five  days  from  the  time  it  was  laid  off — to  do  all  that  was  required 
me  for  that  purpose  for  the  sum  of  $315,000. 

By  Mr.  Gooch: 

Question.  When  did  you  receive  the  next  payment,  after  having  receiv< 
this  8151,000? 

Answer.  I  do  not  recollect. 

.Question.  I  have  seen  it  somewhere  stated  that  on  the  19th  of  Septemb 
you  received  an  order  for  another  sum  of  $35,000. 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  but  I  did  not  get  any  money  on  that  order  for  a  loi 
time  afterwards. 

Question.  How  much  money  had  you  expended  up  to  the  19th  of  Sc 
tember  ? 

Answer.  I  could  not  tell  ? 

Question.  Had  you  spent  the  half  of  what  you  had  received  ? 

Answer.  I  should  suppose  I  had  spent  about  that  much. 

Question.  Then  having  on  hand  at  that  time  some  $75,000  of  the  govei 
merit's  money,  you  received  another  order  for  $35,000  more  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  $20,000  was  paid  on  that  order,  that  was  all  that  w 
paid.  Altogether  1  received  $171,000. 

Question.  All  this  money  was  paid  to  you  before  this  contract  was  co 
pleted  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  And  you  never  had  a  survey  made,  but  all  the  payments  ma 
to  you  were  made  without  a  survey  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  I  never  could  get  a  measurement.  I  have  been  tryii 
a  long  time  to  get  one,  but  so  far  have  failed. 

Question.   Are  you  familiar  with  the  forts  built  by  Major  Kappner  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir.     I  went  in  about  the  1st  of  September  to  see  the  mi 


TESTIMONY.  277 

ner  in  which  they  were  being  built,  the  size  of  them,  &c.,  and  have  never 
seen  them  since  except  in  passing  by. 

Question.  Do  you  know  how  the  forts  you  built  compare  as  to  size  and 
expense  of  building  with  those  he  built,  provided  the  time  of  building  was 
the  same  for  all  of  them  ? 

Answer.  I  think  the  forts  I  built  are  larger.  But  that  is  merely  guess 
work.  I  could  not  tell  by  merely  passing  them. 

Question.  Did  you  go  to  St.  Louis  for  the  purpose  of  taking  this  contract? 

Answer.  No,  sir.  I  had  no  idea  of  taking  any  contract  when  I  left  Cali 
fornia. 

Question.  Did  you  have  any  partner,  or  any  one  associated  with  you  in 
this  contract  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir. 

Question.  What  representations  did  you  make  to  General  Fremont  which 
Induced  him  to  advance  money  to  you  ? 

Answer.  That  I  should  want  the  money  to  enable  me  to  complete  the  work 
in  time;  that  was  all. 

Question.  What  did  you  mean  by  that  ? 

Answer.  To  finish  the  work. 

Question.  You  do  not  mean  that  you  wanted  that  much  money  to  pay  for 
the  work  as  it  was  progressing  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir;  but  to  finish  all  that  was  to  be  done. 

Question.  Why  did  you  get  orders  for  the  money  in  advance  of  the  amounts 
due  you  ? 

Answer.  The  idea  was  this:  It  was  very  difficult  to  get  money  at  St.  Louis 
then ;  there  was  very  great  difficulty  in  getting  it.  I  employed  a  very  large 
number  of  men,  and  I  wanted  the  means  on  hand  to  be  sure  of  paying  them. 

Question.  If  there  was  great  difficulty  in  the  government  getting  money 
to  carry  on  its  business  there  at  that  time,  and  you  were  paid  to  this  extent 
in  advance,  must  not  other  persons  working  for  the  government  have  been 
very  much  embarrassed  by  it  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  all  persons  were.  Every  man  that  furnished  forage, 
mules,  or  any  credit  to  the  government  was  very  much  embarrassed.  The 
gunboats,  mortarboats  and  fortifications  were  considered  by  the  general,  I 
suppose,  a  matter  of  primary  necessity,  and  for  that  reason  the  means  were 
provided  for  prosecuting  those  works,  and  paying  for  the  labor  on  them  as 
fast  as  it  was  done. 

Question.  Would  it  not  have  been  more  in  accordance  with  custom  to 
have  paid  you  the  amounts  due  you  as  the  work  progressed  ? 

Answer.  That  is  very  likely.     In  most  cases  it  would  be  so. 

Question.  Did  you  ever  take  any  contract  before  where  you  had  money 
advanced  to  you  ? 

Answer.  I  have  had  money  advanced  to  me  before  ? 

Question.  To  the  same  extent  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir.     I  never  did  any  work  before  in  the  same  hurry. 

Question.  On  the  whole,  it  was  a  very  unusual  proceeding  from  beginning 
to  end,  was  it  not  ? 

Answer.  The  whole  war,  and  all  matters  connected  with  it,  are  very  un 
usual  proceedings. 

By  Mr.  Odell: 

Question.  What  do  you  understand  the  price  of  labor  to  be  there  ? 

Answer.  Just  what  men  are  willing  to  work  for,  and  men  are  willing  to 
give.  You  can  hire  laborers  there  for  40  to  50  cents  a  day,  I  suppose.  I 
believe  they  are  paying  50  cents  a  day  for  city  work  there. 

Question.  How  much  did  you  pay  a  da}*  ? 


278  TESTIMONY. 

Answer.  I  paid  80  cents  and  a  dollar  a  day. 

Question.  Why  did  you  pay  some  a  dollar  a  day,  and  others  only  80  cents 
a  day? 

Answer.  I  paid  some  a  dollar  for  night  work,  and  others  80  cents  for  day 
work. 

Question.  The  city  paid  50  cents,  and  yon  paid  80  cents  ? 

Answer.  I  think  the  city  was  hiring1  some  for  50  cents.  I  do  not  know 
that  it  was  so. 

Question.  What  did  you  pay  the  night  men  of  the  same  grade  ? 

Answer.  At  first  80  cents,  and  afterwards  a  dollar  a  night. 

Question.  What  are  the  wages  of  carpenters  there  ? 

Answer.  I  cannot  tell  you. 

Question.  What  did  you  paj^? 

Answer.  From  $1  50  to  $1   75  a  day. 

Question.  How  much  for  night  work  ? 

Answer.  The  same. 

By  Mr.  Gooch: 

Question.  Did  your  carpenters  do  any  night  work? 
Answer.  Certainly. 

By  Mr.  Odell: 

Question.  You  spoke  of  overseers  that  you  paid  higher  prices. 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  How  much  did  you  pay  them  ? 

Answer.  From  $3  to  $3  50  a  day. 

Question.  How  many  did  you  employ  ? 

Answer.  From  80  to  100  altogether.  I  could  not  tell  exactly  without  the 
check  roll.  Perhaps  more.  It  is  all  guess-work.  But  I  should  think  about 
one  hundred. 

Question.  How  were  your  gangs  divided  between  day  and  night  ? 

Answer.  About  equally. 

Question.  Did  you  work  your  night  gangs  from  the  beginning  to  the 
close  of  the  work  ? 

Answer.  Not  all  the  time. 

Question.  What  proportion  of  the  time  ? 

Answer.  I  think  about  three-fourths  of  the  time  I  worked  nights. 

Question.  You  speak  of  its  costing  $3,000  for  lights.     How  was  what? 

Answer.  For  torch  baskets,  rosin,  coal,  kindling,  men  to  attend  the 
fires,  &c. 

Question.  What  is  your  estimate  of  the  indebtedness  of  the  government 
to  you  ? 

Answer.  I  should  think  the  work  would  amount  to  about  $250,000  alto 
gether;  perhaps  $2(>0,000,  or  $270,000;  I  cannot  tell  exactly.  1  should 
think  about  $250,000  or  $260,000.  That  is  my  own  guess  about  it 

Question.  You  would  have  had  a  pretty  good  thing  of  it  if  you  had  got 
your  proposition  accepted  in  the  lump  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  it  was  made  at  a  guess.  The  fieldworks  outside  of  the 
fortifications  extended  some  six  miles  in  length;  the  fortifications  some 
three  or  four  miles. 

Question:  Have  you  paid  the  laborers  and  mechanics  ? 

Answer.  I  have  paid  all  the  day  laborers.  The  boss  mechanic,  and  the 
man  who  hired  the  carpenters  under  him,  are  unpaid.  A  great  deal  of  the 
lumber  is  still  not  paid  for. 

Question.  What  amount  is  yet  due  the  mechanics  and  those  who  furnished 
the  materials  ? 

Answer.  1  think  somewhere  between  $22,000  and  $28,000. 


TESTIMONY.  279 

The  following1  is  a  copy  of  the  proposal  submitted  by  Mr.  Beard,  and  re 
ferred  to  iii  the  foregoing  testimony: 

ST.  Louis,  September  4,  1861. 

The  undersigned  proposes  to  build  all  the  fortifications,  redoubts,  bastions, 
and  all  else  required  of  timber  and  earthwork  for  the  defence  of  the  city  of 
St.  Louis,  from  fortification  No.  6,  at  St.  Malachi  church,  to  the  northern 
limit  of  the  city,  all  to  be  done  according  to  and  under  the  direction  of  the 
engineer  or  engineers  in  charge  of  the  work,  binding  myself  to  complete 
the  work  in  five  (5)  days  after  the  same  is  laid  out,  for  the  sum  of  ($315,000) 
three  hundred  and  fifteen  thousand  dollars. 

E.  L.  BEARD. 

J.  C.  FREMONT,  Major  General  Commanding. 

The  following  is  a  copy  of  the  indorsement  by  General  Fre'mont: 

HEADQUARTERS,  September  4,  1861. 

In  order  to  place  this  city  immediately  in  a  state  of,  at  least,  partial  defence, 
I  recommend  the  execution  of  a  contract  with  Mr.  E.  L.  Beard,  who  makes 
this  proposition. 

J.  C.  FREMONT, 
Major  General  Commanding. 
Brigadier  General  J.  McKiNSTRY, 

Quartermaster  United  States  Army. 


280  TESTIMONY. 


MISCELLANEOUS. 


The  joint  committee  on  the  conduct  of  the  war  submit  the  testimony  taken 
upon  the  following  subjects  : 

HATTERAS  INLET  EXPEDITION. 

PORT  ROYAL  EXPEDITION. 

BURNSIDE  EXPEDITION. 

FORT  DONELSON,  &c. 

CAPTURE  OF  NEW  ORLEANS. 

INVASION  OF  NEW  MEXICO. 

ACCOM  AC  EXPEDITION. 

BATTLE  OF  WINCHESTER,  MARCH  23,   1862. 

MONITOR  AND  MERRIMAC. 

PROTECTING  REBEL  PROPERTY. 

BEBEL  BARBARITIES. 

WOUNDED  FROM  FRONT  ROYAL,  VIRGINIA 

CONVALESCENT  CAMP,  ALEXANDRIA,  VIRGINIA. 

TRADE  IN  MILITARY  DISTRICTS. 

COMMUNICATING  COUNTERSIGN. 

PAYMASTERS,  RETURNING  SLAVES,  &c. 

B.  F.  WADE,  Chairman. 


HATTERAS   INLET   EXPEDITION. 


WASHINGTON,  January  15,  1S62. 
General  BENJ.  F.  BUTLER  sworn  and  examined. 

By  the  chairman  : 

Question.  What  is  your  rank  and  position  in  the  army  ? 

Answer.  I  am  a  major  general  of  volunteers ;  appointed  on  the  16th  day  of 
May  last,  and  qualified,  I  think,  on  the  19th  of  May. 

Question.  In  what  department  of  the  army  have  you  been  acting  ? 

Answer.  Immediately  upon  my  appointment  I  was  ordered  to  the  then  de 
partment  of  Virginia,  headquarters  at  Fortress  Monroe.  I  would  like  to  say  a 
word  or  two  about  the  Little  Bethel  affair.  Some  time  about  the  8th  of  June — 
I  speak  from -memory  as  to  dates — I  learned  that  there  was  a  detachment  of  the 
enemy  at  a  place  known  as  Great  Bethel,  with  an  advanced  guard  at  a  place 
known  as  Little  Bethel — the  one  being  a  large  church,  and  the  other  being  the 
headquarters  of  a  camp-meeting — a  grove.  Each  of  them  was  used  as  a  depot 
from  which  to  make  excursions  among  the  Union  men  around  Fortress  Monroe, 
and  carry  off  both  the  men  and  their  negroes.  I  caused  a  reconnoissance  to 


TESTIMONY.  281 

be  made  by  means  of  two  negro  spies.  They  reported  to  me,  as  subsequent 
events  have  proved,  the  exact  state  of  the  works  and  of  the  men  there,  except 
the  numbers.  I  directed  two  detachments  to  march;  one  to  march  from  New 
port  News,  consisting  of  about  700  men,  and  the  other  to  march  from  Hampton, 
consisting  of  about  600  men.  I  ordered  them  to  surround  the  detachment  of  the 
enemy  at  Little  Bethel  and  capture  them,  and  then,  if  they  thought  best,  under 
the  cover  of  that  capture,  to  go  to  Great  Bethel,  which  was  about  two  miles  be 
yond — Great  Bethel  being  about  eight  miles  from  each  starting  place ;  and  I 
ordered  two  regiments,  with  two  pieces  of  cannon,  to  march  two  hours  later,  for 
the  purpose  of  supporting  these  detachments,  if  necessary,  in  case  any  re- 
enforcements  should  be  sent  to  the  enemy.  At  daybreak,  precisely,  the  two  de 
tachments  first  named  were  before  Little  Bethel,  and  were  just  at  that  moment 
about  to  make  an  attack,  when  the  two  rear  detachments,  which  were  to  meet 
about  three  miles  in  the  rear,  met  each  other  in  the  grey  of  the  morning,  and 
one  of  the  detachments  fired  upon  the  other.  The  two  detachments  in  front  imme 
diately  retrograded,  and  returned  about  two  miles,  when  the  mistake  was  found  out. 
General  Pierce,  then  in  command,  acting  upon  his  judgment,  moved  forward  still 
upon  Great  Bethel — Little  Bethel  having  been  taken  and  destroyed.  He  then 
sent  back  word  to  me  that  he  had  so  done,  and  that  he  thought  he  could 
get  on  without  any  re-enforcements.  He  made  an  attack  upon  Great  Bethel. 
That  attack  was  not  successful  principally  from  the  reason  that  our  men  were 
frightened  by  reports  of  the  great  number  of  the  enemy  said  to  be  there  present. 
Word  was  sent  back  to  me  for  re-enforcements,  and  I  ordered  up  two  further 
detachments,  so  that  there  were  3,000  of  our  troops  before  Great  Bethel.  The 
last  detachment  reached  there  at  one  o'clock  in  the  day,  having  marched,  at 
most,  but  eight  miles.  But  upon  consultation — it  being  believed  that  there 
were  4,000  men  and  twenty  pieces  of  cannon  behind  the  intrenchments,  whereas 
I  had  sent  them  out  to  meet  but  600  men  and  four  pieces  of  cannon — they  con 
cluded  that  they  were  overmatched,  and  that  it  was  best  to  withdraw  in  good 
order,  which  was  not  done,  however,  but  in  bad  order;  and  when  they  got 
home  that  night  seventeen  officers  sent  in  their  resignation.  I  had  a  report 
from  one  of  the  colonels  that  he  saw  1,200  men  come  out  of  the  intrenchments, 
with  four  pieces  of  artillery,  and  attempt  to  outflank  him ;  and  that  his  regi 
ment  was  fired  upon  by,  at  least,  twenty  pieces  of  artillery  in  position.  That 
report  of  Colonel  Allen  is  to  be  found  printed  in  the  Rebellion  Record.  Now, 
in  truth  and  fact,  the  enemy  never  had  more  than  600  men  engaged  there.  They 
sent  to  Yorktown  and  got  a  part  of  a  Louisiana  regiment,  which  marched  eighteen 
miles  on  a  pretty  warm  day,  and  when  they  reached  Big  Bethel  they  lay  down 
and  gasped  and  panted  for  breath.  And  it  appears  by  the  reports  of  the  enemy 
that  as  soon  as  our  troops  let  them  alone  they  retreated  immediately  to  York- 
town.  That  night  Great  Bethel  was  without  an  inhabitant,  and  the  intrench 
ments  were  without  a  man  there,  except  my  two  negro  spies,  whom  I  sent  up  there, 
and  who  came  back  to  me  and  reported  that  fact;  and  the  enemy  did  not  return 
there  for  something  like  a  week  after.  I  attribute  the  defeat  of  Great  Bethel, 
first,  to  the  unfortunate  collision  in  the  morning,  and  secondly,  to  the  fact  that 
there  was  no  vigorous  attack  made,  owing  to  the  fear  of  our  people  that  they 
were  to  meet  4,000  men  and  twenty  pieces  of  artillery,  instead  of  600  men  and 
four  pieces  of  artillery  that  I  had  supposed  they  would  meet.  I  have  never 
been  inclined  to  attribute  much  blaine  to  the  officer  in  charge,  because  he  was  no 
more  frightened  with  these  reports  than  the  rest  were.  Every  one  of  them 
came  back  that  night  with  reports  variously  estimating  the  enemy  at  4,000  and 
5,000  men,  and  that  they  were  intrenched  in  a  very  strong  position.  Now  the 
truth,  as  subsequently  ascertained,  was  that  the  intrenchments  were  but  three 
feet  high,  and  they  could  not  see  exactly  what  there  was  there,  because  there 
was  nothing  to  be  seen.  They  took  the  reports  of  the  women  and  negroes 
along  the  road  as  to  the  number  of  men  there ;  and  my  experience  has  been 


282  TESTIMONY. 

that  they  always  overate  from  four  to  six  times.  If  our  men  had  remained  fif 
teen  minutes  longer  they  would  have  taken  the  works,  for  the  enemy  did  not 
stop  there  fifteen  minutes  after  our  troops  left.  Both  parties  retreated  from  each 
other  with  equal  celerity.  It  was  a  misfortune  of  which,  if  any  share  of  the 
blame  attaches  to  me,  I  am  quite  willing  to  bear  it ;  but  it  was  a  misfortune  that  re 
sulted  from  the  use  of  raw  troops. 

Question.  That  is  the  second  or  third  time  in  our  investigation  that  we  have 
found  that  misfortunes  have  befallen  us  from  mistaking  our  own  men  for  the 
enemy,  or  vice  versa.  How  is  that  1 

Answer.  That  must  necessarily  happen  when  the  uniforms  on  both  sides  are 
exactly  alike,  the  officers'  uniforms  especially  being  exactly  alike,  and  the  for 
mation  of  the  regiments  and  the  drill  are  also  exactly  alike.  There  has  been 
devised  no  means  of  distinguishing  the  two.  Indeed,  to  the  naked  eye,  at  300 
yards,  a  good  rebel  flag  cannot  be  distinguished  from  the  American  flag.  The 
red  and  white  blend  together,  and  there  is  a  blue  field  and  stars  on  both. 

Question.  You  were  with  the  expedition  to  Hatteras,  I  believe? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Will  you  give  us  a  little  account  of  that  1 

Answer.  Some  time  in  June  I  sent  to  the  War  Department  a  memorandum 
stating  that  there  were  works  being  built  at  Hatteras,  and  that  it  was  being 
made  a  depot  for  the  rebel  privateers.  I  suggested  that  something  should  be 
done  to  break  it  up,  and  I  thought  a  small  expedition  might  achieve  that  pur 
pose.  That  memorandum,  I  suspect,  was  turned  over  to  the  Navy  Depart 
ment,  because  about  the  8th  or  9th  of  August  I  heard  from  it  from  that  depart 
ment.  General  Wool  had  been  appointed  to  that  department,  but  had  not  then 
arrived.  A  memorandum  came  to  me  that  the  navy  would  take  as  much  force 
as  they  chose  and  could  get  together,  and  attempt  a  bombardment  of  the  forts 
at.  Hatteras.  I  was  to  take  as  much  land  force  as  was  thought  proper  and 
could  be  spared,  and  co-operate  with  the  navy,  and  when  the  rebels  were  driven 
out  of  the  forts  at  Hatteras,  we  were  then  to  take  certain  schooners  loaded  with 
stone  and  stop  up  by  sinking  them  there.  General  Wool  having  in  the  mean 
time  come  down,  I  made  a  requisition  on  him  for  as  much  force  as  he  could 
spare,  and  he  spared  me  860  men,  to  be  joined  by  100  marines  from  on  board 
the  ships.  We  took  the  Wabash,  the  Minnesota,  the  Susquehanna,  and  the 
Constellation  frigates,  and  the  troops  on  board  three  transports,  and  went  down 
to  Hatteras.  When  we  arrived  there  we  found  a  very  heavy  sea  running  on 
the  beach.  After  a  consultation  we  undertook  to  land,  and  did  land  319  men 
of  the  land  force,  including  one  company  of  marines,  when  the  surf  stove  every 
one  of  our  boats.  We  then  undertook  to  land  with  whale  boats  and  ship  boats, 
and  a  very  deserving  officer,  trying  to  do  it,  was  thrown  on  shore  with  his  men, 
and  the  boat  stove.  In  the  meantime,  leaving  these  men  on  shore,  as  it  was 
impossible  to  reach  them,  the  fleet  bombarded  one  of  the  forts,  known  as  Fort 
Clark — a  strong  square  redoubt,  mounting  eight  guns — and  silenced  it.  But  in 
consequence  of  the  threatening  aspect  of  the  weather  we  were  obliged  to  get  an 
offing.  The  next  morning  we  returned  and  commenced  the  bombardment  of 
Fort  Hatteras.  After  two  hours  of  heavy  bombarding  I  went  to  work  to  land 
the  rest  of  the  troops.  In  the  meantime  I  had  sent  my  aid  on  shore,  with  di 
rections  to  the  troops  there  to  advance.  While  engaged  in  landing  the  rest  a  white 
flag  was  run  up,  and  the  place  was  surrendered  to  us.  There  were  surrendered 
about  750  men,  a  thousand  stand  of  arms,  25  cannon,  and  two  strong  forts. 
Though  my  orders  were  distinctly  to  sink  vessels  there  and  abandon  the 
place,  yet  after  learning  the  exact  condition  of  things,  upon  consultation  with 
Commodore  Stringham,  it  appeared  to  me  to  be  a  very  important  situation  to  be 
held  for  our  own  purposes.  It  was  the  opening  to  a  great  inland  sea,  running 
up  90  miles  to  Newbern,  and  so  giving  water  communication  up  to  Norfolk. 
It  seemed  to  me  that  if  we  ever  intended  to  operate  in  North  Carolina  and 


TESTIMONY.  283 

southern  Virginia,  we  should  operate  by  way  of  that  inland  sea,  and  should  not 
stop  ourselves  out.  But  it  would  be  much  better  for  us  to  take  possession 
of  the  fort  there  and  hold  it.  I  had  just  about  men  enough  with  me  for  a 
garrison  for  that  purpose ;  the  enemy  having  had  about  750  men  and  I  having 
about  860.  I  could  not  pursue  the  advantage  gained,  because  the  inner  bar, 
about  two  miles  up  from  the  opening,  carried  only  about  eight  feet  of  water, 
while  I  had  no  gunboat  that  carried  less  than  ten  feet.  It  was,  therefore,  im 
possible  for  us  to  go  inside.  I  had  a  canal  boat  there,  the  Fanny,  which  had 
a  couple  of  field  pieces  mounted  upon  her,  and  which  afterwards  went  inside 
and  was  captured.  She  was  the  only  boat  that  could  go  inside,  and  she  could 
not  carry  more  than  100  men.  Having  come  to  that  conclusion  I  garrisoned 
Fort  Hatteras,  and  having  disobeyed  express  and  written  orders,  it  was  neces 
sary  for  me  to  report  in  person  here ;  and  I  came  to  be  court-martialed,  or  to 
make  such  representations  as  I  could  to  have  my  actions  and  doings  sanctioned. 
Upon  representing  the  matter  to  the  government,  to  the  commanding  general, 
the  War  Department,  and  afterwards  to  the  members  of  the  cabinet,  my  action 
was  approved,  and  the  forts  are  now  garrisoned ;  and  I  have  reason  to  believe 
that  there  is  at  present  an  expedition  going  into  Fort  Hatteras,  which  never 
could  have  gone  there  had  it  been  stopped  up  by  this  stone  fleet  which  we  took 
there  with  us  for  that  purpose. 

Question.  Would  it  be  easy  to  destroy  the  navigation  there  ? 

Answer.  I  do  not  believe  it  possible  to  destroy  the  navigation  there,  and  for 
this  reason :  If  you  will  look  upon  the  map  you  will  perceive  that  there  is  a 
sea  there,  or  an  arm  of  the  ocean,  90  miles  broad,  and  extending  along  for  400 
miles  of  the  coast ;  and  it  is  only  separated  from  the  main  ocean  by  a  narrow  belt 
of  sand,  about  two  miles  wide  at  its  widest,  and  in  some  narrow  places  not  more 
than  a  half  a  mile  wide,  averaging  about  a  mile  in  width.  When  the  south 
eastern  winds  prevail  the  water  inside  is  thrown  up  very  high,  so  that  for  weeks 
together,  after  the  storm  abates,  no  matter  what  is  the  state  of  the  tide,  the 
water  is  continually  running  out  into  the  ocean.  Hatteras  inlet  is  only  about 
12  years  old.  Ocracoke  inlet,  which  is  below,  was  the  main  inlet ;  but  it  is  now 
filling  up,  and  Hatteras  inlet  is  widening.  For  that  reason  you  cannot  find 
Hatteras  inlet  upon  most  of  the  maps ;  it  is  a  new  creation.  I  have  not  be 
lieved  at  all  in  blocking  up  any  large  inlet  by  means  of  any  artificial  structure. 
You  may  change  the  channel,  but  the  water  going  in  there  must  come  out  some 
where.  You  can  stop  up  some  particular  channel ;  but,  in  my  judgment,  you 
simply  destroy  a  channel  that  we  know,  and  open  another  we  do  not  know  of. 

Question.  Unless  there  is  a  rocky  bottom  all  along  there  ? 

Answer.  The  whole  coast  is  sand.  This  thing  has  been  tried  by  the  very 
nation  that  now  complains  of  its  barbarity.  The  English,  in  the  time  of  Napo 
leon,  tried  to  stop  up  the  harbor  of  Boulogne  by  sinking  ships  in  the  same 
way,  but  they  found  it  wholly  ineffectual ;  and  I  think  it  will  be  found  wholly 
ineffectual  now. 

Question.  You  have  answered,  what  has  been  frequently  asked,  why  that 
expedition  did  not  pursue  their  advantages  on  the  main  land,  perhaps  as  far  as 
Bead  fort  or  Newbem. 

Answer.  I  meant  to  have  stated  at  first  that  I  had  but  860  men,  which  was 
hardly  enough  to  attack  a  large  coast.  I  had  to  go  into  Pimlico  Sound,  and  go 
ninety  miles  to  reach  that  place.  I  had  but  one  boat  which  drew  less  than  ten 
feet  of  water,  and  the  bar  carried  only  eight  feet.  That  boat  had  no  armament, 
and  no  capacity  to  carry  more  than  100  men.  It  was  simply  a  canal  propeller, 
brought  down  from  the  Raritan  canal,  and  was  used  simply  as  a  tug  and  to  run 
around  in  shallow  waters,  and  to  carry  supplies.  She  was  taken  down  there 
simply  to  act  as  a  tender,  if  she  could  live  down  around  the  cape,  which  it  was 
difficult  for  her  to  do,  though  it  was  fine  weather.  She  was  intended  to  carry 
supplies  from  the  larger  ships  to  the  men  on  shore. 


284  TESTIMONY. 

Question.  Do  you  know  whether  the  late  storm  has  injured  the  fortifications 
there  1  I  have  seen  some  statement  that  it  had. 

Answer.  I  watched  that  matter  with  a  great  deal  of  interest.  The  storm  has 
not  injured  the  fortification  at  all.  The  point  at  Hatteras  Inlet  is  almost  square, 
like  the  corner  of  this  table.  The  larger  fort  is  on  the  point ;  the  smaller  one  is 
above.  What  the  storm  has  done  has  been  to  open  a  six-feet  deep  channel  be 
tween  the  two  forts ;  a  channel  six  feet  deep  and  something  like  sixty  feet  wide, 
all  around  Fort  Hatteras,  making  a  ditch  there,  and  rendering  it  perfectly  im 
pervious  to  any  land  attack.  The  rebels  understood  this  matter  as  well  as  we 
did,  and  a  great  deal  better.  The  fort  was  made  with  a  great  deal  of  skill, 
under  the  direction  of  Major  Andrews,  who,  I  believe,  was  educated  at  West 
Point.  The  whole  face  of  the  fort  had  been  sheathed  by  means  of  plank  sheath 
ing  driven  into  the  sand  to  prevent  the  washing  of  the  surf  from  undermining  it. 
And  the  glacis  had  been  entirely  covered  by  heavy  turf  of  marsh  grass,  brought 
about  three  miles,  to  prevent  the  sand  from  washing  out.  The  storm  would  not 
injure  the  fort.  The  only  danger  there  is  the  unhealthy  location,  on  account  of 
the  fog  and  damp  there.  Nothing  is  ever  dry  there,  not  even  the  powder.  One 
reason  they  made  no  better  fight  against  us  was,  that  the  magazine  had  not 
been  properly  aired,  and  the  powder  would  hardly  burn.  After  I  took  posses 
sion  of  the  fort,  I  took  enough  of  their  powder  to  fire  a  national  salute  at  the 
raising  of  our  flag,  and  though  the  muzzles  of  the  guns  were  from  us,  yet,  stand 
ing  as  far  back  as  across  this  room,  the  wind  blowing  towards  us  when  the  guns 
were  fired,  blew  back  upon  us  kernels  of  powder  entirely  unburned,  until  we 
were  almost  covered  with  them. 

Question.  Have  we  done  anything  to  strengthen  those  fortifications  since  you 
captured  them  ? 

Answer.  Nothing  but  to  mount  some  heavy  guns  of  long  range.  The  only 
guns  they  had  were  32-pounders,  which  came  from  Norfo'lk.  One  interesting 
fact  that  we  learned  by  the  capture  of  that  fort  was  the  official  declaration  that 
the  8,  9,  and  10-inch  guns  which  they  had  captured  at  Norfolk  had  given  out, 
that  is,  they  had  used  them  all  up,  and  could  not  supply  any  more.  That 
statement  was  made  in  reply  to  a  very  urgent  appeal  for  some  heavy  guns ;  and 
thereupon  one  l(Mnch  gun  had  been  sent  down  from  the  Tredegar  works  at 
Richmond.  The  rebels,  as  usual,  had  got  notice  of  our  coming,  and  they  had 
got  that  gun  down  the  day  before;  but  being  a  little  dilatory  with  the  shell, 
they  did  not  get  the  shell  down  in  season,  and  they  had  no  gun  that  could  reach 
us  to  do  any  harm. 

By  Mr.  Gooch  : 

Question.  Was  it  in  contemplation  at  that  time  that  your  expedition  was  to 
be  followed  up  by  a  military  force  to  operate  in  the  interior  1 

Answer.  No,  sir.  On  the  contrary,  we  were  to  stop  up  the  channel  and  leave ; 
and  it  was  owing  to  my  disobedience  of  orders,  and  acting  upon  counsel  with 
Commodore  Stringham,  who  agreed  with  me  in  regard  to  the  necessity  of  hav 
ing  a  naval  depot  there,  that  it  was  not  done.  It  will  be  seen  by  reference  to 
the  map  that  Cape  Hatteras  extends  out  here  and  makes  a  perfect  lee  for  all 
northern  winds.  The  winds  that  prevail  all  through  the  winter  are  the  north 
east  and  northwest  winds,  against  which  this  cape  affords  a  great  shelter. 
Fortress  Monroe,  two  days'  sail  from  Hatteras,  was  the  nearest  point  where  our 
vessels  could  find  a  coal  depot  and  get  water  and  supplies,  for  all  the  harbors 
below  there  were  then  in  possession  of  the  enemy  or  stopped  up,  and  it  was 
that  consideration  which  induced  me  to  leave  that  there  as  a  coaling  station,  or 
a  place  of  refuge  for  light  vessels  and  all  the  small  steamers  for  the  blockade. 


TESTIMONY.  285 

By  the  chairman : 

Question.  What  is  your  estimate  of  the  enemy's  forces  across  the  river,  now 
at  Centreville  and  Manassas,  the  rebel  army,  generally  called  their  army  of 
the  Potomac  1 

Answer.  That  is  a  matter  upon  which  I  suppose  I  have  no  business  to  have 
an  opinion.  I  have  never  had  anything  to  do  with  the  army  of  the  Potomac, 
and  I  have  no  sources  of  information  but  what  are  open  to  all  of  you. 

Question.  But  we  are  not  all  shrewd  enough,  perhaps,  to  make  the  calcu 
lations. 

Answer.  Perhaps,  if  you  will  allow  me,  I  will  give  the  data  upon  which  I 
form  my  opinion,  and  then  you  can  form  opinions  for  yourselves.  I  have  never 
believed  the  strength  of  the  rebel  army  to  be  anything  like  what  it  has  been 
represented  to  be.  I  may  be  wrong,  and  probably  should  defer  my  opinion  to 
others;  but  I  will  give  you  the  grounds  upon  which  I  base  my  judgment.  In 
the  first  place,  I  know  the  tendency  of  the  human  mind  to  exaggerate,  and  I 
know  the  certainty  that  there  will  be  exaggeration  in  regard  to  numbers,  and  I 
can  give  you  no  better  illustration  than  this  :  when  I  put  on  board  at  Hampton 
Roads,  for  the  Hatteras  expedition,  the  860  men  I  had,  I  did  so  in  four  detach 
ments,  and  a  very  respectable  gentleman,  a  reporter,  sent  a  despatch  in  good 
faith  to  the  New  York  papers,  that  I  had  started  with  4,000  men — in  fact,  I  had 
but  860  all  told.  Now,  I  have  known  our  strength,  and  I  have  known  the  efforts 
we  have  made  to  get  a  given  number  of  troops  for  the  army  of  the  Potomac, 
and  I  have  come  to  the  conclusion  that  if,  with  the  great  expenditure  of  money 
and  means,  offering  men  more  than  enough,  with  our  railroads,  canals,  and  other 
means,  we  could  only  get  so  large  an  army,  then  the  south,  without  that  material, 
without  that  means,  without  those  facilities — although  they  might  have  men 
enough — must  have  found  it  impossible  to  get  so  large  an  army  as  has  been 
attributed  to  them. " 

I  then  look  at  another  thing.  I  examined  with  some  care  the  reports  of  the 
battle  of  Bull  Run ;  and  I  believe  that  it  is  now  agreed  that  Johnston  brought 
to  the  rebel  forces  re-enforcements  to  the  extent  only  of  about  10,000  men,  and 
I  believe  that  it  is  now  agreed  that  there  was  only  about  25,000  on  a  side  en 
gaged  there  at  first.  It  was  said  that  there  were  100,000  men  in  the  rebel  army 
at  Mauassas.  Now,  I  cannot  believe  that  the  rebel  general  was  so  stupid  as  to 
risk  a  flank  movement — a  flank  march  all  the  way  from  Winchester — with  an 
enemy  on  the  rear  if  Patterson  had  followed  him  up,  in  order  to  re-enforce 
25,000  men  with  10,000  men,  when  he  had  at  the  same  time  75,000  men  lying 
idle  within  four  miles  behind  them.  I  cannot  conceive  that  to  have  been  done. 
A  flank  movement  is  always  one  of  the  most  dangerous  movements  that  can  be 
made.  And  I  cannot  conceive  he  would  risk  a  flank  march,  with  an  enemy  on 
his  rear  which  they  had  no  reason  to  believe,  I  trust,  would  not  follow  at  once. 
I  cannot  believe  he  would  run  all  that  risk  to  bring  10,000  men  so  far  to  re- 
enforce  25,000  men,  when  he  had  75,000  men  lying  idle,  doing  nothing,  within 
so  short  a  distance.  And  Beauregard  says  in  his  report,  if  I  remember  the 
words,  that  he  was  in  despair  until  he  was  told  that  Johnston's  re-enforcements 
were  coming  up.  Now,  why  should  a  general  be  in  despair  for  the  want  of  a 
re-enforcement  of  10,000  men,  when  he  had  50,000,  60,000,  or  any  other  num 
ber  of  men  lying  so  much  nearer  which  he  could  use  ] 

Again,  it  is  well  known  among  military  men,  and  to  everybody  else,  I  sup 
pose,  that  soldiers  are  very  tenacious  of  the  honor  of  being  in  a  battle,  and  it 
would  be  more  than  a  general's  life  is  worth  for  him  to  omit  in  his  report  the 
names  of  regiments  who  took  part  in  a  battle,  for  that  is  a  part  of  the  history 
of  those  regiments.  Then,  General  Beauregard,  among  our  southern  friends,  who 
are  considered  especially  tenacious  about  this  matter,  must  have  named  every 
regiment  in  that  battle.  And  if  any  gentleman  has  ever  read  Beauregard's 
report,  he  may  number  the  regiments ;  and  then,  taking  750  men  as  the  fighting 


286  TESTIMONY. 

strength  of  a  regiment  1,000  strong,  lie  can  easily  estimate  the  number  of  troops 
in  the  rebel  army  in  that  battle. 

But  to  go  further  than  that.  You  all  understand  that  regiments  in  both  armies, 
from  any  State,  are  numbered  according  to  the  number  of  regiments  raised  in 
that  State.  Now,  how  many  do  you  find — how  high  is  the  number  ?  You  will 
not  find  that  Beauregard  talks  about  the  40th  Georgia,  or  the  50th  South  Caro 
lina,  or  the  60th  Louisiana;  but  he  will  tell  you  of  the  6th  Georgia,  the  7th 
South  Carolina,  or  the  8th  Louisiana,  and  so  on.  You  will  find  that  he  seldom, 
except  when  speaking  of  militia  regiments,  ever  gets  into  the  teens.  Then  add 
to  that  the  fact  that  on  the  28th  day  of  August  I  captured  at  Hatteras  the  last 
regiment  of  North  Carolina  volunteers  that  had  been  raised  up  to  that  time,  and 
that  was  the  7th  regiment,  and  the  colonel  had  not  been  elected  a  week  when 
he  was  taken.  Therefore  North  Carolina  had  only  seven  regular  regiments  in 
the  field  on  the  28th  day  of  August,  and  it  is  hardly  to  be  presumed  that  she 
had  more  than  that  on  the  21st  of  July. 

You  will  find,  too,  that  when  southern  papers  speak  of  their  troops  marching 
from  place  to  place,  they  do  not  say  that  such  a  regiment  has  just  marched 
through  Tallahassee,  or  Columbus,  or  any  other  place;  but  it  is  such  a  com 
pany — the  Lionine  Braves,  the  Pula&ki  Guards,  or  some  other  company. 

Therefore  I  have  put  all  these  things  together,  and  reckoned  a  little  as  to  the 
number  of  regiments  they  had.  It  was  for  my  own  amusement  and  edification, 
for  it  was  nothing  to  me,  and  I  had  no  particular  business  to  know  it.  It  is 
your  business  as  much  as  mine,  and  probably  more,  for  it  is  your  business  to 
look  after  the  conduct  of  the  war,  while  I  only  have  to  look  after  a  division.  I 
have  no  sources  of  information  but  what  are  open  to  anybody ;  yet  I  do  not 
believe  that  their  whole  regular  army  has  ever  exceeded,  or  does  to-day  exceed, 
one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand — that  is,  all  their  force.  And  I  never  have 
believed,  and  I  never  shall  believe,  until  it  is  made  certain  to  me,  that  there  has 
ever  been  more  than  seventy  thousand  men  at  the  outside  in  and  about  Manassas. 
Now,  I  know  I  have  no  right  to  know  about  this  matter,  for  I  have  no  more 
means  of  information  than  anybody  else  has.  I  have  given  the  grounds  for  my 
opinion.  And  I  want  to  give  another  instance  as  bearing  upon  this  question : 
When  I  lay  at  the  Relay  House,  out  here,  just  before  I  went  to  Baltimore,  I  was 
very  much  frightened  about  the  number  of  the  enemy  at  Harper's  Ferry.  I 
was  told  that  there  was  a  very  large  force  at  Harper's  Ferry.  I  got  all  manner 
of  reports,  usually  estimating  the  number  at  eight  thousand  or  nine  thousand, 
and  some  going  as  high  as  twelve  thousand-  or  fifteen  thousand  men  there.  I 
had  occasion  to  send  a  spy  up  there.  Now,  I  knew  he  could  not  tell  about 
numbers  any  better  than  others  could.  I  knew  that  no  man,  not  accustomed  to 
tell  the  number  of  men  by  their  appearance,  could  get  at  the  right  number. 
Unless  he  knew  about  the  organization,  he  would  evidently  think  that  a  regiment 
was  at  least  three  thousand  or  four  thousand  men.  I  told  my  spy,  therefore,  to 
find  out  the  number  and  shape  of  the  tents,  if  they  were  in  tents,  and  if  they 
were  in  buildings,  to  give  me  the  size  and  the  number  of  the  buildings.  He 
brought  me  the  number  of  tents,  saying  they  were  mostly  encamped  in  tents. 
And  from  calculation,  allowing  to  each  tent  all  that  it  could  possibly  accommo 
date,  I  made  out  that  there  were  from  eighteen  hundred  to  two  thousand  men 
up  there.  So  that  I  felt  perfectly  safe,  leaving  a  thousand  men  at  the  Relay 
House  that  I  should  not  be  troubled  by  those  at  Harper's  Ferry  if  I  went  to 
Baltimore  with  the  rest  of  my  force.  So  that  which  appeared  very  rash  to 
General  Scott,  who  believed  that  there  were  eight  thousand  men  at  Harper's 
Ferry,  and  who  scolded  me  very  roundly  for  going  away  from  the  Relay  House 
and  leaving  only  a  thousand  men  there,  was  not  so  very  rash  after  all. 

Take  the  case  of  Big  Bethel.  It  is  admitted  now,  on  all  hands,  that  there 
were  only  six  hundred  men  in  the  intrenchments  there,  and  four  pieces  of  cannon. 
If  you  will  send  for  the  Rebellion  Record  I  would  like  to  have  you  read  the 


TESTIMONY.  287 

report  of  the  colonel,  who  says  he  himself  saw  twelve  hundred  men  file  out  of 
that  intrenchment  with  four  pieces  of  cannon.  Now,  what  he  did  see  was  this : 
in  making  the  attack  Colonel  Tompkins  got  two  companies  of  his  men  separated 
from  him  by  a  ravine  which  was  fringed  with  bushes.  As  they  marched  up  to 
the  battery,  these  men  who  had  become  separated  appeared,  and  he  saw  them. 
Not  knowing  that  they  were  his  own  men,  and  supposing  that  he  was  being 
outflanked,  he  gave  the  order  to  retreat,  and  then  these  companies  began  to 
retreat  also;  and  marching  back,  Colonel  Allen  saw  these  men,  and  took  them  to 
be  twelve  hundred  men.  It  is  a  universal  rule  that  no  man  can  give  the  slightest 
judgment  of  numbers  of  men  at  any  time  or  anywhere. 

And  I  will  make  another  observation ;  that  is,  that  5,000  men  cannot  stand, 
shoulder  to  shoulder,  so  close  that  they  will  touch,  in  double  rank  in  less 
than  a  mile  front.  Each  man  will  average  at  the  least  two  feet  width  of  space, 
which  will  give  5,000  feet  for  double  rank  of  5,000  men,  which  in  round  num 
bers  may  be  called  a  mile.  Now,  battalions  are  drawn  up  with  22  paces — 66 
feet — between  each  two  battalions ;  and  more  than  that,  artillery  and  cavalry 
treble  space  of  infantry,  at  least  for  their  front ;  so  that,  take  a  column  of  5,000 
men,  with  the  proper  proportion  of  the  several  arms  of  the  service,  and  they 
cannot  stand  in  line  of  battle  short  of  two  miles  at  least.  Now,  when  you  get 
100,000  men  ready  to  be  deployed  in  line  of  battle,  it  is  a  v-ery  easy  sum  to  cal 
culate  as  to  how  much  front  there  should  be,  provided  there  are  no  inequalities 
of  surface  in  the  ground  where  they  are  standing.  I  am  calculating  now  for  a 
perfectly  level  parade  ground,  like  the  Champs  d'Elyses,  or  any  other  perfectly 
level  piece  of  ground. 

By  Mr.  Odell : 

Question.  You  put  your  men  in  two  ranks  only  1 

Answer.  That  is  our  formation  of  a  line  of  battle.  It  is  a  universal  rule  that 
you  must  not  march  in  column  with  one  company  nearer  to  the  next  company 
than  the  front  of  the  line  in  which  that  company  should  deploy  into  line  of 
battle.  They  must  march  "  company  distance,"  as  it  is  called,  so  that  whether 
they  are  in  line  of  battle,  or  in  column,  or  encamped,  it  is  all  the  same.  The 
rule  of  encampment  is  that  you  must  make  each  camp  just  as  wide  as  would  be 
required  for  the  front  of  your  division,  brigade,  or  regiment,  as  the  case  may  be, 
in  line  of  battle,  so  that  whatever  may  be  the  formation,  you  must  have  so  much 
room.  The  formation  of  an  army  in  attack  is  usually  made  in  double  rank  and 
double  lines — that  is,  a  front  line  and  a  line  of  reserve ;  so  that  an  army  of 
50,000  or  100,000  men  should  have  a  front  of  at  least  a  mile,  reckoning  upon 
double  lines,  for  each  five  miles,  and  that  is  allowing  nothing  for  inequalities. 
Then  there  is  another  thing  to  be  considered :  human  sight  is  finite.  If  any 
gentleman,  when  travelling  on  a  railroad,  will  step  "upon  the  rear  car  and  look 
back  over  a  level,  straight  piece  of  track,  the  perspective  of  the  two  lines  of 
rails  will  run  together  in  less  than  three-quarters  of  a  mile ;  that  is  the  end  of 
vision.  Now,  the  space  between  the  rails  is  four  feet  and  six  inches.  Now,  apply 
the  rules  of  perspective  to  a  body  of  men  drawn  up  in  line  and  see  how  soon  the 
perspective  will  run  out  when  looking  down  a  line  of  men.  It  will  run  out  as 
soon  in  the  one  case  as  in  the  other,  and  at  the  distance  of  a  mile  on  a  level 
you  cannot  see  any  soldiers ;  so  that,  standing  on  the  ground  on  a  level,  no 
man  ever  yet  saw  5,000  soldiers  drawn  up  in  line  of  battle. 

I  feel  bound  to  give  all  the  grounds  upon  which  my  judgment  in  this  matter 
is  based.  I  put  these  views  forth  with  very  great  deference  to  the  opinions  of 
others,  saying,  simply,  that  it  is  only  the  result  of  reason,  and  that  upon  which 
I  form  my  opinion.  And  I  wish  simply  to  add  this  :  that  in  every  other  de 
partment  of  the  great  battle  of  life  we  have  beaten  these  gentlemen  of  the  south, 
and  I  do  not  believe  they  can  beat  us  so  easily  in  raising  armies. 


288  TESTIMONY. 

By  Mr.  Chandler  : 

Question.  You  came  to  Washington  to  report  your  success  at  Hatteras  and  to 
have  your  course  sanctioned  by  the  government.  Did  you  then  contemplate 
another  and  a  further  movement  in  that  direction,  and  did  you  ask  for  troops 
for  that  purpose  ? 

Answer.  I  did,  but  the  exigencies  of  the  army  of  the  Potomac  and  of  other 
branches  of  the  service  would  not  permit  troops  to  be  spared  for  me.  I  got  back 
here  and  made  my  report  about  the  first  of  September.  General  Sherman's 
command  was  expected  to  start  on  the  seventh  of  September,  and  the  exigencies 
of  his  command  required  all  the  troops  that  could  be  then  spared.  He  did  not 
start  until  the  28th  of  October,  owing  to  various  delays  in  getting  troops,  &c. 
I  obtained  authority  on  the  10th  of  September  to  raise  some  regiments  for  the 
service.  I  have  now  got  those  regiments,  and  hope  to  move  soon. 

Question.  You  state  that  you  had  860  men  upon  your  Hatteras  expedition. 
I  would  like  to  inquire  whether  if  you  had  had  10,000  or  15,000  men  and  suffi 
cient  transportation  at  that  time,  it  is  your  opinion  that  you  could  have  taken 
possession  of  the  principal  towns  in  North  Carolina  ? 

Answer.  If  I  had  had  10,000  men — yes,  if  I  had  had  5,000,  or  even  3,000 
men — and  boats  of  three  guns  each  that  could  have  got  across  the  bar,  I  could 
have  taken  possession  of  all  the  principal  towns  of  North  Carolina  then,  or  at 
least  have  troubled  them  a  great  deal.  That  might  have  been  done  with  3,000 
men,  for  they  were  thoroughly  frightened — in  as  great  panic  as  they  were  at 
Charleston  when  Sherman's  expedition  landed  at  Port  Royal.  I  captured  the 
engineer  and  the  commandant  of  the  port  there.  They  had  relied  upon  their 
defences  at  Hatteras,  and  had  expended  their  entire  strength  upon  their  prepa 
rations  there,  and  when  those  preparations  and  defences  gave  way,  they  thought 
the  whole  thing  was  gone. 

Question.  And  a  panic  seized  them? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  So  that  with  10,000  men  you  could  have  captured  Newbern  itself? 

Answer.  I  have  no  doubt  we  could  have  gone  anywhere  with  10,000  men — 
to  Newbern,  Wilmington,  Raleigh — anywhere  up  to  Norfolk.  There  were 
8,000  men  in  and  around  Norfolk. 

Question.  And  probably  about  that  number  now  ? 

Answer.  Not  more  than  that,  except  it  may  be  the  militia.  There  never  was 
up  to  the  first  of  September,  and  I  have  not  heard  that  there  has  been  any  in 
crease  of  force  until  very  lately  perhaps.  There  never  was  over  8,000  men  at 
Yorktown.  And  here  I  would  like  to  say  a  word  in  regard  to  the  number  of 
men  I  was  always  credited  with  having  at  Fortress  Monroe.  The  number  on 
our  side  there  has  always  been  put  at  from  15,000  to  18,000  men,  as  I  have  no 
doubt  all  the  members  of  tliis  committee  have  heard  time  and  again.  Now  the 
uttermost  number  of  men  at  any  one  time,  reckoning  everything  that  was  white 
at  Fortress  Monroe,  never  came  up  to  10,000  men ;  and  4,500  of  those  men, 
more  than  one-half  of  the  fighting  force  of  the  entire  effective  strength  there, 
was  sent  to  Baltimore  and  Washington  on  the  Wednesday  after  the  disaster  at 
Bull  Run.  And  that  will  afford  an  illustration  of  the  matter  at  Yorktown. 
The  enemy  was  always  credited  with  having  25,000  men  there.  Now,  General 
Magruder,  when  he  marched  down  to  attack  Newport  News,  took  with  him  the 
whole  available  force  at  Yorktown,  except  two  regiments.  That  I  learned  in 
this  way :  I  captured  the  messenger  who  had  the  letter  bag  of  the  enemy's 
volunteers,  and  I  examined  the  letters  it  contained.  The  soldiers  were  writing 
home  to  Richmond  and  other  places,  just  as  our  soldiers  write  home,  telling  all 
the  news  of  the  camp,  what  was  going  to  be  done,  who  were  to  stay  here,  and 
who  were  to  go  there.  It  was  stated  that  all  were  going  to  march  but  two  regi 
ments,  and  the  regiments  that  were  going  to  march  were  all  named.  Thus,  by 


TESTIMONY.  289 

averaging  the  strength  of  their  regiments  at  700,  I  found  that  they  marched 
down  to  Newport  News  with  from  5,000  to  6,000  men,  leaving  about  1,500  men 
in  Yorktown.  The  letters  named  the  two  regiments  that  were  to  be  left,  and 
those  that  were  to  go,  and  yet  at  that  very  time  I  observed  a  calculation  in  the 
New  York  Herald  which  put  their  forces  at  Yorktown  at  25,000  men. 

Question.  Have  you  not  found  that,  in  every  instance  where  you  have  been 
able  to  get  accurate  information,  they  have  represented  their  forces  at  from  three 
to  four  times  what  they  actually  were  1 

Answer.  YTes,  sir ;  not  only  their  own  forces  but  ours.  For  instance,  I  have 
seen  three  different  paragraphs  going  the  rounds  of  the  southern  papers,  stating 
that  I  am  now  at  Ship  island  with  from  5,000  to  7,000  men ;  whereas  General 
Pliclps  is  there  with  1,900  men  all  told,  and  of  course  I  have  not  been  there  at 
all.  A  pretty  intelligent  Virginian  once  passed  through  my  camp  when  we 
were  drilling  our  men  on  each  side  of  the  road.  He  was  saying  something  about 
the  number  of  men  there,  and  I  asked  him  how  many  he  thought  there  were 
there  in  camp.  Said  he,  "  You  must  have  as  many  as  6,000  men,  perhaps  more." 
Now  there  were  less  than  1,800  men  there  all  told. 

By  the  chairman  : 

Question.  I  wish  to  ask  you  whether  intoxicating  liquors  are  used  in  the  army, 
and  to  what  extent,  so  far  as  it  has  come  under  your  observation  ] 

Answer.  I  can  state  to  you  that  intoxicating  liquor  is  used  in  the  army  to  a 
most  woful  extent.  There  is  nothing  that  a  soldier  will  not  do  to  get  it,  and 
officers,  too,  in  many  instances.  To  give  you  an  illustration:  We  used  to  send 
a  picket  guard  up  a  mile  and  a  half  from  Fortress  Monroe.  The  men  would 
leave  perfectly  sober,  yet  every  night  when  they  came  back  we  would  have 
trouble  with  them  on  account  of  being  drunk.  Where  they  got  their  liquor  we 
could  not  tell.  Night  after  night  we  instituted  a  vigorous  examination,  but  it 
was  always  the  same.  They  were  examined ;  their  canteens  were  inspected, 
and  yet  we  found  nothing.  At  last  it  was  observed  that  they  seemed  to  hold  the 
guns  up  very  straight,  and  upon  examination  every  gun  barrel  was  found  to  be 
filled  with  whiskey.  And  it  is  not  always  the  soldiers  who  do  this.  I  ordered 
a  search  of  the  premises  of  the  Adams  Express  Company,  and  examined  the  pack 
ages  sent  by  friends  to  the  soldiers;  and  in  one  day  I  have  taken  150  different 
packages  of  liquor  from  the  trunks,  boxes,  and  packages  sent  to  the  soldiers  by 
sympathizing  friends  at  home.  In  one  regiment  I  got  hold  of  the  pass-book  of 
the  sutler,  containing  the  men's  names  and  the  names  of  every  one  of  the  offi 
cers,  and  every  officer  but  four  was  down  in  the  book  for  from  $8  to  -$60  worth 
of  liquor  in  the  course  of  22  days.  Of  course  the  officers  would  not  drink  that 
much  themselves — those  who  got  the  lowest  amount  might  have  done  it,  per 
haps — but  they  sold  it  to  their  men;  that  is  to  say,  it  was  charged  to  them  on 
orders  they  had  given  their  men  for  it.  One  officer  I  had  reason  to  believe 
was  in  partnership  with  th§  sutler.  I  instantly  called  him  in — the  one  I  sup 
posed  to  be  in  partnership  with  the  sutler  selling  to  his  own  men — I  called 
him  in,  made  him  resign,  and  sent  him  home;'  sent  the  sutler  home,  and  stove 
in  the  heads  of  the  liquor  casks. 

By  Mr.  Gooch : 

Question.  Is  it  not  in  the  power  of  the  principal  officers  to  suppress  this  thing, 
if  they  are  so  disposed  1 

Answer.  Entirely  so.  In  the  expedition  I  am  getting  up  1  have  made  it  a 
condition  in  every  charter  of  my  transports  that  the  carrying  of  any  spirituous 
liquors  outside  of  the  surgeon's  supplies  shall  w^ork  a  forfeiture  of  all  the  money 
earned.  When  I  have  no  men  under  me,  when  I  am  at  home,  I  like  my  wines, 
&c.,  and  I  use  it.  But  I  have  become  satisfied  from  my  experience  that 
the  moment  that  I  or  any  officer  goes  into  camp,  we  must  not  only  not  drink 
Part  iii 19 


290  TESTIMONY. 

any  liquor  ourselves,  but  we  must  insist  that  no  one  under  us  shall  drink  any ; 
otherwise,  neither  the  officer  nor  the  army  is  safe.  Just  so  long  as  an  officer 
takes  his  own  wine,  he  must  let  his  men  have  their  whiskey.  I  have  given  very 
stringent  orders  to  the  sutler  I  have  appointed  for  my  present  expedition.  I 
said  to  him:  ''The  moment  I  catch  you  selling  liquor,  that  day  you  go  home. 
I  am  going  to  deprive  myself  of  anything  like  spirituous  liquor,  and  you  must 
aid  me  in  this  matter.  I  shall  find  you  out  if  you  do  not."  He  agreed  to  it, 
and  shortly  afterwards  brings  to  me  a  new  trap.  He  brings  to  me  a  small  flat 
bottle,  marked  somebody's  hair  oil,  put  up  in  Dey  street,  New  York.  At  first 
sight  it  looked  all  right  enough,  but  upon  examination  each  one  was  found  to 
contain  about  half  a  pint  of  whiskey  with  a  few  drops  of  olive  oil  on  top,  which 
probably  did  not  harm  the  whiskey  any.  This  was  to  be  sold  by  the  sutler  at 
25  cents  a  bottle.  It  could  be  put  up  for,  say,  about  five  cents  a  bottle,  and 
they  wanted  to  sell  it  to  any  sutler  for  eight  cents  a  bottle.  These  men  said  to 
my  sutler:  '•  You  can  conceal  this  when  you  start;  they  will  not  examine  these 
bottles  at  all."  And  one  of  them  said :  "I  sold  many  thousands  of  these  bottles 
at  Fortress  Monroe." 

To  show  you  how  difficult  a  matter  it  is  to  stop  this  thing,  I  appointed  a 
quartermaster  for  one  of  my  regiments.  The  first  thing  I  knew  a  man  comes 
to  me  and  says  :  "  There  are  a  couple  of  casks  of  vinegar  on  here,  marked  'hos 
pital  stores,'  are  they  to  go  on  board  the  Constitution  1 "  "Not  hospital  stores," 
said  I,  "but  commissary  stores."  "No,"  he  said,  "  they  are  marked  'hospital 
stores.'"  I  thought  that  a  little  singular,  and  concluded  to  examine  into  the 
matter.  I  found  the  two  casks  of  "  vinegar  "  were,  in  fact,  two  casks  of 
whiskey.  I  traced  them  back  to  my  quartermaster,  and  now  there  is  another 
quartermaster  in  that  regiment.  Now,  to  give  you  another  story  about  the  way 
in  which  whiskey  will  get  into  camp.  A  woman  will  come  in  with  her  crino 
line  made,  not  of  springs  of  steel,  or  whatever  is  generally  used,  but  of  gutta- 
percha  tubes  filled  with  whiskey.  In  regard  to  suttlers,  you  would  be  doing  a 
good  thing  if  you  would  prevent  their  selling  anything  to  the  soldiers  that  they 
can  eat  or  drink  without  first  cooking  it.  Preserved  meats,  dessicated  vegeta 
bles,  solidified  milk ;  those  things  are  all  well  enough,  for  the  soldiers  will  not 
eat  them  without  some  preparation.  They  generally  want  something  they  can 
take  in  their  hands  and  eat  standing.  If  you  restrict  your  sutlers  in  that  way, 
they  would  be  a  good  institution.  It  is  true,  a  soldier  may  use  tobacco  to  ex 
cess,  but  he  will  not  buy  too  much  thread,  needles,  pins,  tape,  buttons,  &c. 
But  if  you  let  him,  he  will  continue  to  buy  too  much  to  eat  and  drink.  If 
you  impose  that  restriction  you  will  not  have  your  sutlers  make  too  much 
money  out  of  the  men.  Take  this  matter  of  common  whiskey,  that  is  worth 
from  25  to  30  cents  a  gallon,  and  is  sold  to  the  men  for  $2  and  $3  a  gallon ;  in 
deed  the  men  will  give  almost  anything  for  it  when  they  have  got  their  money 
on  pay-day. 

By  Mr.  Odell: 

Question.  What  has  been  your  experience  in  regard  to  chaplains  ? 

Answer.  Well,  sir,  a  good  chaplain  is  a  very  good  thing,  but  a  poor  chaplain 
is  as  much  worse  than  none  at  all  as  you  can  well  conceive.  The  chaplains,  as 
a  rule,  in  the  forces  I  commanded  were  not  worth  their  pay  by  any  manner  of 
means.  I  think  there  should  not  be  more  than  one  chaplain  to  a  brigade,  ex 
cept  in  one  particular  case.  I  am  bound  to  say  that  I  have  never  seen  a  Roman 
Catholic  chaplain  that  did  not  do  his  duty,  because  he  was  responsible  to  another 
power  than  that  of  the  military.  I  would  not  ask  for  more  than  one  chaplain 
to  a  brigade,  except  in  the  case  of  Roman  Catholic  regiments.  In  that  case  I 
think  there  should  be  a  chaplain  to  a  regiment,  for  they  have  a  great  many  du 
ties  to  perform,  to  write  all  the  letters,  &c.  They  have  always  been  faithful,  so 
far  as  my  experience  goes.  They  are  able  men,  appointed  by  the  bishop,  and 


TESTIMONY.  291 

are  responsible  to  the  bishop  for  the  proper  discharge  of  their  duties.  That  is 
not  always  the  case  with  other  chaplains.  I  remember  running  against  one 
young  man  in  one  of  my  regiments  who,  from  his  dress  and  uniform,  I  saw 
must  be  a  chaplain.  I  said  to  him:  "You  are  the  chaplain,  are  you?" 
"  Yes,  sir,"  he  replied ;  yet  the  last  time  I  had  seen  him  before  that  he  was  a 
journeyman  printer.  In  my  judgment,  no  chaplain  should  be  appointed  who  is 
under  forty-five  years  of  age.  Young  men  may  be  very  good  men,  but  they 
do  not  have  the  respect  of  the  soldiers.  I  never  appointed  but  one  chaplain, 
and  he  is  a  doctor  of  divinity — Dr.  Cleveland.  I  appointed  him  because  he  was 
a  man  of  genial  temperament  and  will  obtain  the  confidence  of  the  soldiers,^ind 
I  believe  him  to  be  a  pious  man. 

By  Mr.  Gooch  : 

Question.  You  think  it  better  to  diminish  the  number  and  to  elevate  the 
character  of  chaplains  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  I  do.  I  would  have  a  chaplain  to  a  brigade,  and  he  should 
not  be  appointed  unless  there  was  some  religious  authority  to  which  he  would 
be  responsible,  or  some  religious  body  who  would  recommend  him  after  having 
examined  him.  There  was  a  chaplain  who  went  out  with  the  expedition  to  Big 
Bethel.  He  remained  about  three  miles  in  the  rear,  and  spent  his  time  in  con 
soling  a  secession  widow  in  a  house  there.  When  he  was  called  up,  he  gave  as 
an  excuse  that  she  was  very  much  frightened.  I  sent  him  home  ;  he  was  not 
a  catholic.  Colonel  Duryee  had  one  chaplain  at  Fortress  Monroe — Rev.  Mr. 
Winslow — who  had  the  respect  of  every  man  there,  and  did  infinite  good.  One 
such  chaplain  as  that  was  worth  all  the  rest  put  together. 

Question.  You  would  not  think  well  of  reducing  the  pay  of  chaplains,  but  you 
would  reduce  the  number? 

Answer.  My  idea  is  that  the  better  way  is  to  reduce  the  number  to  one  to  a 
brigade,  except  in  case  of  .Roman  Catholic  regiments. 


PORT  ROYAL  EXPEDITION. 


WASHINGTON,  April  15,  1862. 
General  T.  W.  SHERMAN  sworn  and  examined. 
By  Mr.  Gooch  : 

Question.  What  is  your  rank  and  position  in  the  array  1 

Answer.  I  am  a  brigadier  general  of  volunteers. 

Question.  Where  have  you  served  during  the  present  war  ] 

Answer.  I  have  recently  been  in  command  of  the  expeditionary  corps  to  the 
southern  coast. 

Question.  Will  you  give  to  the  committee  as  concisely  as  possible  a  history 
of  the  object  of  your  expedition,  and  what  has  been  done  in  the  department  of 
which  you  have  had  the  command  1 

Answer.  If  I  had  been  aware  of  the  object  of  the  inquiry  the  committee  de 
sired  to  make  of  me,  I  could  have  prepared  myself  much  better  by  an  exam 
ination  of  my  papers  upon  the  subject. 

Question.  Can  you  prepare  yourself  by  to-morrow  1 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

[Examination  suspended  till  to-morrow.] 


292  TESTIMONY. 


WASHINGTON,  April  16,  1862. 
General  T.  W.  SHERMAN'S  examination  resumed. 

By  the  chairman : 

Question.  Have  you  prepared  yourself  to  make  the  statement  asked  of  you 
yesterday  ? 

Answer.  I  have. 

Question.  You  will  please  proceed  then  to  state,  in  your  own  way,  what  was 
the  object  of  the  expedition  of  which  you  have  had  the  command,  and  what  has 
bern  done  by  it. 

Answer.  Near  the  close  of  July  last  I  was  sent  for  by  the  Secretary  of  War 
who  took  me  to  a  cabinet  meeting  in  the  President's  House.  I  was  there  informed 
that  there  was  an  expedition  on  foot  to  the  southern  coast/  The  general  object  of 
that  expedition  was  stated  in  that  meeting,  and  I  was  asked  to  take  charge  of  the 
land  force  to  accompany  it.  The  Secretary  of  War  directed  me  to  General  Scott, 
and  informed  me  that  I  was  to  confer  with  him  and  receive  all  rny  directions  from 
him;  that  is,  that  I  was  to  have  nothing  more  to  do  with  the  Secretary  of  War  upon 
the  subject.  General  instructions  were  put  into  my  hands,  signed  by  the  Secretary, 
and  approved  by  the  President  of  the  United  States,  which  were  all  the  instruc 
tions  I  ever  received  from  the  Executive  on  the  subject  of  this  expedition,  with 
the  exception  of  some  secondary  matters.  I  have  not  these  instructions  with 
me,  but  I  can  repeat  them  almost  word  for  word.  They  were  as  follows  : 

"  You  will  organize  an  expedition,  in  connexion  with  Commodore  DuPont,  of 
12,000  men,  and  will  decide  upon  the  points  of  assault  after  the  expedition  has 
eailed,"  (or  something  to  that  effect.)  "  The  expedition  should  start  at  the  earliest 
practicable  moment." 

These  were  all  the  written  instructions  I  received.  After  having  received 
these  instructions,  I  was  to  confer  with  General  Scott.  I  did  so.  General 
Scott  assembled  a  council  composed  of  himself,  General  Totten,  Commodore 
DuPont,  General  Meigs,  General  Wright,  and  myself.  I  think  these  were  all 
who  were  present.  We  had  some  four  or  five  meetings  on  the  subject  of  this 
expedition.  It  appeared  that  this  expedition  was  got  up  in  consequence  of  two 
reports  made  by  a  board  of  officers  that  had  been  assembled  previously.  These 
reports  were  read  to  the  meeting  or  conference  assembled  by  General  Scott. 
One  of  the  reports  was  dated  July  5,  1861  ;  the  other  was  dated  July  13, 1861. 
That  board  was  composed  of  the  following  officers  :  Commodore  DuPont,  of 
the  navy ;  Major  Barnard,  of  the  engineers ;  Professor  Bache,  superintendent 
of  the  coast  survey,  and  Captain  Davis,  of  the  navy.  These  reports  were  read 
and  discussed  at  these  conferences. — [See  Appendix.]  This  board  recommended 
that  certain  points  on  the  coast  should  be  seized  and  occupied,  as  rendevouz 
for  the  blockading  squadron.  At  that  time  there  was  not  a  single  point  on  the 
coast  below  Old  Point  that  could  be  occupied  by  the  navy.  This  plan  was  for 
the  purpose  of  rendering  the  blockade  more  efficient.  Their  report  of  July  5th 
designated  that  Fernandina,  Florida,  should  be  occupied  by  the  navy,  in  con 
nexion  with  a  land  force  of  3,000  men.  The  report  of  July  13th  discusses  the 
propriety  of  holding  three  different  points  :  one  was  Bull's  bay,  an  important 
harbor  just  north  of  Charleston,  St.  Helena  sound,  and  Port  Royal  sound.  The 
board  came  to  the  conclusion  that  Bull's  bay,  of  these  three  points,  should  be 
one  point  occupied.  They  also  discussed  the  merits  of  St.  Helena  sound  and 
Port  Royal  harbor,  and  gave  strong  reasons  why  Bull's  bay  should  be  the 
point  occupied.  Then  if  any  other  point  should  be  deemed  necessary  to  occupy, 
they  thought  St.  Helena  should  be  seized  before  Port  Royal  was.  We  took 
these  reports  into  consideration,  and  discussed  the  matter  generally.  The 
council  agreed  that  two  points  should  be  siezed.  And  although  the  command 
ers  of  the  expedition  were  not  limited  to  the  occupying  of  any  two  particular 


TESTIMONY.  293 

points,  the  council  recommended,  and  the  expedition  was  got  under  way  with 
the  calculation  that  Bull's  bay  and  Fernandina  should  be  the  two  points  seized 
and  occupied.  By  the  President's  instructions  we  were  authorized,  as  a  matter 
of  course,  to  go  where  we  deemed  it  best.  Still  it  was  the  decided  under 
standing  that  the  two  points  I  have  named  should  be  the  points  occupied.  It 
was  also  further  agreed  that  8,000  men  should  be  sent  to  Bull's  bay,  and  4,000 
men  to  Fernandina,  in  connexion  with  the  fleet.  I  was  directed  to  go  to  New 
York  to  fit  out  the  expedition.  The  transports  were  divided  into  two  divisions, 
one  for  Bull's  bay,  and  the  other  for  i'ernandina.  The  armaments,  commissary 
stores,  and  everything  of  the  kind  were  distributed  between  the  two  divisions, 
according  to  the  number  of  men  of  which  those  divisions  were  to  be  composed. 
In  fact,  it  was  the  understanding  then  between  Commodore  DuPont  and  myself 
that  these  were  the  two  points  to  be  occupied. 

But  while  the  expedition  was  being  fitted  out  it  was  somewhat  enlarged.  I 
had  -been  directed,  in  the  first  place,  to  take  eleven  or  twelve  regiments  ;  after 
wards  the  force  was  increased  to  thirteen  or  fourteen  regiments,  with  the  addi 
tion  of  a  battery  of  light  artillery.  Commodore  DuPont's  squadron,  I  believe, 
was  somewhat  extended ;  I  think  he  had  an  additional  number  of  gunboats. 
While  engaged  in  fitting  out  this  expedition,  I  found  that  the  people  of  New 
York  were  very  generally  impressed  with  the  belief  that  it  was  intended  for 
something  more  than  we  were  really  going  to  do  with  it.  Commodore  DuPont 
and  myself  were  enjoined  to  keep  our  business  to  ourselves  ;  the  object  of  the 
expedition  was  not  to  be  made  known  to  any  one.  We  therefore  could  not  un 
deceive  the  public  in  regard  to  the  matter.  I  had  a  conversation  on  this  very 
subject  with  Commodore  DuPont,  in  the  city  of  New  York.  I  told  him  that 
the  expedition  would  never  come  up  to  the  public  expectation,  from  what  I 
could  perceive ;  and  I  recommended  that  we  should  do  something  or  other  in 
'the  military  line,  in  order  to  justify  public  opinion,  or  else  endeavor  to  rectify 
it — one  or  the  other.  Of  course,  we  could  not  well  do  the  latter,  as  we 
were  enjoined  not  to  say  a  word  about  it.  Nothing  was  done  in  that  re 
spect  until  we  got  to  Old  Point  Comfort,  where  the  expedition  rendezvoused 
before  finally  sailing.  Just  prior  to  sailing  we  had  a  meeting  on  board  the  flag 
ship  in  reference  to  the  object  of  the  expedition.  The  council  was  composed 
of  Commodore  DuPont ;  Captain  Davis,  his  flag  captain  ;  General  Stevens ; 
General  Wright ;  General  Viele  and  myself.  After  full  discussion  we  came 
to  the  conclusion  that  the  capture  of  Bull's  bay  was  rather  too  insignificant 
an  operation  for  a  force  of  the  dimensions  that  we  were  to  take  with  us  ;  and 
we  came  to  the  conclusion  that  Port  Royal  ought  to  be  the  first  point  struck 
at,  for  the  reason  that  Port  Royal,  although  more  strongly  defended  than  Bull's 
bay,  was  a  harbor  of  magnificent  proportions,  with  deep  water — indeed,  the 
best  harbor  on  the  whole  coast.  We  thought  we  had  a  sufficient  force  to  carry 
it;  accordingly,  it  was  agreed  upon,  before  leaving  Old  Point,  that  Port  Royal 
should  first  be  taken,  and  afterward  we  would  take  Fernandina. 

I  do  not  know  as  I  have  sufficiently  explained  the  real  object  of  the  expedi 
tion.  The  object  was  to  obtain  two  good  harbors,  the  selection  to  be  left  to  the 
discretion  of  Commodore  DuPont  and  myself,  that  would  give  the  naval  block 
ading  squadron  facilities  for  shelter.  In  the  council  called  by  General  Scott,  in 
Washington,  it  was  determined,  after  discussion,  that  no  ulterior  operations  by 
land  were  to  be  considered  in  getting  up  this  expedition  ;  that  is,  any  ulterior 
operations  that  would  probably  be  demanded  by  circumstances,  were  not  toH5e 
anticipated  at  that  time ;  and  therefore  no  preparations  were  to  be  made  for 
anything  of  the  sort.  That  was  well  understood.  All  the  preparations  to  be 
made  were  simply  with  reference  to  the  seizure  and  occupation  of  those  two 
important  harbors ;  the  expedition  was  fitted  out  with  that  object  alone.  No 
land  transportation  was  taken  on  this  expedition,  further  than  was  necessary 


294  TESTIMONY. 

for  provisioning  the  men,  get  them  wood  and  water,  &c.,  at  certain  localities ; 
not  to  march  into  the  interior  at  all. 

Witk  regard  to  light-water  transportation,  it  was  agreed  upon  between  the 
quartermaster  general  of  the  army,  Commodore  DuPont,  and  myself,  that  Com 
modore  DuPont  would  furnish  all  the  means  for  debarking  the  land  forces  of 
the  expedition.  I  had  no  responsibility  in  that  respect.  He  was  to  put  me  and 
my  force  on  shore ;  that  was  all  well  understood.  Consequently  Commodore 
DuPont  had  from  forty  to  fifty  surf-boats  manufactured  for  the  landing  the 
troops,  and  he  obtained  two  light  draught  steamboats  and  two  steam-tugs  for 
the  same  purpose.  I  think  that  is  about  the  extent  of  the  transportation  that 
we  started  with.  The  surf-boats  all  arrived  safely  with  the  expedition.  The 
small  steamers  did  not  arrive ;  they  encountered  a  violent  gale,  and  I  think  they 
all  put  back,  and  we  did  not  get  one  of  them. 

I  am  particular  to  mention  these  circumstances ;  the  importance  of  it  will  be 
seen  hereafter.  It  will  show  how  pinched  we  Avere  for  transportation  of -that 
sort,  when  I  come  to  explain  why  we  did  not  go  into  the  interior. 

It  is  not  necessary  for  me  to  enlarge  at  all  upon  the  manner  in  which  Port 
Royal  was  captured;  it  is  well  known.  It  was  captured  by  the  navy.  Im 
mense  preparations  were  made  to  assist  in  the  capture  of  Port  Royal,  or  any 
other  place  we  should  attack,  by  the  army ;  but  the  army  had  little  or  no  hand 
in  the  capture  of  Port  Royal.  We  knew  nothing  about  the  place  before  we 
went  there.  We  had  no  idea  of  the  distance  which  it  would  be  necessary  to 
transport  troops  in  boats ;  and  it  had  to  be  agreed  upon  between  Commodore 
DuPont  and  myself,  that  the  land  force  of  the  expedition  should  remain  quies 
cent  upon  the  steamboats,  while  he  captured  Port  Royal. 

When  it  was  captured,  we  found  ourselves  greatly  deceived  in  our  expecta 
tions.  We  had  no  idea,  in  preparing  the  expedition,  of  such  immense  success. 
We  found,  to  our  surprise,  that  instead  of  having  difficult  work  to  get  one  har 
bor,  after  one  harbor  was  obtained  we  had  a  half  a  dozen  important  harbors  at 
once.  Such  a  panic  was  created  among  the  enemy  by  the  fall  of  Port  Royal, 
that  they  deserted  the  whole  coast  from  the  North  Edisto  to  Warsaw  sound. 
This  threw  into  our  possession  not  only  the  harbor  of  Port  Royal,  but  the  mag 
nificent  harbor  of  St.  Helena,  and  the  harbors  of  North  Edisto,  South  Edisto, 
Tybee  roads,  Warsaw  sound,  and  Ossabaw  sound.  In  fact,  the  real  object  of 
the  expedition  was  already  accomplished,  although  Fernandina  had  not  yet  been 
taken.  To  carry  out  the  programme,  of  course,  we  should  have  gone  immedi 
ately  to  Fernandina,  although  we  had  already  taken  all  these  harbors,  sufficient 
for  all  the  wants  of  the  blockading  squadron.  The  land  force  was  all  ready  to 
proceed  to  Fernandina;  our  transports,  as  I  have  before  stated,  having  been  di 
vided  into  two  divisions.  Had  we  been  able  to  proceed  right  on  to  Fernandina, 
the  troops  of  that  division  need  not  have  been  debarked  at  all.  But  that  was 
not  the  case,  and  we  landed  the  troops,  while  the  transports  remained  in  the 
harbor,  ready  to  proceed  the  moment  the  navy  was  ready.  It  was  necessary  to 
land  the  troops,  as  they  had  then  been  on  the  transports  nearly  three  weeks. 

Commodore  DuPont  informed  me  that  he  would  be  unable  to  proceed  to  Fer 
nandina  at  once,  for  the  reason  that  he  had  used  the  bulk  of  his  ammunition  in 
capturing  Port  Royal.  I  think  he  said  he  had  fired  away  three-fourths  of  it, 
or  something  to  that  effect ;  and  he  did  not  think  it  prudent  or  safe  to  go  to 
Fernandina  or  anywhere  else  with  the  amount  of  ammunition  that  he  had  on 
hand.  We  were  therefore  compelled  to  wait  while  he  sent  north  for  a  supply 
of  ammunition.  Port  Royal  was  captured  011  the  7th  or  8th  of  November,  and 
Commodore  DuPont  received  his  new  supply  of  ammunition  about  the  last  of 
November.  The  expedition,  however,  did  not  proceed  to  Fernandina,  for  the 
reason  that  the  commodore  in  the  meantime  had  received  orders  from  the  Navy 
Department  to  take  charge  of  and  sink  what  was  termed  the  "  stone  fleet "  that 
had  been  sent  out  there.  This,  of  course,  absorbed  his  gunboats,  so  as  to  make 


TESTIMONY.  295 

it  entirely  impossible  to  cany  on  both  expeditions  at  the  same  time.     The  Fer- 
nandina  expedition  was,  therefore,  still  further  postponed. 

Our  transports  had  all  this  time  been  retained  there  at  high  cost  to  the  gov 
ernment.  Some  of  them  were  large  steamers,  costing  the  government  an  im 
mense  amount.  Many  of  the  provisions  on  board  the  transports  were  of  a 
perishable  nature,  and  it  was  absolutely  necessary  to  proceed  to  Fernandina  at 
once,  or  to  unload  them.  I  had  an  interview  with  Commodore  DuPont  upon 
that  subject,  the  result  of  which  was  the  conclusion  that  the  expedition  to  Fer- 
nandina  should  be  indefinitely  postponed.  It  might  be  taken  up  again  at  some 
future  time,  but  we  would  then  indefinitely  postpone  it,  and  unload  our  vessels 
and  send  them  back  to  New  York.  I  am  a  little  particular  in  stating  this,  be  • 
cause  I  consider  it  very  important.  It  gave  me  a  great  deal  of  annoyance  and 
uneasiness  to  have  so  many  vessels,  at  high  prices,  laying  there  idle  for  nearly 
a  month.  I  could  not  have  anticipated  that  the  commodore  would  have  found 
himself  unable  to  proceed ;  I  do  not  see  that  he  could  have  anticipated  it  him 
self.  This  stone  fleet  was  sent  there,  and  he  had  his  orders  to  take  charge  of  it 
and  distribute  and  sink  it  where  desired. 

A  month  had  elapsed,  and  in  the  meantime  this  country  that  had  fallen  into 
our  hands  had  to  be  taken  care  of.  I  had  received  no  instructions  in  regard  to 
the  internal  operations  of  our  expedition,  but  I  had  my  own  views  upon  the 
subject.  I  therefore  laid  out  a  plan,  after  having  landed,  for  the  capture  of 
Savannah,  Fort  Pulaski,  and  the  country  in  that  vicinity.  I  could  not  see  what 
else  we  could  do  that  would  be  profitable.  In  the  meantime  I  went  to  work  and 
established  a  basis  of  operations  at  Hilton  Head.  Port  Royal  is  the  key  of  the 
whole  system  there.  In  order  to  retain  that  coast,  Port  Royal  must  be  main 
tained  because  it  was  so  well  fortified,  vessels  of  any  size  could  ride  safely  in 
the  harbor  there,  and  there  is  such  an  immense  system  of  waters  around  it.  It 
is  the  key  of  the  whole  coast,  and  must  be  maintained.  I  therefore  constructed 
one  immense  fieldwork  around  Hilton  Head  island,  nearly  a  mile  in  extent — a 
pretty  large  work,  mounted  with  heavy  ordnance.  The  calculation  was  to  have 
a  system  of  defences  there,  so  that  the  key  of  our  position — Port  Royal  Harbor — 
could  be  held  by  2,000  men,  leaving  the  remainder  available  for  other  purposes. 

I  will  state  here  that  according  to  the  reports  of  the  commission  which  gave 
rise  to  this  expedition,  it  was  held  that  it  would  require  12,000  men  to  hold 
Port  Royal.  I  suppose  it  would,  if  seriously  attacked  without  defences.  But 
my  object  was  to  have  as  many  of  my  troops  available  for  interior  operations  as 
possible ;  and  for  that  reason  I  constructed  these  works.  And  I  do  not  hesi 
tate  to  say  that  Port  Royal  bay  can  now  be  held  by  2,000  men  against  any 
force  that  can  be  brought  against  it. 

St.  Helena  sound  had  also  to  be  taken  care  of,  and  I  had  it  thoroughly  re 
connoitred  in  connexion  with  the  navy.  It  was  found  that  the  occupation  of 
Otter  island  in  that  sound  would  subserve  every  purpose  of  its  defence,  and 
would  prevent  any  communication  by  water  between  Savannah  and  Charleston. 
There  is  a  network  of  waters,  an  inland  water  communication,  running  all  the 
way  from  Charleston  to  Savannah,  which  had  been  used  all  the  time  by  the 
rebels  until  we  obtained  possession  there.  Of  course,  the  important  point  was 
to  prevent  the  enemy  from  coming  by  water  from  Charleston  and  attacking  us 
on  our  flank.  I  erected  a  fort  on  Otter  island  which  entirely  prevents  that. 
No  vessel  can  go  through  St.  Helena  sound  in  any  direction  without  passing 
Otter  island,  which  is  now  held  by  only  600  men. 

By  reconnoissance  of  the  navy,  Tybee  was  found  to  be  deserted,  and  we  took 
possession  of  it,  and  constructed  a  fort  there  for  the  purpose  of  covering  Tybee 
roads.  Although  Fort  Pulaski  is  at  the  mouth  of  the  Savannah  river,  still  out 
side  of  Pulaski  is  a  fine  harbor  in  which  any  vessel  can  ride.  Not  only  that, 
the  enemy  can  run  the  blockade  there  while  it  is  in  their  possession.  We  con 
structed  a  fort  there,  and  armed  it  with  heavy  cannon,  to  protect  that  channel. 


206  TESTIMONY. 

After  tliis  bad  been  done  we  felt  ourselves  secure  from  any  attack  from  any 
quarter. 

While  tbis  work  was  going  on,  I  was  looking  about  for  something  else  to  do. 
As  early  as  the  15th  of  November,  eight  days  after  landing  at  Port  Royal,  I 
wrote  to  the  War  Department  as  follows: 

"I  have  the  honor  to  report  that  in  consequence  of  the  difficulty  and  great 
amount  of  labor  in  landing  our  stores,  some  delay  must  necessarily  occur  in 
continuing  operations.  This  delay  is  as  distasteful  to  us  as  it  must  be  to  the 
authorities  at  Washington. 

"In  the  meanwhile  a  matter  of  the  first  importance  is  to  erect  proper  defences 
at  Hilton  Head,  as  well  as  to  strengthen  the  land  side  of  the  fort,  to  the  end  of 
securing  these  important  points  with  the  least  number  of  men.  This  is  being 
done,  and  a  plan  of  the  same  will  be  furnished  as  soon  as  it  can  be  prepared. 

"  In  conducting  operations  here  two  modes  suggest  themselves,  first,  to  hold 
Hilton  Head  and  Phillip's  island  with  a  strong  force,  and  proceed  with  a  suffi 
cient  force,  in  connexion  with  the  naval  fleet,  under  Commodore  DuPont,  and 
open  another  harbor.  This  would  be  carrying  out  the  original  and  actual  object 
of  the  expedition,  as  I  understand  it,  and  for  which  object  only  our  means  have 
been  provided;  second,  to  occupy  the  points  first  mentioned,  as  well  as  Beaufort, 
as  a  base  of  operations,  and  act  thence  on  a  line  of  operations  embracing  Port 
Royal  island  and  the  road  to  Pocotaligo — the  nearest  point  of  the  Savannah 
and  Charleston  railroad — into  the  southern  counties  of  the  State,  threatening 
Savannah,  &c.,  or  to  operate  from  the  base  of  Hilton  Head  through  the  interior 
creeks  and  channels  leading  into  the  Savannah  river  below  Savannah,  near  Fort 
Jackson,  thus  laying  siege  to  Savannah,  &c.,  and  cutting  off  Fort  Pulaski. 

"  For  these  last  operations,  the  first  will  require  more  land  transportation  than 
we  are  provided  with,  and  the  last  will  require  an  outfit  of  boats  that  we  are 
also  insufficiently  provided  with.  The  former  will  also  require  a  small  cavalry 
force. 

"  The  only  course,  therefore,  at  present'is,  notwithstanding  the  apparent  open 
ing  for  more  brilliant  operations,  the  first  and  original  plan." 

This  was  a  mere  preliminary  letter,  suggesting  what  I  had  discovered  to  be 
necessary  for  operations  there.  The  whole  country  between  Hilton  Head  and 
Savannah  was  a  marshy  country,  where  you  could  operate  only  by  boats.  All 
the  transportation  I  was  furnished  with,  was  forty-six  surf  boats  ;  and  in  the  oc 
cupation  of  St.  Helena  sound  and  Tybee  island  nearly  all  the  boats  I  had  had 
been  absorbed.  We  had  no  wharves ;  all  our  transports  had  to  lay  out  at  a 
distance  from  the  shore,  and  everything  had  to  be  landed  by  means  of  these  surf- 
boats.  Our  light-draught  steamers,  with  the  exception  of  one,  had  put  back  to 
New  York.  There  was  one  that  we  chartered  ourselves  that  we  had  there. 
Our  surf-boats  had  to  be  distributed  about  among  these  different  ports,  and  we 
had  nothing  to  operate  with.  I,  therefore,  informed  the  department  of  it  in 
time — on  the  15th  of  November — so  that  I  might  be  furnished  some  means  of 
transportation  that  would  enable  me  to  operate  through  those  waters.  At  that 
time  there  was  no  opportunity  for  any  operations  under  heaven,  except  to  go  and 
take  Feraandina ;  and  as  I  have  explained,  that  was  soon  rendered  impossible 
in  consequence  of  the  naval  fleet  being  diverted  to  another  purpose. 

Two  days  afterwards,  on  the  17th  of  November,  I  again  wrote  to  the  War 
Department  as  follows : 

"  I  have  the  honor  to  report  that  the  position  of  the  forces  here  necessitate  the 
most  active  operations  during  the  coming  winter;  the  climate  and  localities  of 
these  islands  rendering  it  impracticable  to  carry  on  operations  upon  them  after 
April  next. 

"  We  have  now  possession  of  the  valuable  harbors  of  Port  Royal  and  St.  Helena ; 
one  more  will  probably  be  in  our  possession  in  a  short  time.  A  fort  should  be 


TESTIMONY.  297 

constructed  on  Hunting  island  to  secure  that  important  roadstead  of  St.  Helena. 
After  well  securing  these  important  points  and  establishing  a  firm  base  from 
which  to  operate  inland,  there  will  not  be  left  a  very  large  force  disposable  for 
internal  operations.  I  would  therefore  recommend  that  an  additional  force  of 
10,000  men  be  sent  to  this  point  as  early  as  practicable. 

"  We  shall  require  three  or  four  steamers  drawing  not  over  seven  feet  and 
capable  of  carrying  800  to  1,000  men  each  for  operations  in  the  rivers  and 
creeks  ;  and  a  couple  of  ferry-boats  drawing  not  over  five  or  six  feet  would  be 
of  the  greatest  advantage.  We  will  require,  also,  about  100  row-boats,  capable 
of  carrying  from  forty  to  fifty  men  each,  with  kedges  and  oars.  A  few  of  them 
should  be  large  enough  and  so  constructed  as  to  transport  pieces  of  artillery,  with 
their  carriages,  including  siege  guns." 

I  asked  for  that  on  the  17th  of  November.  I  did  not  intimate  to  the  depart 
ment  the  precise  plan  I  desired  to  pursue,  because  at  that  time  that  affair  of 
Fernandiua  was  still  in  the  way,  and  I  did  not  know  when  it  was  to  be  carried 
out. 

On  the  27th  of  November  I  again  wrote  to  the  department,  asking  to  be 
furnished  with  armament  sufficient  for  the  reduction  of  Fort  Pulaski.  I  stated 
in  my  letter  that  I  had  examined  Tybee  island,  and  had  ascertained  that  it 
would  be  practicable  to  bombard  Fort  Pulaski  from  that  island.  I  had  found 
out  that  their  casemate  guns  were  not  effective  on  the  island ;  that  only  their 
barbette  guns  were  effective.  And  although  the  distance  from  the  island  to  the 
fort  gave  a  pretty  long  range  artillery,  still  I  had  no  doubt  but  what  the  fort 
could  be  crushed  by  13-inch  mortar  shells. 

My  recommendation  was  approved  by  General  McClellan,  and  the  armament 
for  the  bombardment  of  Fort  Pulaski  was  ordered  to  be  furnished  me.  I  be 
lieve,  however,  it  had  all  to  be  cast  at  Pittsburg.  It  was  but  recently  that  any 
of  it  has  arrived ;  it  did  not  all  get  there  until  the  latter  part  of  last  month. 

On  the  28th  of  November  I  wrote  to  General  Meigs,  quartermaster  general, 
reiterating,  to  some  extent,  what  I  had  written  to  the  department  in  my  letters 
of  the  loth  and  17th  of  November,  stating  my  need  of  re-enforcements,  increase 
of  transportation,  &c.,  and  stating  my  anxiety  at  that  time  to  go  ahead  and  do 
something,  knowing,  as  I  did,  that  the  season  for  operations  in  that  region  would 
be  a  short  one.  The  delay  in  getting  off  to  Fernandina  caused  me  to  feel  very 
anxious,  while  at  the  same  time  I  had  no  means  to  move  anywhere  else.  After 
thinking  the  matter  over  thoroughly,  I  laid  down  in  my  own  mind  a  plan  which 
I  thought  could  be  carried  out,  and  which  I  desired  to  pursu£  at  once ;  and  I 
accordingly  wrote  to  the  department,  after  having  been  at  Port  Royal  a  month 
and  three  days,  as  follows,  on  the  10th  of  December : 

"  I  have  the  honor  to  submit  the  following  to  the  consideration  of  the  gcneral- 
in-chief  and  to  the  War  Department.  The  object  of  this  expedition  was  to 
seize  upon  at  least  two  important  points  of  our  southern  coast,  and  hold  the  same 
for  the  protection  of  our  blockading  squadron  when  compelled  to  seek  a  harbor, 
as  well  as  to  create  something  of  a  diversion  in  favor  of  our  armies  in  the  field. 

"  After  the  taking  of  Port  Eoyal  it  was  intended  to  proceed  to  Fernandina 
and  get  possession  of  that  harbor,  but  in  consequence  of  circumstances  unneces 
sary  here  to  particularly  relate,  that  part  of  the  expedition  has  not  yet  been 
accomplished;  and  although  I  have  been  for  some  time  prepared  for  it,  a  still 
further  delay  arises  from  the  fact  that  the  gunboats  of  the  navy  have  first  to  be 
occupied  in  the  work  of  disposing  of  the  stone  fleet  just  arrived  from  the  north. 

"  But  our  operations  resulting  from  the  capture  of  Port  Royal  have  become  so 
developed  as  to  lead  to  the  occupation  of  St.  Helena  sound,  the  Tybee,  and,  in 
short,  to  the  full  possession  of  the  coast  from  South  Edisto  to  Tybee,  and  to 
which  may  be  added  Warsaw  and  Ossabaw  sounds,  which,  if  not  yet  occupied 
by  us,  have  been  deserted  by  the  enemy. 


298  TESTIMONY. 

"  In  the  meantime  there  is  a  formidable  strategic  line  formed  and  forming  in 
our  front,  its  right  resting  on  Green  island,  in  Vernon  river,  passing  by  Thun 
derbolt  or  Augustine  creek,  (at  both  of  which  places  there  are  earthworks, 
mounted  with  heavy  guns,)  Fort  Jackson,  Savannah,  and  thence  along  the  line 
of  the  Savannah  and  Charleston  railroad,  indefinitely,  towards  Charleston,  the 
line  having  its  principal  bodies  of  troops  between  Vernon  river  and  Savannah, 
at  Savannah,  Hardieville,  Grahamville,  Coosawatchie,  Pocotaligo,  Salt  Ketchie, 
&c.,  and  its  most  advanced  posts  at  Pulaski,  New  River  Bridge,  Bluffton,  &c. 

"  The  object  of  this  line  appears  to  be  to  resist  an  invasion  of  the  main  land, 
and  not  to  attack  the  occupied  coast,  which,  from  all  that  can  be  learned,  the 
enemy  have  concluded  they  cannot  maintain,  and  have  given  up  all  hope  of 
doing  so." 

I  now  come  to  the  point  that  I  insisted  so  strongly  upon,  and  I  think  it  is  a 
great  pity  I  had  not  been  listened  to  and  allowed  to  go  on. 

"It  may  hence  be  inferred  that  the  main  object  of  the  expedition  has  been 
already  accomplished,  and  that  the  point  of  Fernandina  is  now  of  so  secondary 
a  character  as  to  render  it  not  only  almost  insignificant,  but  the  operation  of 
taking  it  actually  prejudicial  to  the  great  work  which  the  development  of  cir 
cumstances  appears  to  have  set  before  us.  I  am  aware  of  the  good  effect  that 
the  capture  of  Fernandina  would  have  upon  the  public  mind,  but  the  military  is 
the  only  point  of  view  that  should  be  taken  of  it.  It  is  no  point  from  which  to 
operate,  and  will  probably  fall  of  itself  the  moment  Savannah  is  occupied  by 
our  forces,  and  therefore  the  resources  of  the  navy  and  army  here  should  be 
husbanded  for  a  more  important  operation,  viz,  the  attack  of  the  enemy's  line 
the  moment  preparations  can  be  made." 

I  maintain  this,  that  if  we  could  have  got  Savannah  and  Pulaski  the  mo 
ment  those  places  fell,  that  moment  all  these  forts  below  St.  Simon's,  Bruns 
wick,  Fernandina,  St.  John's,  St.  Augustine — all  those  places  below  Savannah 
would  have  fallen  without  firing  a  gun.  That  was  what  I  maintained  at  the 
time.  Therefore,  the  great  point  was  to  occupy  Savannah ;  that  inasmuch  as  we 
had  already  delayed  the  attack  upon  Fernandina  for  more  than  a  month,  why 
should  we  think  of  it  again  until  we  had  accomplished  the  work  at  Savannah  ? 
I  gave  my  reasons  for  it,  and  I  shall  even  insist  that  I  was  right  about  it.  In 
deed,  it  has  turned  out  that  a  serious  threat  alone  against  Savannah  caused  the 
fall  of  all  these  places.  To  proceed  with  my  letter  : 

"  The  precise  point  of  the  hostile  line  to  be  struck,  and  the  mode  of  attack, 
cannot  now  be  specifically  set  out  without  first  knowing  the  means  to  be  placed 
in  our  hands,  and  must  therefore  be  left  to  time  and  circumstances. 

"But  in  my  judgment,  with  the  necessary  means,  Savannah  should  be  the 
point,  and  to  be  accomplished  somewhat  in  this  way :  Pulaski  to  be  vigorously 
shelled  as  already  recommended  in  a  former  communication ;  at  the  same  time 
the  gunboats  of  the  naval  squadron  to  shell  out  the  garrisons  of  the  forts  on 
Vernon  and  Augustine  rivers,  to  be  closely  followed  up  by  the  landing  of  the 
land  forces  in  the  vicinity  of  Montgomery  and  Beaulieu,  thus  taking  Augustine 
river,  Fort  Jackson,  and  Savannah  in  reverse ;  this  operation  to  be  connected  at 
the  same  time  with  one  from  this  point  on  Bluffton,  New  River  Bridge,  and 
Hardieville  to  get  effectual  possession  of  the  railroad  crossing  the  Savannah 
river,  and  prevent  re-enforcements  arriving  at  Savannah  from  the  centre  and 
left  of  their  line.  A  small  head  of  column  shown  at  Port  Royal  ferry  would  have 
its  effect  in  aiding  this  demonstration. 

"  I  am  firmly  convinced  that  an  operation  of  this  sort  would  not  only  give  us 
Savannah,  but,  if  successful  and  strong  enough  to  follow  up  the  success,  would 
shake  the  so-called  southern  confederacy  to  its  very  centre. 

"  Not  knowing  precisely  what  forces  the  enemy  may  have  available,  it  is  diffi 
cult  to  estimate  for  the  men  and  means  necessary  to  the  success  of  the  opera 
tion^  But  I  must  modify  the  terms  of  my  letter  of  the  27th  November,  which 


TESTIMONY.  299 

did  not  look  to  this  precise  operation,  and  recommend  that  the  '  one  regiment  of 
cavalry,  one  regiment  of  regular  artillery,  ten  regiments  of  infantry,  and  one 
pontoon  bridge,'  be  extended  to  one  regiment  of  cavalry,  one  regiment  of  artil 
lery,  and  twenty  regiments  of  infantry,  and  as  many  pontoon  bridges  as  can  be 
sent  here. 

"An  addition  to  our  armament  will  also  be  required  to  enable  us  to  carry  oil  a 
siege,  if  necessary,  for  which  the  ordnance  officer  will  make  requisition. 

"  I  do  not  say  that  the  thing  cannot  be  done  with  less  troops,  but  it  would  be 
better  to  have  too  many  than  too  few,  particularly  as  any  success  should  be 
followed  up  rapidly  and  with  sufficient  force." 

That  is  the  plan  I  laid  before  the  department,  and  I  am  sorry  we  were  not 
permitted  to  go  on  and  carry  it  out. 

I  will  state  another  plan  by  which  Savannah  might  have  been  taken,  without 
involving  all  this  time  and  expense  that  the  other  plan  required — something  I 
iid  not  know  when  this  letter  was  written.  About  the  1st  of  January  I  had 
all  this  country  reconnoitred — all  these  flats,  marshes,  creeks,  &c. — with  the  ob 
ject  of  ascertaining  the  best  mode  of  getting  into  the  Savannah  river.  I  found 
out  that  the  passage  from  Wright  river  into  the  Savannah  river  was  not  so 
deep  as  I  had  expected,  and  I  therefore  regarded  it  as  rather  impracticable  to 
take  my  position  at  the  head  of  Elbow  island,  which  had  been  my  intention.  I 
sent  a  topographical  engineer  to  reconnoitre  the  Savannah  river  further  down  ; 
and  in  doing  so  he  examined  Wall's  cut  closely.  He  sounded  the  Savannah 
river  in  the  night,  passing  around  Cumberland  Point,  the  south  end  of  Jones's 
island.  I  was  very  agreeably  disappointed  in  the  result  of  his  report.  It  was 
that  if  Wall's  cut  could  be  opened,  vessels  drawing  from  twelve  to  fifteen  feet 
might  be  taken  into  the  Savannah  river  at  high  water.  That  was  about  the  1st 
of  January.  From  that  time  I  went  to  work  to  open  Wall's  cut,  and  succeeded 
in  finding  a  man  who  could  invent  a  machine  to  saw  off  piles  twenty  feet  under 
water.  He  invented  the  machine,  and  went  down  there,  and  we  made  out  to 
get  those  piles  sawed  off,  and  to  get  an  old  hulk  out  of  the  way,  so  as  to  enable 
us  to  get  vessels  through  into  the  Savannah  river. 

On  the  14th  of  January  Wall's  cut  was  opened.  Wliilst  being  opened  we 
took  some  prisoners  from  Savannah,  who  informed  me  of  the  state  of  the  de 
fences  round  the  city  of  Savannah,  the  first  information  of  a  reliable  character 
that  I  had  been  able  to  obtain  from  that  quarter.  I  found  that  there  were  no 
defences  about  Savannah,  excepting  Fort  Jackson,  which  had  eleven  guns 
mounted  on  its  barbettes.  They  were  building  a  fort  on  the  south  end  of 
Hudson's  island  ;  and  there  was  a  little  island,  directly  opposite  Fort  Jackson, 
upon  which  they  were  building  a  fort.  But  there  was  not  a  single  gun  mounted 
except  at  Fort  Jackson ;  and  at  that  time  I  suppose  there  were  not  over 
10,000  men  in  and  around  Savannah.  That.  I  was  sure  of,  because  we  had 
taken  several  prisoners,  and  they  all  agreed  upon  that. 

I  immediately  wrote  a  communication  to  Commodore  DuPont  stating  the  facts, 
and  recommending  that  we  should  both  go  to  work,  take  advantage  of  Wall's  cut 
which  I  had  opened,  and  proceed  to  take  Savannah  by  a  coup  de  main.  He  re 
plied  to  rne  that  he  thought  it  was  an  excellent  thing,  and  that  he  would  unite 
with  me  and  do  all  that  he  could,  and  that  lie  would  set  aside  for  what  I  pro 
posed  that  which  he  was  about  going  to  do.  He  desired  to  have  a  conference 
upon  the  subject,  which  we  did  have  the  next  day,  I  think,  on  board  the  flag 
ship  ;  at  which  was  present.Commodore  DuPont,  Captain  Davis,  Captain  C.  R. 
P.  llodgers,  General  Wright,  Captain  Gilmore,  and  myself.  This  matter  I  had 
proposed  was  discussed,  and  it  Avas  agreed  upon  as  I  understood  it,  and  as  all 
my  officers  understood  it ;  it  was  agreed  that  we  should  by  a  combined  army 
and  naval  force  go  right  into  the  Savannah  river  and  go  up  and  take  Fort  Jack 
son  and  the  city  of  Savannah.  I  think  every  officer  present  regarded  the  thing 
as  very  feasible,  indeed.  I  told  them  that  after  garrisoning  all  my  forts  I  would 


300  TESTIMONY. 

have  an  available  force  of  9,000  men.  I  did  not  care  at  all  about  Fort  Jackson; 
all  1  wanted  was  to  have  my  men  landed  there.  I  was  so  firmly  convinced  that 
the  matter  was  agreed  upon  that  the  last  thing  T  said  to  Commodore  DuPont 
was,  "  the  point  is  Savannah,  and  immediately  ?"  He  replied,  "Yes."  The  coun 
cil  was  dissolved  that  afternoon  with  the  thorough  understanding  that  this  mat 
ter  was  to  be  carried  out ;  and  I  went  to  work  immediately  to  make  prepara 
tions  for  it. 

In  one  or  two  days  I  received  a  private  note  from  Commodore  DuPont  in  which 
he  stated  that  he  had  given  this  subject  more  serious  consideration,  and  had 
some  suggestions  to  make  to  me  that  he  thought  would  be  satisfactory,  and  that 
he  would  send  Captain  Davis  over  to  me  the  next  day  to  explain  it.  I  did  not  wait 
for  Captain  Davis  to  come,  but  jumped  into  a  boat  the  next  morning  and  went 
over  to  the  flag-ship  myself  to  see  about  it.  I  was  there  informed  that  in  con 
sequence  of  a  discussion  of  this  matter  between  officers  on  board  the  flag-ship, 
they  had  come  to  the  conclusion  that  we  could  not  take  Fort  Jackson.  As  I 
understood  them,  they  stated  that  not  more  than  two  gunboats  could  act  upon 
Fort  Jackson  at  the  same  time,  and  that  two  gunboats  could  not  take  such  a 
work  as  that.  And  not  only  that,  but  they  represented  that  five  rafts  were  being 
prepared  by  the  enemy,  which  would  make  it  difficult  to  take  wooden  vessels 
into  the  Savannah  river.  And  that,  as  the  going  into  the  Savannah  river  was  a 
new  thing,  they  thought  it  was  very  hazardous.  The  commodore  therefore  came 
to  the  conclusion  that  he  could  not  attempt  it.  I  told  them  that  I  did  not  ask 
them  to  take  Fort  Jackson ;  that  all  I  wanted  was  to  be  landed  at  the  mouth  of 
Augustine  creek,  and  I  would  march  on  Fort  Jackson- — on  the  rear  of  it.  How 
ever,  that  plan  was  given  up.  That  was  the  reason  why  Savannah  was  not 
taken  by  coup  de  main  when  it  might  have  been  taken.  Of  course,  a  week  or 
two  afterwards  the  other  forts  for  the  protection  of  the  river  were  completed. 

The  point  with  us  then  was,  what  was  the  next  best  thing  to  be  done.  Some 
thing  had  to  be  done,  and  we  agreed  upon  this,  that  we  would  make  a  strong 
demonstration  on  Savannah,  and  take  advantage  of  that  demonstration  to  move 
off  to  Fernandina  and  take  that  place;  frighten  them  at  Savannah  and  then  go 
and  take  Fernandina.  But  there  were  certain  things  to  be  done  besides.  This 
demonstration  was  to  be  made  in  a  particular  way,  which  I  Avill  relate  in  order 
that  the  whole  thing  may  be  properly  understood. 

Three  gunboats  were  to  enter  the  Savannah  river  on  the  north  side.  These 
three  boats  were  to  escort  General  Viele  with  a  considerable  force  which  I  was 
to  send  with  him,  and  a  quantity  of  guns  which  we  had  already  put  on  board 
flats — twelve  or  fifteen  guns  already  mounted  on  carriages ;  they  were  to  take 
these  down  there,  and  the  gunboats  were  to  cover  the  landing  of  them.  This 
battery  was  to  be  erected  on  Venus  Point,  and  afterwards  another  battery  was 
to  be  erected  on  Bird  island,  directly  opposite.  The  three  gunboats  were  to 
be  used  so  as  to  cause  the  people  of  Savannah  to  believe  that  we  were  going 
up  the  river.  Captain  Davis,  with  half  a  dozen  gunboats,  and  General  Wright, 
with  a  brigade  of  three  regiments,  were  to  enter  Warnar  sound,  pass  up  Wil 
mington  Narrows,  and  make  a  threat  of  going  up  to  Savannah  by  way  of 
Wilmington  river — up  Wilmington  Narrows  through  Augustine  creek.  That 
was  done  on  the  27th  or  28th  of  January. 

While  this  was  being  done,  Commodore  Tatnall  of  the  rebel  service  came 
down  with  a  fleet  of  several  vessels,  supposed  to  be  loaded  with  provisions, 
and  went  down  to  Fort  Pulaski.  We  fired  on  these  boats  from  Wilmington 
Narrows  on  one  side  and  Wright  river  on  the  other — a  pretty  wide  range — and 
stopped  a  portion  of  them;  the  rest  ran  down  to  the  fort.  The  object  of  the 
Savannah  people  undoubtedly  was  to  provision  Fort  Pulaski.  No  doubt  they 
thought  that  would  be  their  last  chance  to  do  so,  and  that  our  gunboats  were 
going  up  to  Savannah. 

We  were  two  or  three  days  about  this.     Then  the  force  under  Captain  Davis 


TESTIMONY.  301 

and  General  Wright  fell  back  into  Warsaw  sound,  and  there  lay  at  anchor. 
The  demonstration  on  the  other  side  remained  in  statu  quo.  General  Viele  was 
there  with  his  artillery,  ready  to  land  it  on  Venus  Point  whenever  he  could  get 
it  there.  But  the  gunboats  did  not  go  around  into  the  river  as  was  agreed  upon, 
and  these  people  lay  there  from  the  28th  or  29th  of  January  until  the  10th  day 
of  February  before  that  battery  was  put  up. 

By  Mr.  Wright : 

Question.  This  force,  under  General  Viele,  then  remained  there  some  thirteen 
days? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir ;  about  that  time.     I  think  the  battery  was  put  up  the  10th 
of  February.    And  during  all  that  time  the  enemy  were  provisioning  Fort  Pulaski ; 
boats  were  running  up  and  down  the  river  nearly  every  day.     I  urged  the 
matter  on  all  I  could.     I  went  over  to  the  flag-ship  and  had  consultations  with 
Commander  DuPont  very  often,  and,  as  I  understood  it,  he  ordered  Captain 
Rodgers  to  go  into  the  river.     But  he  did  not  go  in,  occupying  a  great  deal  of 
his  time  in  sounding  the  river.     But  in  the  meantime  our  men  in  charge  of  the 
engineer  officer  cut  logs  and  made  a  corduroy  road  across  the  island,  so  that  the 
artillery  could  be  landed  at  another  point  and  taken  across  there.     The  road 
was  not  constructed  with  that  object  at  all,  fbr  I  expected  to  have  the  artillery 
towed  around  on  the  flats  on  which  they  were,  and  landed  on  the  point.     But 
they  could  not  do  it  without  being  supported,  for  Tatnall  was  watching  us  all 
the  time.     But  I  directed  the  engineer  officer  to  construct  a  corduroy  road  across 
there,  because,  after  the  battery  was  erected,  we  wanted  to  keep  up  a  communi 
cation  with  our  base  without  being  obliged  to  go  around  the  point.     I  became 
so  tired  of  the  delay  that  I  gave  General  Viele  orders  to  go  into  the  river,  and 
land  and  erect  that  battery,  whether  the  navy  would  assist  him  or  not.     I  went 
down  myself,  intending  to  see  that  that  was  done.     But  when  I  got  down  there 
I  found  that  the  battery  had  been  landed  on  the  island  at  another  place,  and  I 
therefore  permitted  them  to  go  around  the  other  way.     They  took  the  artillery 
across  the  island  the  next  night,  and  the  battery  was  erected  without  molesta 
tion.     The  enemy  came  down  the  next  day  to  drive  us  off,  but  were  themselves 
driven  back.     After  this  battery  was  constructed  we  constructed  a  similar  bat 
tery  on  Bird  island,  which  completely  blocked  the  enemy  there.     Then  three 
vessels    took  position  in  my  rear.     However,  the   thing  all  turned  out  well, 
with  the  exception  that  the  delay  of  ten  or  twelve  days  enabled  the  enemy  to 
put  six  or  eight  months'  provisions  into  Fort  Pulaski.     When  I  found  out  the 
feasibility  of  getting  into  the  Savannah  river,  as  I  have  stated,  I  made  up  my 
mind  that  the  slow,  tedious,  and  expensive  process  of  reducing  Fort  Pulaski  by 
bombardment  would  be  unnecessary,  and  calculated  that  the  construction  of 
batteries  there,  thus  cutting  the  fort  off  from  supplies  from  Savannah,  would 
be  all  that  would  be  required  to  reduce  the  work ;  and  I  think  it  would  have 
been  but  for  this  delay,  which  enabled  them  to  provision  the  fort  from  Savannah. 
After  I  had  constructed  these  forts,  as  I  have  related,  I  was  unwilling  to  risk 
the  reduction  of  Fort  Pulaski  by  simply  cutting  it  off,  for  the  prisoners  them 
selves  told  me  that  they  had  then  some  nine  months'  provisions  in  it.     I  there 
fore  continued  my  work  of  erecting  batteries  on  Tybee  Island  to  bombard  the 
fort.     With  regard  to  the  other  portion  of  that  demonstration  Commodore  Du 
Pont  promised  that  the  demonstration  should  not  be  more  than  five  or  six  days 
in  being  made  ;  that  is,  that  the  fleet  and  my  brigade  should  not  remain  in  War 
saw  sound  more  than  five  or  six  days  at  the  utmost.     I  told  him  that  it  would 
be  utterly  impossible  to  keep  the  troops  long  on  the  transports  there  without 
being  sick ;  and  it  was  only  in  consequence  of  that  agreement  on  his  part  that 
I  consented  to  the  demonstration.     But  my  brigade  remained  there  under  Gen 
eral  Wright  in  Warsaw  sound,  exposed  to  the  most  stormy  portion  of  the  winter 
from  the  27th  of  January  until  about  the  last  of  February.     I  looked  upon  that 


302  TESTIMONY. 

whole  month  as  lost.  I  had  to  recall  one  of  those  regiments  and  send  them 
back  to  Hilton  Head  on  account  of  ship  fever.  It  may,  however,  have  redounded 
to  our  benefit  by  giving  the  enemy  an  opportunity  to  withdraw  their  guns  from 
the  southern  forts,  so  that  they  could  offer  no  resistance  to  us.  After  making 
this  demonstration  the  expedition  left  for  Fernandina  about  the  first  of  March. 
In  the  meantime  the  Georgians  evacuated  St.  Simon's  and  Brunswick,  and  took 
all  their  forces  and  artillery  from  there  and  carried  them  to  Leavenworth,  and 
when  the  expedition  got  to  Fernandina  it  found  the  •  enemy  in  the  process  of 
evacuating  that  place.  They  had  got  off  all  their  guns  with,  I  think,  the  ex 
ception  of  about  fifteen.  Having  taken  Fernandina  with  so  much  ease  the  ex 
pedition  kept  on  and  took  St.  John's,  which  was  also  evacuated.  They  also 
took  Jacksonville  end  St.  John's  Bluff,  and  they  kept  on  around  to  St.  Augus 
tine,  which  was  also  evacuated,  having  been  evacuated  by  the  enemy  the  evening 
before  our  expedition  arrived  there.  All  these  places  down  there  fell  without 
striking  a  blow,  in  consequence  no  doubt  of  the  threats  upon  Savannah  and 
our  victories  at  the  same  time  in  the  west. 

It  will  be  observed  that  though  I  early  made  requisition  for  means  to  move 
my  land  forces,  those  means  never  reached  me.  The  light-draught  steamers 
that  I  asked  for  were  obtained  and  sent  to  me,  leaving  New  York  the  latter 
part  of  December.  For  some  reason  or  other,  probably  on  account  of  stress 
of  weather,  they  put  into  Hatteras  inlet,  and  I  am  informed  that  they  were 
seized  by  the  Burnside  expedition.  They  never  reached  me.  I  was  informed 
by  the  Assistant  Secretary  of  War  the  other  day  that  they  were  still  with 
General  Burnside.  Of  the  100  rowboats  I  asked  for  about  50  reached  me, 
but  not  until  about  the  27th  of  March,  some  three  days  before  I  was  relieved 
from  that  department. 

I  have  dwelt  at  some  length  upon  the  two  plans  I  formed  for  taking  Savan 
nah.  Having  formed  one  plan,  I  conceived  another  and  a  shorter  one ;  that 
I  have  recounted  at  some  length,  that  of  taking  Savannah  by  a  coup  de  main. 
That  last  plan  failing,  of  course  I  reverted  back  to  the  former  plan.  I  supposed, 
of  course,  that  we  were  to  be  allowed  to  pursue  that  plan,  especially  as  the 
authorities  at  Washington  had  sent  me  a  siege  train  which  I  had  applied 
for,  not  knowing  what  were  the  character  of  the  defences  about  Savannah ; 
not  that  I  thought  I  should  be  under  the  necessity  of  laying  regular  siege  to 
Savannah,  but  simply  that  I  desired  to  be  upon  the  safe  side,  to  be  piepared 
for  any  event.  Without  answering  my  communication  they  sent  me  the  siege 
train,  which  reached  me  in  February. 

W^hen  Commodore  DuPont  and  myself  agreed  to  the  demonstration  upon 
Savannah  for  the  purpose  of  the  more  easily  taking  Fernandina,  it  was  fully 
admitted  by  us  both  that  it  would  be  utterly  impossible  then  to  take  Savannah 
by  coup  de  main,  as  the  opportunity  for  doing  so  had  been  allowed  to  pass,  and 
the  batteries  and  forts  about  Savannah  were  probably  ready  to  fire  upon  us  at 
any  moment;  that  the  guns  would  be  mounted  upon  them  the  moment  this 
demonstration  was  made.  This  was  the  case,  as  we  learned  from  prisoners  and 
contrabands.  Savannah,  also,  receiving  an  accession  of  all  the  heavy  artillery 
down  at  St.  Simon's,  and  a  portion  of  that  at  Fernandina. 

The  results  of  the  expedition  may  be  summed  up  as  follows  :  The  occupation 
of  the  whole  coast  from  North  Edisto,  South  Carolina,  to  St.  Augustine,  Florida, 
and  so  occupied  as  to  be  of  permanent  tenure ;  the  return  to  the  federal  gov 
ernment  of  three  of  the  permanent  fortifications  stolen  by  a  reckless  and  un 
principled  party ;  thfi  holding  of  50,000  rebel  troops  on  the  line  from  Bruns 
wick  to  Charleston,  thus  far  lightening  the  burden  of  the  war  on  the  northern 
borders  of  the  rebel  States. 

It  is  safe  for  me  to  say  that  the  object  of  the  expedition  has  been  thoroughly 
accomplished.  But  in  consequence  of  our  unlocked  for  success,  had  the  means 
of  transportation  I  early  asked  for  been  put  into  my  hands,  far  more  would  have 


TESTIMONY.  303 

been  easily  accomplished.  Savannah,  a  most  important  strategic  point,  would 
have  been  in  our  possession  ere  this,  could  my  plans  have  been  pursued ;  or,  if 
I  had  been  timely  warned  that  I  would  not  have  been  allowed  to  carry  out 
those  plans  as  far  as  the  taking  of  Savannah,  such  other  disposition  of  our 
troops  would  have  been  made  in  the  meanwhile  as  to  create  consternation 
among  the  enemy  in  another  quarter.  For  the  country's  sake,  not  my  own,  I 
deeply  regret  that  I  should  have  been  stopped  in  my  course  on  Savannah. 
The  acquisition  of  Fort  Pulaski  was  indispensable,  it  is  true ;  but  the  acquisi 
tion  of  Savannah  would  have  thrown  the  whole  State  of  Georgia  into  our  hands, 
and,  supported  by  Burnside's  victories  in  the  north,  would  have  rendered  the 
capture  of  Charleston  and  the  acquisition  of  all  South  Carolina  an  easy 
conquest. 

On  the  3d  of  March  I  received  a  sort  of  semi-official  letter  from  General 
McClellau,  written  on  the  14th  of  February  by  himself,  not  through  his  adju 
tant  general.  He  writes  thus  in  regard  to  my  operations  : 

"  After  giving  the  subject  all  the  consideration  in  my  power,  I  am  forced  to 
the  conclusion  that,  under  the  circumstances,  the  siege  and  capture  of  Savan 
nah  do  not  promise  results  commensurate  with  the  sacrifices  necessary.  When 
I  heard  that  it  was  possible  for  the  gunboats  to  reach  the  Savannah  river  above 
Fort  Pulaski,  two  operations  suggested  themselves  to  my  mind  as  its  inevitable 
result.  First,  the  capture  of  Savannah  by  coup  de  main,  the  result  of  an  in 
stantaneous  advance  and  attack  by  the  army  and  navy.  The  time  for  this  has 
passed,  and  your  letter  indicates  that  you  are  not  accountable  for  the  failure  to 
seize  the  propitious  moment,  but  that,  on  the  contrary,  you  perceived  its  advan 
tages.  Second,  to  isolate  Fort  Pulaski,  cut  off  its  supplies,  and  at  least  facili 
tate  its  reduction  by  a  bombardment. 

"  Although  we  have  a  long  delay  to  deplore,  the  last  course  still  remains  to 
us,  and  I  strongly  advise  the  close  blockade  of  Pulaski,  as  well  as  its  bombard 
ment  so  soon  as  the  13-inch  mortars  and  heavy  guns  reach  you.  I  am  confi 
dent  that  you  can  thus  reduce  it.  With  Pulaski  you  gain  all  that  is  essential : 
you  obtain  complete  control  of  the  harbor ;  you  relieve  the  blockading  fleet, 
and  render  the  main  body  of  your  force  disposable  for  other  operations.  I  do 
not  consider  the  possession  of  Savannah  worth  a  siege  after  Pulaski  is  in  our 
hands ;  but  the  possession  of  Pulaski  is  of  the  first  importance. 

"  The  expedition  to  Fernandina  is  well,  and  I  shall  be  glad  to  hear  that  it  is 
ours.  *  *  i  *  *  *  *  *  #  * 

"  In  the  meantime  it  is  my  advice  and  will  that  no  further  attempt  be  made 
on  Savannah,  unless  it  can  be  carried  with  certainty  by  a  coup  de  main.  Please 
concentrate  your  attention  upon  Pulaski  and  Fernandina." 

He  also  informed  me  in  that  letter  that  he  was  not  aware,  until  the  day  he 
wrote,  that  I  had  sent  for  a  siege  train.  In  a  letter  written  the  8th  of  March  I 
informed  General  McClellan  that,  agreeably  to  his  instructions,  no  further  pre 
parations  would  be  made  for  an  attack  on  Savannah. 

I  desire  to  do  General  McClellan  justice  in  regard  to  this  matter.  He  con 
sidered  that  the  taking  of  Fort  Pulaski  was  the  most  important  thing  to  be  done. 
I  agreed  to  that  myself,  that  Fort  Pulaski  was  more  important  than  Savannah 
alone ;  but  I  could  not  see  why  we  could  not  take  them  both. 

In  this  same  letter,  too,  General  McClellan  desired  me  to  study  the  problem 
of  Charleston.  He  thought  it  was  much  more  desirable  to  take  Charleston  than 
Savannah,  and  informed  me  that  measures  would  be  very  soon  taken,  after  cer 
tain  movements  had  been  effected,  for  the  capture  of  Charleston  and  the  forts 
around  it.  I  had  already  studied  the  problem  of  Charleston,  and  had  commu 
nicated  my  views  to  him  upon  that  subject.  I  also  wrote  him  another  letter  on 
the  same  subject. 


304  TESTIMONY. 

On  the  21st  of  March  I  received,  through  Commodore  DuPont,  a  letter,  dated 
the  5th  of  March,  more  decidedly  official  in  its  character,  through  the  Adjutant 
General's  Office,  directing  me  to  continue  my  operations  against  Pulaski,  and 
proceed  no  further  against  Savannah.  I  had  already  been  directed  by  General 
McClellan  to  abstain  from  any  further  preparations  for  the  siege  of  Savannah, 
and  to  confine  myself  to  the  siege  of  Pulaski  and  the  taking  of  Fernandina. 
Both  the  Navy  and  the  War  Departments  seemed  to  insist  upon  our  taking  Fer 
nandina,  showing  the  importance  they  attached  to  that  place.  It  is  seen  that 
my  views  down  there  and  the  views  of  the  authorities  here  were  somewhat  dif 
ferent.  What  I  regarded  as  the  most  essential  operations  they  did  ciot  seem  to 
care  much  about.  On  the  26th  of  March  I  wrote,  through  the  Adjutant  Gene 
ral's  Office,  to  the  War  Department,  as  follows  : 

"  Your  letter  of  the  5th  recommends  me  to  reduce  Fort  Pulaski  in  preference 
to  attacking  Savannah.  In  my  letter  of  the  14th  of  December  last,  the  depart 
ment  will  perceive  that  my  plan  was  to  carry  on  both  at  once.  The  essential 
features  of  that  plan  I  have  not  departed  from,  and  have  been  very  desirous  of 
carrying  out,  particularly  after  the  opportunity  we  discovered  for  taking  Savannah 
by  coup  de  main  failed  for  want  of  co-operation  of  the  navy,  the  particulars  of 
which  the  department  is  already  apprised  of.  I  humbly  bow  to  the  decision  of 
my  superiors  at  Washington ;  but  still,  general,  from  the  point  here  I  can  but 
regret  that  my  plan  could  not  have  been  carried  out.  I  had  every  confidence  in 
it,  and  believe  it  would  have  been  executed  with  not  so  much  sacrifice  as  the 
general  seems  to  imagine." 

I  then  go  on  and  state  that  the  preparations  for  the  bombardment  of  Fort 
Pulaski  are  being  made  as  rapidly  as  possible,  and  say : 

"  The  work  is  of  such  a  character,  you  are  well  aware,  that  we  must  be  in  a 
state  of  perfect  preparation  before  opening  fire.  It  is  hoped  that  we  shall  be 
permitted  to  go  through  this  job  early  enough  in  the  season  to  afford  a  pretty 
large  force  in  the  direction  of  Charleston,  the  nucleus  of  which  I  have  formed 
in  the  shape  of  two  regiments  on  the  North  Edisto  river." 

There  is  something  to  be  said  in  regard  to  the  distribution  of  my  forces.  A 
great  deal  has  been  said  in  the  country  in  regard  to  the  occupation  of  Beaufort  ; 
because  it  was  a  fine  city,  I  suppose.  It  was  said  that,  two  weeks  after  having 
occupied  Port  Royal,  I  had  not  occupied  Beaufort,  and  that  was  considered  an 
evidence  of  inactivity.  Now,  my  plan  at  first  was  to  not  occupy  Beaufort  at 
all.  The  place  is  entirely  untenable  by  the  enemy  ;  a  single  gun-boat  up  there 
can  keep  the  enemy  out  of  the  place.  The  enemy  never  pretended  to  occupy 
that  island.  The  only  reason  that  we  occupied  it  was  that  the  enemy  got  to 
blockading  the  streams  there  by  driving  piles  down  in  them.  I  concluded  that 
they  had  some  important  object  in  doing  that,  and  thought  it  necessary  to  oc 
cupy  that  island  so  as  to  stop  that  proceeding  on  their  part.  Had  it  been  my 
object  to  have  gone  into  the  interior  and  occupied  the  railroad  near  that  point, 
I  should  have  wanted  to  have  occupied  Port  Royal  island.  I  could  have  gone 
up  and  occupied  that  railroad,  but  I  had  no  idea  of  doing  anything  of  that  sort. 
I  could  have  set  myself  down  there  with  a  force  of  the  enemy  on  each  side  of 
me,  but  it  would  have  required  a  force  of  50.000  men  to  have  maintained  the 
position.  But  my  object  was  to  obtain  possession  of  the  Savannah  end  of  the 
line.  But  the  moment  I  committed  myself  to  the  other  point  I  would  be  in 
volved  in  an  affair  that  would  require  the  sending  out  of  some  30,000  or  40,000 
men  to  maintain  the  position,  and  we  should  never  have  been  able  to  do  any 
thing  upon  Savannah  or  Charleston  with  these  troops.  For  that  reason  I  did 
not  pay  much  attention  to  the  occupation  of  Port  Royal  island  when  I  went 
there.  But  afterwards  I  felt  that  it  was  necessary  to  occupy  it,  to  prevent  these 
people  from  coming  down  and  blockading  us.  After  we  occupied  Port  Royal 
island,  the  enemy  came  down  and  undertook  to  build  forts.  They  were  said  to 
have  been  mounted  with  heavy  guns.  General  Stevens  took  a  brigade  over 


TESTIMONY.  305 

there  and  drove  them  off,  and  took  the  guns.  I  directed  them  to  return  after 
the  object  of  the  commission  was  accomplished ;  we  had  not  pushed  on  to  the 
railroad.  My  object,  at  that  time,  was  Savannah,  for  which  we  wanted  all  our 
available  troops.  But  if  I  had  anticipated  that  we  should  not  be  allowed  to 
make  any  operations  against  Savannah,  I  should  have  gone  up  to  the  railroad 
and  occupied  that.  I  am  sorry  I  did  not.  After  being  forced  to  cease  opera 
tions  upon  Savannah,  then  General  Stevens  and  myself  came  to  the  conclusion 
that  we  would  take  possession  of  this  country  up  there  on  the  railroad;  and 
preparations  were  being  made  for  that  purpose  when  I  left.  We  thought  it 
would  be  a  healthy  country ;  and  I  think  it  should  be  occupied  this  summer. 

By  Mr.  Chandler  : 

Question.  There  is  another  railrond  around  to  Charleston  from  Savannah  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir ;  around  through  Augusta,  Georgia,  and  but  a  few  hours 
further  than  the  direct  road  from  Savannah. 

Question.  What  is  to  prevent  our  troops  from  going  up  to  Savannah,  now 
that  Fort  Pulaski  is  taken  ? 

Answer.  They  have  now  a  great  many  fortifications  there. 

Question.  The  new  fortifications  you  have  referred  to  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  They  are  very  strongly  fortified  there.  I  do  not  think 
you  could  very  well  take  Savannah  by  way  of  the  river  without  a  great  fight  at 
the  mouth  of  Augustine  creek.  Charleston  is  much  more  assailable  than  Sa 
vannah  at  this  time.  If  you  want  to  go  to  Savannah  on  fast  land,  you  must 
go  by  way  of  Wilmington  river  and  Ossabaw  sound.  All  the  country  below 
is  one  complete  marsh,  where  men  cannot  walk. 

Question.  What  force  did  you  estimate  the  enemy  had  in  front  of  you  there  ? 

Answer.  There  has  been,  since  the  first  of  December,  from  Savannah  to 
Charleston,  on  the  railroad,  some  40,000  men,  perhaps.  The  country  there  is 
divided  into  districts,  and  there  are  two  or  three  brigades  in  each  district.  They 
have  fortified  all  the  streams,  and  have  an  extended  system  of  earthworks  for 
the  protection  of  the  railroad,  which,  however,  can  be  carried. 

Question.  Could  you,  immediately  after  the  capture  of  Port  Royal,  have  taken 
Savannah  and  Charleston  if  you  had  marched  on  them  at  once  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir.  There  was  not  the  slightest  opportunity  to  do  anything  of 
the  sort.  You  will  remember  that,  by  the  evidence  I  have  already  given,  that 
even  as  late  as  the  20th  of  January,  when  we  discovered  that  there  were  not 
more  defences  about  Savannah  than  I  have  stated,  it  was  utterly  impossible, 
utterly  impracticable,  to  get  to  the  city  to  take  it.  I  could  have  gone,  and 
wanted  to  go ;  but  the  navy  said  it  was  impracticable  for  them  to  go  there ;  and 
if  it  was  impracticable  in  January  it  certainly  was  in  November.  Indeed,  we 
knew  a  great  deal  more  of  the  country  in  January  than  we  did  in  November. 

Question.  Do  you  think  your  instructions  or  the  conclusions  of  your  council 
were  ever  communicated  to  the  rebels  in  any  way  ? 

Answer.  I  have  no  reason  to  suppose  they  were,  though  I  was  very  fearful 
before  we  left  here  that  something  of  the  kind  might  be  done,  but  I  have  no 
reason  to  suppose  that  it  was  done.  I  think  that  perhaps  it  would  be  well  for 
me  to  state  more  fully  in  regard  to  the  impracticability  of  our  taking  Savannah 
and  Charleston  when  we  got  there.  All  my  staff  officers  and  some  other  officers 
and  myself  were  well  occupied  from  the  1st  to  the  loth  of  January  in  ascertain 
ing  the  practicability  of  moving  over  the  low  marshy  country  between  Hilton 
Head  and  Savannah.  Most  of  it  had  to  be  done  at  night.  Of  course,  we  could 
do  nothing  in  the  Savannah  river  at  night.  It  was  fifteen  days  before  I  could 
notify  Commodore  DuPont  that  I  was  ready  to  go  to  Savannah.  So,  even  if 
the  navy  had  thought  it  feasible  for  their  gunboats  to  go  into  the  Savannah 
river,  it  would  not  have  been  possible  to  have  gone  directly  to  Savannah  at  the 
j  time  of  the  landing  at  Port  Royal. 

Part  iii 20 


306  TESTIMONY. 

Question.  How  would  it  have  been  had  you  followed  the  retreating  rebels 
and  gone  up  by  land? 

Answer.  We  had  no  means  of  moving  an  army  by  land. 
Question.  No  transportation] 

Answer.  No,  sir;  no  land  transportation.  The  country  there  is  a  network  of 
marshes,  swamps,  creeks,  and  ravines.  We  were  located  on  islands,  and  re 
quired  a  particular  kind  of  transportation  in  order  to  move.  With  so  large  a 
force,,  you  must  be  well  prepared  in  order  to  move  at  all.  This  expedition  con 
templated  combined  operations  of  the  fleet  under  Commodore  DuPont  and  cer 
tain  laud  forces  under  command  of  myself.  Neither  of  us  had  command  or 
control  of  the  whole  matter.  It  was  a  divided  command.  An  officer  of  land 
forces  cannot  command  a  naval  officer,  nor  can  a  naval  officer  command  an  officer 
of  the  army.  Until  I  was  furnished  with  -the  means  tl  had  asked  for  in  my 
letters,  it  was  utterly  impossible  for  me  to  do  anything  without  being  in  con 
nexion  with  the  naval  fleet  there.  I  was  dependent  entirely  upon  the  navy  for 
any  movement  I  made,  until  I  got  means  for  acting  independently,  which  I 
never  did  get. 

Question.  Was  it  necessary  to  detain  for  so  long  a  time  so  large  a  number  of 
transports  as  you  had  there  ? 

Answer.  That  was  rather  the  fault  of  circumstances.  To  carry  out  fully  the 
object  of  the  expedition  required  the  taking  of  Fernandina.  It  was  uncertain 
when  the  navy  would  be  ready  to  go  there,  and  I  did  not  feel  myself  authorized 
to  break  up  the  expedition  in  that  respect  by  ordering  the  vessels  to  be  unloaded 
and  to  return  north.  It  was  understood  that  it  would  not  require  more  than 
fifteen  days  to  supply  Commodore  DuPont  with  the  ammunition  he  desired 
before  he  could,  in  his  estimation,  proceed  with  safety. 

Question.  You  retained  the  transports  for  the  Fernandina  movement  1 
Answer.  Certainly;  thinking  that  almost  every  day  we  would  be  prepared  to 
start.  But  it  was  postponed  from  day  to  day,  until  finally,  after  the  ammunition 
did  come  and  everything  was  ready,  Commodore  DuPont  got  orders  to  attend 
to  something  else.  I  then  took  the  responsibility,  so  far  as  I  was  concerned,  of 
breaking  up  that  part  of  the  expedition,  by  ordering  the  vessels  to  be  unloaded 
and  sent  north.  By  that  time  the  vessels  had  been  waiting  there  a  month  or 
more.  As  I  have  said  before,  for  a  long  time  I  had  believed  that  the  second 
part  of  the  expedition — that  against  Fernandina — had  become  unimportant. 
The  great  trouble  was  that  there  was  no  one  there  responsible  for  the  whole 
command.  If  Commodore  DuPont  or  myself  had  had  the  sole  command  I 
think  we  could  have  accomplished  a  great  deal  more. 

Question.  You  say  that  the  usage  of  this  government  is  such  that  officers  of 
one  service  cannot  command  those  of  another.  What,  in  your  opinion,  is  neces 
sary  to  remedy  that  1 

Answer.  There  should  be  some  law  giving  the  command  of  a  combined  naval 
and  land  expedition,  say,  to  the  senior  officer. 

Question.  Cannot  the  President,  as  commander-in-chief  of  the  army  and  navy, 
designate  an  officer  of  one  service  to  command  both  ? 

Answer.  He  may  have  the  power  to  do  so;  but  as  it  has  never  yet  been  ex 
ercised,  there  is  no  precedent  to  govern  in  such  cases. 


WASHINGTON,  April  17,  1862. 
General  T.  W.  SHERMAN — examination  resumed. 

By  Mr.  Chandler : 

Question.  What  time  was  originally  fixed  for  the  sailing  of  your  expedition  ? 
Answer.  When  this  expedition  was  first  broached  to  me,  when  I  was  before 


TESTIMONY.  307 

t 

the  cabinet,  it  was  stated  that  it  was  necessary  for  the  expedition  to  be  off  by 
the  first  of  September — the  first  week  in  September,  I  think,  was  the  time 
mentioned. 

Question.  Can  you  state  briefly  the  causes  of  the  delay1? 

Answer.  There  were  several  causes  of  delay.  The  most  prominent  ones 
were  raised  in  the  council  assembled  by  General  Scott.  In  the  minds  of  the 
members  of  that  council  the  most  important  cause  of  delay  was  the  climate.  It 
appeared  to  be  the  general  opinion  that  the  climate  would  be  too  severe  for  our 
northern  soldiers  to  land  anywhere  on  that  coast  in  the  month  of  September. 
General  Scott  was  very  much  in  favor  of  having  me  go  to  the  Secretary  and 
have  the  expedition  postponed.  I  told  the  council  that  the  idea  of  the  cabinet 
was  to  have  the  expedition  start  early  in  September,  so  that  it  could  land  there 
before  cotton  was  picked.  Commodore  DuPont  also  raised  objections  to  going 
at  that  time.  He  said  he  thought  he  should  not  be  ready;  that  all  his  gunboats 
would  not  be  in  readiness  then.  It  was  therefore  generally  concluded  that  the 
expedition  should  be  postponed  to,  at  least,  the  first  of  October,  unless  there 
were  some  reasons  of  state — I  think  that  was  the  expre'ssion  used — why  it 
should  go  in  September.  While  one  day  in  the  office  of  the  Secretary  of  State 
talking  with  the  Secretary,  Commodore  DuPont  came  in  and  informed  the  Sec 
retary  that  he  was  requested  to  ask  him  if  there  were  any  reasons  of  policy  of 
state  why  this  expedition  should  leave  in  the  month  of  September.  The  Sec 
retary  replied  that  there  were  none  that  he  knew  of.  The  inference,  of  course, 
was  that  the  Secretary  was  perfectly  willing  for  the  expedition  to  be  postponed 
until  October,  if  there  were  good  reasons  for  doing  so.  It  was  therefore  con 
cluded,  with  the  approval  of  the  President  and  Secretary  of  War,  I  think,  that 
the  expedition  should  not  start  until  October. 

Question.  What  was  the  character  of  the  force  under  you  ?  Were  they  dis 
ciplined  troops,  troops  taken  from  the  army  of  the  Potomac,  or  were  they  new 
troops  raised  for  your  expedition  ? 

Answer.  I  was  directed  by  the  Secretary  of  War  to  visit  the  different  New 
England  States,  and  consult  with  the  governors  of  those  States  on  the  subject 
of  furnishing  the  troops  for  this  expedition.  I  did  so,  and  saw  all  of  them  ex 
cept  the  governor  of  Vermont.  I  also  saw  the  governor  of  New  York.  I 
consulted  with  these  governors  upon  the  subject  of  furnishing  a  certain  quota  of 
troops  for  this  expedition.  I  had  a  circular  drawn  up  by  the  Secretary  of  War 
to  these  governors,  requesting  them  to  furnish  a  stated  number  of  troops,  the 
whole  number  amounting  to  twelve  regiments.  These  governors  promised  me 
the  troops  should  be  furnished  as  soon  as  they  could  *be  organized.  I  was  not 
able  to  get  any  troops  of  any  experience.  None  that  I  had  had  been  drilled ; 
some  of  them  even  came  without  arms.  And  not  only  that,  but  even  the  ad 
vantages  we  were  expected  to  make  use  of,  before  the  sailing  of  the  expedition, 
were  ignored  in  this  way.  I  was  originally  required  to  concentrate  all  these 
troops  on  Long  Island,  and  there  form  a  camp  of  instruction  and  train  them 
preparatory  to  sailing.  I  had  concentrated  three  regiments  there,  when  I  was 
directed  by  telegraph  to  proceed  immediately  to  Washington  city  with  all  the 
troops  I  had.  I  did  so  ;  I  came  promptly  to  Washington.  After  that  the  con 
centration  of  troops  for  this  expedition  was  made  at  Washington  city,  and  at 
Annapolis,  Maryland,  according  as  the  troops  came  in.  Those  that  came  first 
came  to  Washington  city;  those  that  came  last  did  not  join  us  until  we  got  to 
Annapolis.  The  consequence  of  this  was  that  our  troops  were  brigaded  in 
different  positions  in  this  city,  where  they  could  not  well  be  maneuvered ;  in 
fact,  where  circumstances  would  not  permit  much  instruction  to  the  men.  I  was 
very  sorry  for  it,  but  I  could  not  help  it.  I  could  not  get  more  than  three  regi 
ments  together  in  any  one  place.  I  found  a  little  vacant  place  out  towards  the 
Congressional  burial  ground,  and  some  other  little  places  in  different  parts  of 


308  TESTIMONY. 

the  city,  where  I  collected  my  men  together.     They  were  scattered  all  around 
the  city,  and  had  little  or  no  opportunity  for  instruction. 

Question.  Was  there  any  delay  in  consequence  of  waiting  for  these  troops  to 
be  raised  for  your  expedition  1 

Answer.  I  cannot  say  there  was  any  delay  on  that  account.  Still,  if  the 
original  purpose  had  been  adhered  to  of  starting  the  expedition  off  in  September, 
the  troops  would  not  have  been  forthcoming.  In  some  of  the  States  the  troops 
that  were  raised  for  the  expedition,  instead  of  coming  to  me,  were  ordered  to 
"Washington.  There  was  a  panic  here  two  or  three  times  during  the  organiza 
tion  of  this  expedition,  which  caused  all  the  troops  to  be  sent  to  Washington. 

Question.  Were  these  troops,  which  were  raised  for  you  but  sent  to  Wash 
ington,  finally  made  over  to  you  ] 

Answer.  No,  sir;  not  all  of  them.  For  instance,  the  State  of  Massachusetts 
had  two  or  three  regiments  organized  early  in  September,  which  I  supposed  I 
was  to  have.  But  I  did  not  get  one  of  them. 

Question.  They  were  absorbed  in  the  army  of  the  Potomac  ? 
Answer.  Yes,  sir.  I  supposed,  as  a  matter  of  course,  that  Colonel  Wilson's 
regiment  was  to  be  given  to  me ;  but  it  was  not,  and  that  was  the  case  with  two 
or  three  other  regiments.  In  consequence  of  an  apparent  threat  upon  the  city 
of  Washington,  or  what  was  supposed  to  be  a  threat,  a  great  many  of  the  troops 
intended  for  this  expedition  were  ordered  to  Washington,  and  were  finally  ab 
sorbed  in  the  army  here.  The  three  regiments  I  brought  down  here  myself  I 
succeeded  in  retaining,  and  others  were  added  to  my  command  afterwards. 

Question.  You  took  fresh  regiments  that  arrived  here,  and  not  those  that  had 
been  drilled  here] 

Answer.  Yes,  sir ;  those  that  General  McClellan  gave  me  to  take  the  place  of 
those  absorbed  in  his  army  were  raw  troops.  He  did  not  give  me  a  single 
regiment  of  experienced  troops.  When  General  Stevens  joined  me  at  Annapolis 
he  was  very  anxious  to  get  his  old  regiment  of  which  he  was  once  colonel. 
General  McClellan  refused  to  let  him  have  them.  After  two  or  three  days 
telegraphing,  I  finally  telegraphed  directly  to  the  President,  stating  how  im 
portant  it  was  that  we  should  have  that  regiment.  At  first  he  gave  way  to 
General  McClellan,  but  finally  I  succeeded  in  getting  his  order  for  them.  It 
was  the  79th  regiment,  formerly  under  Colonel  Cameron,  then  under  Colonel 
Stevens.  There  had  been  a  mutiny  in  the  regiment,  and  a  portion  had  been 
sent  out  to  the  Tortugas.  The  remainder  I  succeeded  in  getting,  and  those  were 
all  the  experienced  troops  I  was  able  to  get. 

I  was  sent  for  one  night  to  a  conference  in  the  house  of  the  Secretary  of 
State  upon  the  subject  of  this  expedition.  I  thought  it  a  fine  opportunity  to 
broach  this  subject,  for  I  felt  a  little  sore  about  the  character  of  the  troops 
assigned  to  me.  The  President  was  there,  with  several  members  of  the  cabinet, 
General  McClellan,  and  Commodore  DuPont.  I  broached  the  subject,  and 
stated  several  reasons  why  a  portion  at  least  of  my  command  should  be  troops 
of  some  experience.  Commodore  DuPont  supported  me  in  my  argument.  I 
suggested  that  inasmuch  as  General  McClellan  was  not  going  to  push  forward 
any  of  his  troops  for  some  time,  which  was  evident  from  the  drift  of  the  con 
versation  that  night — that  he  was  not  going  to  move  forward  for  at  least  two 
months — I  suggested  that  he  should  turn  over  to  me  a  few  of  his  old  regiments, 
and  take  some  of  these  raw  troops  off  my  hands.  General  McClellan  replied 
that  he  thought  I  was  asking  too  much  of  him ;  that  he  had  given  me  my  old 
battery.  By  the  way,  he  had  given  me  my  old  light  battery ;  the  one  I  had 
formerly  commanded.  I  did  prevail  upon  him  to  let  me  have  that.  He  said, 
"  You  have  your  old  battery,  and  I  think  you  have  done  pretty  well."  I  ap 
pealed  to  the  President,  thinking  it  was  then  just  the  time  to  speak,  but  the 
President  coincided  with  General  McClellan,  and  thought  I  was  well  enough  off. 


TESTIMONY.  309 

and  there  the  matter  rested.  It  was  after  that  that  I  got  this  79th  regiment — 
the  Highland  regiment. 

Question.  At  what  time  did  this  conference  take  place  ? 

Answer.  It  must  have  been  somewhere  between  the  1st  and  5th  of  November. 
I  am  positive  it  was  on  my  last  visit  to  Washington. 

By  Mr.  Covode : 

Question.  Have  you  seen  the  law  passed  by  Congress  for  the  cultivation  of 
cotton  lands  ? 

Answer.  I  have  seen  it,  and  examined  it  pretty  carefully. 

Question.  What  do  you  think  of  it  ?     Will  it  answer  the  purpose  ? 

Answer.  In  my  opinion  it  is  the  exact  sort  of  legislation  the  subject  required. 
It  not  only  covers  the  course  being  pursued  down  there  at  this  time,  but  it  goes 
further,  and  leaves  it  optional  with  the  government  to  pursue  this  particular 
Bourse,  or  change  it  into  leasing  the  lands  if  it  should  find  that  plan  would  work 
best.  It  gives  them  a  fair  opportunity  to  carry  out  both  experiments,  which  I 
am  very  glad  to  see.  I  think  the  course  being  pursued  there  now  is  the  best 
that  could  be  adopted,  and  this  law  sanctions  and  legalizes  it,  and  gives  also  the 
option  to  pursue  any  other  course  that  may  be  deemed  best. 

By  Mr.  Gooch : 

Question.  As  I  understand  you,  with  ten  or  twelve  additional  regiments  you 
could  have  taken  Savannah  ? 

Answer.  I  would  have  risked  myself  upon  Savannah  without  any  additional 
troops  at  all,  if  I  had  only  been  furnished  with  the  means  of  transportation.  I 
was  not  so  much  in  want  of  troops  as  of  transportation.  We  had  altogether  too 
many  troops  to  lie  still.  What  I  wanted  the  most  was  means  of  moving  the 
troops  I  had.  From  the  time  I  landed  there  until  I  left  I  received  an  increase 
of  force,  consisting  of  five  regiments  of  infantry,  one  of  cavalry,  and  one  battery 
of  light  artillery.  When  I  left  the  command  I  left  there  upwards  of  17,000 
men.  I  landed  there  with  about  12,000  men ;  so  that  we  were  pretty  strong  in 
troops  there. 

Question.  Then  you  would  have  undertaken  the  capture  of  Savannah  without 
any  additional  troops  if  you  had  had  sufficient  transportation  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir ;  I  would  have  done  it.  Whether  it  would  have  been  wise 
or  not  the  result  -must  have  determined. 

Question.  What  additional  force  would  you  have  wanted  to  have  taken 
Charleston  in  addition  to  Savannah  1 

The  witness :  You  suppose  Savannah  to  be  in  our  hands  before  going  to 
Charleston  ? 

Mr.  Gooch :  I  mean  for  you  to  have  a  force  to  use  in  your  own  way,  and  at 
your  own  time,  necessary  to  take  both  Savannah  and  Charleston.  I  do  not 
mean  you  to  move  the  same  day  on  both. 

The  witness :  That  is,  the  expedition  is  to  go  out  there  to  take  both  of  those 
cities  in  the  way  we  may  please.  We  would  have  to  take  one  place  and  hold 
it,  and,  as  a  matter  of  course,  that  would  absorb  a  great  many  troops ;  and  you 
mean  to  have  the  coast  occupied  as  it  is  at  present  ? 

Mr.  Gooch :  Yes,  sir ;  I  mean  to  ask  what  additional  troops  you  would  require 
for  that  purpose? 

Answer.  I  would  have  felt  myself  perfectly  safe  with  25,000  men  in  addition 
to  what  I  had  there. 

Question.  Now  in  relation  to  transportation  :  What  additional  transportation 
would  you  have  needed  to  have  taken  those  two  points  1 

Answer.  With  regard  to  the  taking  of  Savannah,  there  was  no  trouble  about 
that ;  with  regard  to  the  taking  of  Charleston  there  is  a  great  deal  of  guess 
work,  without  visiting  a  great  many  of  those  localities.  Indeed,  the  problem  of 


310  TESTIMONY. 

the  capture  of  Charleston  would  have  to  be  determined  before  we  could  make  a 
very  accurate  estimate  of  the  amount  of  transportation  required.  It  would  de 
pend  upon  the  manner  in  which  we  calculated  to  capture  it. 

Question.  Then  what  additional  means  of  transportation  would  you  have 
required  to  have  taken  Savannah  1 

Answer.  Over  and  above  what  1  had,  I  wanted  one  hundred  row-boats,  capable 
of  carrying  from  30  to  40  men  each ;  at  least  five  light-draught  steamboats, 
capable  of  carrying  from  800  to  1,000  men  each,  and  not  drawing  over  six  or 
seven  feet  each.  We  wanted,  also,  at  least  two  hundred  more  Avagons  and  teams, 
requiring  somewhere  about  1,000  horses  and  mules.  That  was  what' would  be 
really  necessary.  Of  course,  I  would  not  have  waited  for  all  that  transportation, 
but  at  a  pinch  I  could  have  done  with  a  portion  of  it,  at  the  risk  of  some  delay, 
and  probably  considerable  suffering  on  the  part  of  the  troops.  With  regard  to 
the  amount  of  transportation  it  would  require  to  take  Charleston,  I  should  want 
some  little  time  to  reflect  upon  that  matter  before  I  could  give  an  understanding 
estimate  upon  that  subject.  I  suppose  that  it  is  very  likely  that  the  same 
amount  of  transportation  that  we  would  use  to  take  Savannah  would  be  used  to 
take  Charleston,  and  perhaps  would  be  all  that  would  be  necessary. 

Question.  You  would  probably  require  no  additional  transportation  -to  take 
'Charleston  1 

Answer.  Probably  none.  At  all  events,  I  think  I  would  have  tried  it.  How 
ever,  I  will  make  another  remark  about  that.  The  amount  of  transportation 
that  I  have  mentioned  as  necessary  to  take  Savannah  is  precisely  what  I  asked 
for  in  November  and  December  last.  The  calculation  at  that  time — and  I  have 
not  changed  my  opinion  upon  the  subject  since — was  that  that  transportation 
would  be  sufficient  to  meet  any  demands  that  could  have  been  required  of  the 
army  during  the  whole  winter,  whether  we  went  to  Savannah  or  to  Charleston, 
or  to  other  places.  It  may  have  been  deficient,  but  I  think  that  with  that 
amount  of  transportation  I  should  have  been  ready  to  go  anywhere  where  cir 
cumstances  would  require  me  to  go.  In  regard  to  the  number  of  troops  required 
to  take  Savannah,  I  would  say  that  5,000  troops  in  addition  to  what  is  down 
there  would  be  sufficient  *  to  take  Savannah;  and  I  should  want  some  20,000 
more  to  take  Charleston.  . 

By  Mr.  Covode : 

Question.  Could  you  have  taken  Charleston  with  12,000  or  15,000  troops  in 
addition  to  the  force  you  had  when  you  landed  ? 

Answer.  I  can  hardly  say.  I  should  hardly  have  liked  to  have  risked  it. 
When  I  arrived  at  Port  Royal  I  obtained  information,  statistics,  &c.,  at  Port 
Royal,  that  there  were  10,000  troops  at  that  time  in  Charleston,  and  I  have  no 
reason  to  suppose  that  the  number  has  been  diminished  at  any  time  since. 

Question.  What  force,  in  your  judgment,  would  have  been  necessary  to  have 
taken  Charleston  at  that  time  ] 

Answer.  I  think  we  should  have  been  perfectly  safe  in  moving  on  Charleston 
with  20,000  men. 

Question.  If  after  taking  Charleston  you  had  destroyed  the  place,  could  you 
not  with  the  same  force  have  moved  on  and  taken  Savannah  1 

Answer.  Destroyed  Charleston. 

Question.  Yes,  sir.  Could  you  not  then  have  taken  Savannah  with  the  same 
troops  1 

Answer.  I  suppose  we  could  if  we  had  chosen  to  abandon  the  harbor  of 
Charleston.  But  I  hardly  know  what  object  would  have  been  gained  by  taking 
Charleston  without  holding  it,  even  if  you  had  destroyed  it.  We  should  have 
wanted  to  have  held  it,  for  the  harbor  there  is  an  important  one.  There  is  a 
great  deal  to  be  done  before  you  go  to  the  cities ;  and  therefore  I  think  we 
could  have  hardly  taken  those  two  places  without  25,000  additional  troops  ? 


TESTIMONY.  311 

Question.  Has  not  the  time  gone  by  for  taking  and  holding  those  places  this 
summer  1 

Answer.  I  think  the  time  is  rapidly  passing.  I  think  Charleston  may  be 
taking  during  this  month  or  the  month  of  May;  if  we  work  briskly  during  the 
month  of  May  I  think  we  may  take  it.  But  if  it  is  not  taken  then  I  should 
hardly  advise  any  operations  against  it  until  fall,  because  Charleston  is  the 
most  sickly  portion  of  the  coast. 

By  Mr.  Odell : 

Question.  Did  you  not  have  a  large  amount  of  steamship  tonnage  in  the  em 
ploy  of  this  expedition  ? 

Answer.  We  had  a  large  amount. 
Question.  Also  of  sailing  vessels  as  transports  ? 

Answer.  We  had  very  few  sailing  vessels  during  the  latter  part  of  the  expe 
dition;  we  had  some.  And  the  number  of  steam  transports  were  diminished, 
finding  they  were  so  expensive,  and  cheap  sailing  vessels  were  substituted  for 
them.  During  the  latter  part  of  the  expedition  the  bulk  of  the  business  was 
done  with  sailing  vessels. 

Question.  Have  you  any  knowledge  of  the  cost  of  the  expedition  for  steamers 
and  transports  ? 

Answer.  Do  you  mean  the  total  cost  1 
Question.  Yes,  sir. 

Answer.  I  can  speak  only  from  memory  at  this  time.  But  from  what  I  can 
recollect  of  the  examination  of  the  report  of  persons  and  articles  hired  by  Cap 
tain  Saxton  for  the  month  of  March,  I  think  it  is  something  short  of  $2,000,000. 
But  I  am  only  speaking  from  memory. 

Question.  In  your  judgment  have  not  these  vessels  been  nearly  paid  for  by 
these  charters  1  That  is,  has  not  their  equivalent  of  value  been  paid  for  by 
these  charters  ?  In  other  words,  would  it  not  have  been  cheaper  for  the  govern 
ment  to  have  bought  them  ? 

Answer.  I  think  it  would  have  been  very  wise  if  some  of  the  steamers  had 
been  purchased  for  the  government  at  the  outset  of  the  expedition,  and  I  so 
said  at  the  time.  Some  of  these  vessels  that  have  been  in  the  employment  of 
the  expedition  since  its  commencement,  I  think,  have  nearly  eaten  themselves 
up  by  the  sums  paid  them  by  the  government,  which  are  about  equal  to  their 
value. 

Question.  Have  not  the  government  furnished  coal  in  some  instances  to  these 
vessels  ] 

Answer.  Yes,  sir ;  as  a  matter  of  necessity. 
Question.  Do  you  know  at  what  cost  it  was  furnished  ? 
Answer.  No,  sir;   I  do  not.     I  know  nothing  about  it. 

Question.  In  your  judgment  should  not  the  government  have  made  some  ar 
rangement  with  the  owners  of  these  vessels  by  which  they  could  have  furnished 
themselves  with  coal  ? 

Answer.  If  anything  of  the  kind  could  be  done,  it  would  have  been  very  well. 
But  I  do  not  see  how  the  government  could  have  made  any  other  arrangement 
to  supply  steamboats  out  there  with  coal  than  the  one  that  was  made. 

Question.  Should  not  the  owners  of  these  steamboats  have  paid  the  full  value 
of  the  coal  there  rather  than  have  paid  merely  New  York  prices  ? 

Answer.  I  think  so.  But  that  is  a  matter  of  detail  that  I  know  nothing  about. 
If  they  have  been  supplied  at  New  York  prices  there,  I  think  it  is  rather  hard 
upon  the  government.  My  impression  has  been  that  there  should  have  been  a 
private  coal-yard  at  Port  Royal,  before  this  time,  as  a  matter  of  private  enter 
prise,  where  the  owners  of  steamboats  could  have  supplied  themselves  with 
coal. 

Question.  Have  you  been  satisfied  with  the  manner  in  which  the  transporta- 


312  TESTIMONY 

tion  has  been  managed  there  1     I  refer  to  the  detention  of  the  transports  there 
for  so  long  a  time,  &c. 

Answer.  It  has  been  my  habit  to  carry  on  the  public  service  with  the  great 
est  amount  of  economy  that  I  have  been  capable  of.  I  never  was  aware  before 
of  so  much  expenditure  in  the  way  of  transportation  as  there  was  in  this  expe 
dition,  I  must  confess.  I  have  been  somewhat  aggrieved  on  several  occasions 
this  winter,  that  we  should  be  such  an  expense  to  the  government  in  the  way 
of  transportation.  I  have  looked  into  the  matter  several  times.  I  have  inves 
tigated  it  to  see  how  this  expense  could  be  reduced.  I  have  consulted  with  my 
chief  quartermaster,  Captain  Saxton,  on  this  subject  on  several  occasions.  I  do 
not  think  that  we  have  been  able  to  do  much  good,  any  further  than  to  have 
employed  a  large  number  of  sailing  vessels,  and  used  them  wherever  sailing 
vessels  could  be  used.  That  thing  had  some  effect  in  reducing  the  expenses. 
But  I  must  confess  that  I  have  never  felt  completely  satisfied  in  regard  to  this 
matter,  even  up  to  the  last.  My  impression  is,  and  has  been,  that  these  steam 
transports  have  been  paid  too  high  a  price;  a  price  that  may  have  answered 
very  well  for  a  short  time,  when  they  were  first  chartered.  But  in  the  long  run 
I  think  the  price  has  been  too  high,  and  that  has  been  my  impression  all  the 
time.  However,  it  is  a  matter  of  detail  that  belonged  to  the  quartermaster's  de 
partment  with  which  I  never  could  well  interfere.  If  I  had  had  time  in  New 
York  to  have  looked  into  this  matter,  I  think  we  could  have  got  this  expedition 
off  much  cheaper.  But  we  were  obliged  to  get  up  everything  in  a  hurry ;  the 
the  wliole  matter  was  arranged  in  great  haste.  But  I  am  very  sure  that  it  was 
expected  when  these  large  steamers  were  first  employed  they  would  not  be 
employed  more  than  20  or  30  days  at  the  furthest. 

There  was  another  thing,  in  connexion  with  the  transportation,  which  caused 
me  some  uneasiness,  but  for  wrhich  I  was  not  responsible.  There  were  six 
steamers  that  lay  in  Wassaw  sound  upwards  of  thirty  days,  doing  nothing  in 
the  world  but  holding  a  number  of  men  upon  them,  when  it  was  promised  me 
that  they  should  not  lay  there  over  five  days,  before  they  should  be  started  off 
on  this  Feruandina  expedition. 

Question.  In  whose  charge  was  that? 

Answer.  I  was  in  charge  of  the  laud  forces,  and  Commodore  DuPont  in  charge 
of  the  sea  forces.  We  combined  an  expedition  against  Savannah.  The  idea 
was  that  six  gunboats  and  a  brigade  of  soldiers,  under  General  Wright,  should 
make  a  demonstration  on  the  south  side  of  the  river.  When  the  demonstration 
was  completed  they  were  to  fall  back  into  Wassaw  sound,  and  there  to  remain 
until  the  fleet  at  Port  Royal  was  ready  to  join  it  and  proceed  to  Fernandina.  I 
agreed  to  that  demonstration  with  the  express  understanding  that  this  brigade 
should  not  remain  in  Wassaw  sound  more  than  five  days.  I  insisted  repeatedly 
that  I  could  not  afford  to  keep  a  brigade  of  troops  and  all  the  necessary  trans 
portation  in  Wassaw  sound  any  length  of  time,  but  that  the  matter  must  be 
concluded  in  five  days,  or  I  could  not  agree  to  it.  It  was  agreed  that  they 
should  get  out  of  the  sound  in  five  days  at  the  furthest.  Now,  who  is  responsi 
ble  for  the  delay  I  will  not  say,  but  it  was  thirty-two  days  before  the  expedition 
was  got  off,  and  these  transports  were  lying  there  perfectly  idle  all  that  time. 

Question.  Did  you  ever  learn  any  good  reason  why  they  were  detained  so 
long"? 

Answer.  No  full  reason  was  ever  given  to  me.  I  have  been  told  unofficially 
that  the  navy  was  out  of  ammunition,  and  was  waiting  all  this  time  for  a  sup 
ply  from  the  north.  I  have  already  mentioned  that  when  we  first  landed  at 
Port  Royal  there  was  a  delay  of  a  month  in  reference  to  the  same  expedition 
to  Fernandina. 

Question.  What  was  the  cause  of  that  first  delay  ] 

Answer.  They  were  waiting  for  ammunition ;  and  then,  when  the  ammunition 
came,  orders  came  to  Commodore  DuPont  to  distribute  and  sink  the  stone  fleet 


TESTIMONY  313 

all  up  and  down  the  coast.  That,  of  course,  broke  up  the  expedition  at  that 
time,  and  I  unloaded  the  vessels  and  sent  them  back  to  New  York. 

Question.  Your  troops  were  debarked? 

Answer.  The  troops  had  been  on  board  three  weeks  when  we  got  there,  and 
I  had  them  debarked ;  but  the  stores,  ordnance,  &c.,  intended  for  that  particular 
locality  'were  left  on  board  the  transports  as  long  as  there  was  any  prospect  that 
the  expedition  would  proceed. 

Question.  Did  the  naval  part  of  your  expedition  use  an  unusual  quantity  of 
ammunition  at  Port  Royal? 

Answer.  I  think  Commodore  DuPont  told  me  that  in  the  Port  Royal  affair 
he  used  about  two-thirds  of  the  ammunition  he  had  brought  with  him,  so  that 
he  did  not  consider  it  safe  to  start  for  Fernandina  with  the  amount  he  had  left, 
in  which  I  think  he  was  wise. 


APPENDIX. 

Copies  of  reports  of  a  commission  appointed  by  the  Navy  Department  in  refer 
ence  to  expeditions  to  the  southern  coast. 

WASHINGTON,  July  5,  1861. 

SIR  :  We  have  the  honor  to  inform  you  that  the  conference,  in  compliance 
with  your  wishes,  communicated  through  Captain  DuPont,  has  had  under  con 
sideration  that  part  of  your  letters  of  instructions  of  the  25th  ultimo  which  relates 
to  the  necessity  of  occupying  two  or  more  points  on  the  Atlantic  coast,  Fernan 
dina  being  particularly  mentioned  as  one  of  those  points. 

It  seems  to  be  indispensable  that  there  should  exist  a  convenient  coal  depot 
on  the  southern  extremity  of  the  line  of  Atlantic  blockade,  and  it  seems  to  the 
conference  that  if  this  coal  depot  was  suitably  selected,  it  might  be  used,  not 
only  as  a  depot  for  coal,  but  as  a  depot  of  provisions  and  common  stores,  as  a 
harbor  ©f  refuge,  and  as  a  general  rendezvous  or  headquarters  for  that  part  of 
the  coast. 

We  separate  in  our  minds  the  two  enterprises  of  a  purely  military  expedition, 
and  an  expedition  the  principal  object  of  which  is  the  establishment  of  a  naval 
station  for  promoting  the  efficiency  of  the  blockade.  We  shall  have  the  honor 
to  present  plans  for  both  expeditions  ;  but  we  will  begin  with  the  latter,  pre 
mising,  however,  that  we  think  both  of  them  should  be  conducted  simultaneously. 

Fernandina  is,  by  its  position,  obviously  the  most  suitable  point  for  a  place  of 
deposit,  answering  at  one  end  of  the  line  to  Hampton  Roads  at  the  other.  In 
addition  to  its  position  in  this  respect,  it  enjoys  several  other  advantages  almost 
peculiar  to  itself  and  well  suited  to  the  object  in  view. 

It  has  fourteen  feet  of  water  on  the  bar  at  low  water,  and  twenty  at  high 
water,  a  convenient  depth  for  all  steam  vessels  of  the  navy,  either  propelled  by 
screws  or  side-wheels,  rated  as  "second  class  steamships,"  and  under ;  for  all 
of  those  rated  as  "  first  class  steamships,"  which  are  propelled  by  screws ;  and 
by  [for]  most  of  the  same  class  propelled  by  side-wheels,  when  light ;  and  by 
[for]  all  the  newly  purchased  and  chartered  steamers  of  every  description,  with 
the  exception,  perhaps,  of  one  or  two  of  the  very  largest  mail-packet  steamers 
when  deeply  loaded. 

These  depths  are  perfectly  convenient  for  the  new  sloops  and  gunboats  now 
on  the  stocks,  and  for  the  ordinary  merchant  vessels  chartered  for  freight.  The 
main  ship  channel,  over  St.  Mary's  bar  into  Fernandina  harbor,  though  not 
direct,  is  by  no  means  tortuous  or  difficult ;  it  is  easily  defined  by  buoys,  and  a 
range  by  means  of  beacons  renders  the  passage  of  the  bar  itself  secure. 

A  steam-tug  will  always  be  at  hand  to  take  in  sailing  vessels  when  necessary 


314  TESTIMONY. 

Inside  of  the  bar  there  is  an  unlimited  extent  of  deep  water  accommodation, 
and  also  the  protection  of  smooth  water  before  reaching  the  land-locked  basins. 

The  anchorage  in  Amelia  river  possesses  the  quiet  and  safety  of  an  enclosed 
dock.  Repairs  of  all  kinds  may  be  carried  on  there  without  the  fear  of  accidents 
arising  from  motion  of  the  water. 

The  town  of  Fernandina  and  the  wharves  and  depots  of  the  Florida  railroad 
company  furnish  conveniences  the  value  of  which  need  not  be  enlarged  upon. 
If  the  seizure  were  conducted  so  suddenly  as  to  prevent  the  destruction  of 

Eroperty  amd  buildings,  (which  it  would  be  difficult  to  replace,)  the  facilities  for 
inding  and  storing  coal  and  other  materials  will  be  found  ,ready  for  use. 

Another  feature  of  the  port,  and  one  which  has  appeared  to  us  of  sufficient 
importance  to  engage  your  particular  attention,  is  the  isolated  position  of  Fer 
nandina,  territorially  and  in  population.  Fernandina  is  on  an  island,  bounded 
by  the  ocean  on  one  side  and  having  on  the  other  an  interior  poor  and  uninter 
esting  in  all  respects,  sparse  in  population,  remote  from  large  cities  or  centres  of 
military  occupation,  and  not  easily  accessible  by  railroad  or  water  communication. 

By  the  census  of  1850,  the  population  of  Fernandina  was  about  600;  it  is  now 
1,000;  St.  Mary's,  700;  Darien,  550;  Jacksonville,  1,145;  St.  Augustine,  1,934. 
The  distance,  by  water,  from  Fernandina  to  St.  Mary's  is  9  miles ;  from  Fer 
nandina  to  Brunswick  is  35  miles;  from  Fernandina  to  Darien  is  51  miles; 
from  Fernandina,  by  railroad,  to  Baldwin  is  47  miles ;  from  Baldwin,  by  railroad, 
to  Jacksonville  is  20  miles ;  from  Fernandina,  by  water,  to  Savannah  is  120 
miles;  from  Fernandina,  by  Water,  to  Charleston  is  166  miles;  from  Fernandina, 
by  railroad,  to  Cedar  Keys  is  154  miles;  and  from  Fernandina,  by  railroad,  to 
Tallahassee,  by  the  railroad  to  the  Baldwin  Junction  and  Alligator,  nearly  two 
hundred  miles,  (192  miles.)  With  all  the  above  mentioned  places  there  is  water 
communication,  except  Cedar  Keys,  Tallahassee,  and  the  railroad  stations  be 
tween  them. 

But  it  is  apparent  that  any  military  opposition  of  weight  must  come  from 
Savannah  and  Charleston,  principally  through  Cumberland  sound;  and  the 
depth  (less  than  ten  feet  in  some  places)  of  this  line  of  interior  navigation  would 
require  the  transportation  of  the  troops  in  the  light  steamers  employed  there. 
These  steamers  are  so  light  and  devoid  of  shelter,  that  an  expedition  would 
hardly  be  undertaken  if  Amelia  island  were  properly  garrisoned. 

The  environs  of  Fernandina  form  a  natural  protection  against  an  attack  by 
land.  They  consist  of  marsh  and  sand,  which  alone  compose  the  shores  of  the 
^  rivers  and  bayous. 

We  are  careful  to  avoid  making  this  communication  unnecessarily  long  by 
entering  upon  a  comparison  of  Fernandina  with  other  places  in  the  same  region 
of  coast;  such  as  Brunswick,  for  example,  which  is  now  connected  by  railroad 
with  Savannah,  and  being  more  in  the  interior  is  less  healthy ;  or  St.  John's 
entrance,  which  could  be  fortified  against  us,  and  has  an  insuperable  objection 
in  its  bar.  But  we  take  pains  to  say  that  such  comparisons  have  formed  a  large 
part  of  our  study  of  the  whole  subject.  We  have  not  spoken  of  the  peculiar 
advantages  of  Fernandina  as  a  depot  and  naval  station  without  attaching  a 
meaning  to  the  word. 

Although  an  open  and  rapid  communication  with  the  Gulf  of  Mexico,  by  the 
Florida  railroad  to  Cedar  Keys,  accomplished  in  eleven  hours,  would  undoubt 
edly  be  desirable,  still  it  has  not  entered  into  our  project  to  recommend  the 
maintenance  of  this  communication.  To  do  so  would  employ  a  force  dispro- 
portioned  to  the  possible  benefits  to  be  derived  from  it.  The  Central  railroad 
to  Tallahassee,  which  connects  with  this  road  at  Baldwin,  is  completed  as  far 
as  Alligator,  and  for  a  certain  distance  from  Tallahassee  east,  about  twenty  miles. 
The  country  on  the  line  of  the  road  is  thickly  wooded,  and  has  few  inhabitants. 
A  road  of  such  length  (154  miles)  in  an  obscure  and  inhospitable  district  may 
be  easily  rendered  impassable. 


TESTIMONY.  315 

Fort  Clinch  is  not  thought  to  be  defensible  in  its  present  condition ;  and  the 
sand  batteries  on  the  shore  can,  probably,  be  easily  turned. 

The  water  is  so  smooth,  in  ordinary  times,  on  the  outer  shore  of  Amelia 
island,  that  a  landing  can  be  effected  there  with  facility,  and  will,  in  our  opinion, 
be  advisable  at  more  than  one  point.  This  landing  cannot  be  covered  by  large 
ships,  especially  such  as  the  "  screw  frigates."  Vessels  of  small  draught  must 
be  selected  for  this  duty,  and  when  the  points  of  landing  are  fixed  upon,  the 
lines  of  approach  for  the  covering  vessels  must  be  distinctly  traced  out. 

The  Florida  railroad,  from  the  west  shore  of  Amelia  island  across  the  river, 
is  built  on  piles  for  the  distance  of  about  one  mile,  similar  to  the  long  bridges 
across  the  Bush  and  Gunpowder. 

When  the  attack  is  made  one  or  more  small  gunboats  might  take  the  back 
entrance,  through  Nassau  inlet  and  sound,  and  prevent  the  destruction  of  this 
bridge  by  the  rebels.  Nassau  entrance  is,  no  doubt,  unguarded.  Nassau  bar 
has  only  five  feet  of  water  on  it,  and  even  this  depth  is  not  to  be  relied  upon ; 
launches  may  therefore  be»employed.  A  rapid  survey,  immediately  preceding 
the  attack,  will  correct  any  misapprehension  on  this  point.  The  preservation  of 
this  trestle  bridge  is  worth  an  effort.  The  remainder  of  the  road  can  be  replaced 
with  less  cost,  because  it  runs  through  a  naturally  level  country. 

It  is  estimated  that  three  thousand  men  would  take  and  hold  the  place,  with 
the  assistance  of  such  force  as  could  be  furnished  by  the  fleet.  After  the  place 
was  taken  a  portion  of  the  defensive  force  would  be  found  on  board  the  vessels 
in  port.  Thus  the  number  of  troops  to  be  added  to  the  marines  and  seamen, 
employed  in  the  attack  and  subsequent  defence,  would  not,  probably,  at  any 
time,  exceed  this  number  of  three  thousand. 

The  details  of  the  expedition  to  Fernandina,  if  decided  upon,  will  foil  under 
the  several  bureaus  of  the  War  and  Navy  Departments,  and  the  chiefs  of  the 
expedition,  to  whom  the  conference  will  be  always  ready  to  offer  such  informa 
tion  and  make  such  suggestions  as  may  result  from  their  careful  study  of  the 
ground. 

The  sailing  directions  for  the  port  of  Fernandina,  the  instructions  for  the 
disposition  of  the  buoys  and  beacons,  the  outer  and  inner  anchorage,  the  pilotage, 
and  the  meteorology  of  this  section  of  coast  will  hereafter  be  furnished  by  the 
conference  from  the  archives  of  the  Coast  Survey. 

It  is  known  that  Fernandina  is  healthy,  and  that  it  can  supply  wood  and 
water  in  abundance.  Its  market  supplies  remain  to  be  developed. 

Finally,  we  will  repeat  the  remark  made  in  the  beginning  of  this  report,  that, 
we  think  this  expedition  to  Fernandina  should  be  undertaken  simultaneously 
with  a  similar  expedition  having  a  purely  military  character. 

We  are  preparing  a  brief  report  on  the  latter,  which  we  shall  have  the  honor 
to  submit  in  a  few  days. 

We  have  the  honor  to  be,  most  respectfully,  your  obedient  servants, 

S.  F.  DUPONT, 
Captain  United  States  Navy  and  President. 

J.  G.  BARNARD, 
Major  U?iited  States  Engineers,  Member. 

A.  D.  BACHE, 
Superintendent  United  States  Coast  Survey,  Member. 

CHARLES  PLINY  DAVIS, 
Commander  United  States  Navy,  Member  and  Secretary. 

Hon.  GIDEON  WELLES, 

Secretary  of  the  Navy,  Washington. 


316  TESTIMONY. 


WASHINGTON,  D.  C.,  July  13,  1861. 

SIR  :  We  have  the  honor  to  inform  you  that,  in  further  prosecution  of  the 
duties  assigned  us,  we  have  made  a  careful  study  of  three  of  the  most  important 
of  the  secondary  bays  or  harbors  on  the  southern  coast,  for  the  purpose  of  mili 
tary  occupation.  These  are  Bull's  bay,  St.  Helena  sound,  and  Port  Royal 
sound — all  on  the  coast  of  South  Carolina. 

We  shall  describe  each  one  of  them  separately,  offering  some  suggestions  as 
to  their  advantages  and  the  best  mode  of  occupying  them  ;  and  we  will  endeavor 
to  explain,  by  a  comparison  of  their  relative  merits,  the  grounds  for  preferring 
the  two  former  over  the  latter  for  immediate  occupation.  We  have  taken  them 
up  in  the  order  of  their  situation,  from  north  to  south. 

Bull's  bay,  which  has  been  justly  called  a  noble  harbor  of  refuge,  is  fifteen 
miles  southeast  of  Cape  Romain,  and  twenty-two  miles  from  the  main  bar  of 
Charleston  habor.  The  passage  into  it  is  direct,  there  being  but  one  single 
course  over  the  bar.  The  light-house  is  plainly  in  sight,  being  less  than  four 
miles  distant  from  the  outer  curve  of  the  bar,  and  its  bearing,  together  with  the 
soundings  and  buoys,  when  properly  placed,  makes  the  entrance  easy.  Twenty 
feet  may  be  carried  in  at  high  water  of  common  tides,  and  fifteen  feet  at  low 
water.  The  channel-way  is  marked  by  breakers  on  either  hand,  and  inside 
there  is  a  snug,  well-protected  anchorage  in  deep  water,  with  good  holding 
ground. 

Bull's  bay  is  situated  below  the  parallel  at  which  the  West  India  hurricanes 
leave  the  coast,  which  very  much  increases  its  value  as  a  harbor  of  refuge. 

Bull's  island,  from  which  the  bay  takes  its  name,  is  six  and  a  half  miles  long,  and 
about  a  mile  and  a  half  wide.  The  northeast  bluff,  at  the  entrance,  is  high  and 
wooded,  and  admits  of  being  strongly  fortified  without  delay  or  great  expense. 
But  batteries  erected  to  defend  the  entrance  may  be  taken  in  the  rear,  by  land 
ing  about  three  miles  south  of  the  northeast  bluff,  and  keeping  on  the  beach  till 
within  a  mile  of  the  light-house,  where  a  wood  road,  near  a  fence,  passes  close 
in  the  rear  of  the  entire  range  of  sand  hills  commanding  the  entrance. 

It  is  suggested,  therefore,  that  the  extremity  of  the  island  should  be  secured 
by  an  enclosed  work  on  the  point,  and  a  line  of  intrenchments  across  the  island, 
at  a  distance  of  two  miles  (more  or  less)  from  the  light-house. 

For  defence,  Bull's  bay  possesses  this  striking  advantage,  that  it  can  be  held 
at  a  single  point.  Excepting  the  small  sand  key,  Bird  island,  there  is  no  fast 
.land  from  which  it  can  be  attacked ;  Bird  island  is  two  miles  off,  not  easy  of  ac 
cess,  and  insignificant. 

It  is  not  probable  that  any  defensive  works  constructed  by  the  rebels  will 
oppose  a  very  formidable  obstacle  to  the  occupation  of  the  place ;  but  it  is  to  be 
considered  that  its  proximity  to  Charleston  subjects  it  to  assault.  This  assault 
may  be  made  by  combined  forces  from  both  directions,  for  there  is  interior  water 
communication  with  the  Santee  on  the  north  as  well  as  with  Charleston  on  the 
south.  Vessels  drawing  not  more  than  four  and  a  half  feet  can  come  out  of  the 
Santee,  through  Alligator  creek  at  the  "  Horns,"  pass  within  Cape  island  and 
Raccoon  keys,  traverse  Bull's  bay,  and  keep  inside  all  the  way  to  Charleston. 
Very  few  white  men  know  the  whole  route,  but  many  negroes  are  familiar  with 
it.  There  are  six  "  divides,"  or  places  where  the  tides  diverge,  or  converge, 
between  Cape  Romain  and  Charleston  harbor.  Four  of  these  run  dry  at  low 
water,  and  the  other  two  are  encumbered  with  mud  and  oyster  banks.  At  this 
season  of  the  year,  however,  the  rice  crops  having  been  carried  to  market,  there 
is  but  little  intercourse  with  the  Santee  district  by  water.  Taking  these  liabili 
ties  into  account,  it  is  thought  that  four  thousand  men,  well  intrenched,  would 
hold  the  island ;  though  without  an  exact  knowledge  of  its  topography  it  is  im 
possible  to  speak  with  certainty. 

The  island  affords  good  water,  and  timber  for  constructing  wharves  for  coal- 


TESTIMONY.  317 

ing,  or  for  other  uses,  if  needed.  In  this  respect,  and  as  a  harbor  of  refuge, 
there  is  no  point  north  of  Charleston  that  can  be  made  so  useful.  It  is  so  easy 
of  access,  and  so  perfectly  healthy  in  the  hot  season,  that  the  authorities  of 
Charleston  have  recommended  it  for  the  seat  of  a  quarantine  during  their 
stranger's  (or  yellow)  fever  months. 

The  military  occupation  of  Bull's  bay  secures  the  easy  command  of  the  four 
inlets  (Price's,  Caper's,  Dewee's,  and  Breach  inlets)  lying  intermediate  between 
it  and  Charleston  harbor.  Neither  of  these  enjoy  any  trade  now ;  but  De- 
wee's  inlet  has  seven  feet  at  low  water,  or  twelve  feet  at  mean  high  water,  and 
an  excellent  anchorage  in  four  fathoms  on  the  inside.  It  might  prove  a  useful 
harbor  to  vessels  of  light  draught.  A  deep  creek,  navigable  for  boats  at  low 
water  even  to  Station  Fuller,  (see  chart,)  enters  Dewee's  inlet.  From  Fuller  to 
Mount  Pleasant  is  nine  miles,  and  it  is  connected  with  Hocobaw  Point,  in  rear  of 
Fort  Moultrie  and  Castle  Pinckney,  for  the  greater  part  of  the  distance  by  a  well- 
travelled  road  in  a  fine  forest.  The  high  road  from  Charleston  to  Georgetown, 
through  Christ  Church  parish,  passes  at  an  average  distance  of  four  miles  from 
the  shore.  It  is  well-conditioned,  the  resort  of  a  regular  travel,  and  preserves 
a  communication  with  the  banks  of  the  two  Pedees  that  would  suffer  no  inter 
ruption  from  our  occupation  of  Bull's  island. 

St.  Helena  sound,  situated  nearly  midway  between  Charleston  and  Savannah, 
is  particularly  well  adapted  to  promote  the  efficiency  of  the  blockading  squad 
ron.  There  are  two  anchorages,  which  are  healthy  throughout  the  year — one, 
near  Otter  island  on  the  north,  and  one  near  Hunting  island  on  the  south ;  and 
the  other  bay  is  so  wide  that  these  two  roadsteads  may  be  considered  wholly 
independent  of  each  other.  There  are  three  channels  of  approach ;  the  east, 
the  southeast,  and  the  south  channels.  The  first  has  only  eight  feet  on  the  bar 
at  mean  low  water,  and  fourteen  feet  at  high ;  the  second,  which  is  a  little  less 
direct,  has  ten  and  sixteen  feet;  and  the  third. has  seventeen  feet  at  mean  low, 
and  twenty-three  feet  at  mean  high  water.  It  should  be  remarked  that  the 
mouth  of  South  Edisto  river  is  embraced  within  the  northern  limits  of  this  sound. 
The  South  Edisto  is  the  Edisto  proper,  the  North  Edisto  being  the  outlet  of 
Wadmelaw  sound  and  the  Dawhoo,  while  the  Edisto  itself  is  a  long  river,  from 
which  large  quantities  of  lumber  are  sent  annually  to  Charleston.  It  is  navi 
gable  for  vessels  drawing  nine  feet  of  water  up  to  Governor  Aiken's  rice  plan 
tation  at  Ichassee,  where  it  communicates  with  the  North  Edisto  river  through 
the  Dawhoo.  The  Dawhoo  is  navigable  for  steamers  drawing  not  more  than 
six  feet,  at  all  times  of  tide,  under  the  direction  of  a  pilot.  Thirteen  feet  of 
water  at  mean  low,  and  nineteen  feet  at  mean  high  water,  can  be  carried  into  ' 
the  South  Edisto,  and  there  is  good  anchorage  inside,  west  of  Big  Bay  island, 
in  five  fathoms ;  but  the  anchorage  on  the  north  side  of  the  bay  which  we  first 
mentioned,  that  under  Otter  island,  is  the  better  and  healthier  of  the  two.  The 
continuous  ranges  of  sand  shoals  which  compose  the  bar  at  the  several  entrances 
of  St.  Helena  sound  extend,  unfortunately,  six  miles  to  seaward,  and  the  land 
is  low  and  difficult  to  distinguish.  The  channels,  therefore,  if  used,  must  be 
distinctly  marked  with  buoys,  the  light-ship  must  be  anchored  in  a  suitable 
place,  and  the  light-house  which  has  been  built  on  Hunting  island,  together 
with  the  beacon-light  near  it,  must  be  maintained.  Capable  pilots  must  be  at 
hand.  The  delta  shoals  in  St.  Helena  sound  are  long  and  narrow ;  between 
them  are  deep  and  very  regular  channels,  running  in  directions  nearly  parallel 
to  each  other,  that  may  be  called  natural  as  regards  the  rivers  of  which  they  are 
the  drains.  Beyond  these  delta  shoals  a  mass  of  irregular  shoals  extend  out  to 
the  southward  from  Fenwick  and  Otter  islands,  (separating  South  Edisto  from 
the  sound,)  which,  by  breaking  the  sea  in  easterly  storms,  preserve  compara 
tively  smooth  water  in  the  sound. 

The  Ashepoo,  Combahee,  Bull,  Coosaw,  Morgan  Island  and  Hunting  Island 
rivers  empty  into  the  sound.     To  complete  our  topographical  description  we  must 


318  TESTIMONY. 

speak  of  them  in  order.  The  Ashepoo  enters  the  sound  at  Otter  island,  and  at 
its  mouth,  under  the  shelter  of  the  island,  is  the  safe  and  healthy  anchorage  we 
have  twice  mentioned — safe  in  all  weathers  and  healthy  in  all  seasons — requir 
ing  protection  from  no  other  point  than  Otter  island.  Near  the  anchorage,  but 
separated  from  it  by  the  delta  of  the  Ashepoo  and  Combahee,  is  another  equally 
healthy  and  safe  anchorage  in  six  fathoms  of  water,  equidistant  between  Otter 
and  Morgan  islands,  and  nearly  a  mile  and  a  half  (nautical)  from  each,  not 
easily  molested  therefore  from  the  land  if  Otter  island  were  in  our  possession. 
In  crossing  the  bar  and  ascending  the  sound,  to  reach  the  anchorage,  a  vessel 
need  not  approach  Hunting  island  so  near  as  two  miles  or  Otter  island  nearer 
than  a  mile  and  a  half.  The  Ashepoo  is  navigable,  for  vessels  drawing  nine 
feet  of  water,  twelve  miles  above  the  point  of  Otter  island,  where  they  can  sup 
ply  themselves  with  fresh  water  on  the  last  of  the  ebb.  Seven  miles  above  is 
the  mouth  of  Mosquito  creek,  which  connects  with  South  Edisto  through  Bull's 
cut.  The  light-draught  steamers,  plying  on  the  inland  passage  from  Charles 
ton,  south,  go  through  this  cut,  descend  the  Ashepoo,  cross  the  Combahee  bank 
through  a  small  channel,  and  thence  ascend  the  Coosaw  to  Beaufort  and  Port 
Royal  Ferry.  This  is  only  possible  for  steamers  drawing  five  feet ;  those  of 
larger  draught  must  pass  outside  of  Otter  island.  We  have  to  penetrate  to  the 
depth  of  six  miles  into  the  sound  of  St.  Helena  to  reach  the  point  of  junction  of 
the  Combahee  and  Coosaw  rivers.  The  first  of  these  rivers  is  navigable  for 
vessels  drawing  ten  feet  of  water  some  twenty  miles  up.  Fresh  water  may  be 
had  on  the  ebb  about  ten  miles  up.  There  is  a  boat  connexion  with  the  Ashe 
poo  about  ten  miles  up.  The  Coosaw  is  broader  and  shoaler  than  the  Com 
bahee.  It  forms  a  part  of  the  interior  navigation  from  Charleston.  Steamers 
drawing  eight  or  nine  feet  will  run  outside  from  Charleston  to  St.  Helena  sound, 
and  entering  the  latter  by  the  most  convenient  channel,  according  to  the  tide, 
will  proceed  up  the  Coosaw  to  its  junction  with  the  Beaufort  river  at  the  brick 
yard,  and  thence  down  to  Beaufort  on  the  inside  way  from  Savannah  and  Florida, 
or  the  same  steamer  may  continue  up  Coosaw  river  to  its  head,  near  Port  Royal 
Ferry,  and  go  thence  through  Whale  Branch  into  Broad  river  and  Port  Royal 
bay.  Vessels  bound  up  the  Coosaw  may  go  by  the  way  of  Morgaji  river  to 
PaiTOt  creek,  which  connects  the  two  rivers  by  a  fifteen  feet  channel.  All  these 
connexions  are  readily  traced  on  a  map  of  a  suitable  scale.  They  are  pointed 
out  in  detail,  because  you  will  perceive  from  them  how  large  a  tract  of  country, 
and  how  extensive,  important,  and  complex  a  series  of  lines  of  interior  trade 
and  navigation  will  be  threatened  and  commanded  by  the  military  possession  of 
St.  Helena  sound. 

Hitherto  we  have  specified  two  anchorages  as  desirable ;  it  remains  for  us  to 
speak  of  the  third  and  the  best.  The  south  channel,  as  we  have  said  before, 
has  seventeen  feet  at  low  water,  and  twenty-three  feet  at  mean  high  water ;  it 
is,  therefore,  quite  superior  to  the  others.  It  leads  to  an  anchorage  in  five  fath 
oms  of  water,  within  half  a  mile  of  the  northeast  point  of  Hunting  island,  and 
near  the  new  lighthouse.  Both  the  anchorage  and  the  adjacent  shore  are 
healthy  throughout  the  year.  The  island  is  about  six  miles  long,  with  an  av 
erage  width  of  little  more  than  half  a  mile  to  Johnson's  creek.  It  is  wooded, 
and  is  stocked  with  deer,  being  used  as  a  game  preserve.  A  small  creek,  (John 
son's,)  with  a  narrow  channel  fifteen  feet  deep  near  its  mouth,  runs  close  to  the 
shore.  This  is  a  suitable  place  for  a  coaling  depot.  There  is  timber  for  con 
structing  a  wharf,  for  which  there  is  a  natural  site  near  the  mouth  of  a  small 
creek.  We  have  said  that  the  two  anchorages  on  the  north  and  south  sides  of 
the  sound  are  independent  of  each  other.  It  is  so ;  but  the  isolation  of  that 
which  is  protected  by  Hunting  island  is  the  most  complete.  Here,  as  in  Bull's 
bay,  and  in  these  two  places  alone,  the  military  occupation  of  a  single  point, 
remote  and  inaccessible  to  a  large  force,  except  by  great  expense  of  time,  labor, 
and  money,  secures  the  roadstead,  the  depot,  and  the  channel  of  approach  ; 


TESTIMONY.  319 

and,  moreover,  this  channel  is  the  best  of  the  three  leading  into  St.  Helena 
sound,  from  the  broader  space  of  which  it  is  effectually  separated  by  a  natural 
barrier  of  banks,  partially  dry  at  low  water.  Neither  shells  nor  solid  shot 
could  molest  the  shipping;  nor,  hardly,  projectiles  from  rifled  camion.  And 
the  possession  of  this  anchorage  commands  a-  considerable  extent  of  inland  nav 
igation,  though  less  than  that  on  the  north  side.  Vessels  of  heavy  draught  can 
pass  into  Morgan  river  by  turning  the  spit  of  a  shoal  near  Hunting  Island  point, 
and  those  of  light  draught  by  an  inner  channel  between  Oyster  and  Egg  banks. 
Vessels  drawing  ten  feet  of  water  may  take  an  inside  passage  from  Hunting 
island  to  Port  Royal  bay,  entering  the  latter  through  Station  creek. 

Three  points  of  meeting  of  the  tide  occur.  The  channel  is  bold,  in  general, 
but  intricate,  requiring  a  pilot.  Many  wooded  hammocks  and  one  large  house 
must  be  passed  within  pistol-shot.  Between  St.  Helena  sound  and  Port  Royal 
bay  are  found  four  inlets — Tripp's,  Skull,  Pritchard's,  and  Trenchard's— -of 
wrhich  the  first  and  last  only,  having  ten  and  thirteen  feet  respectively  at  high 
water,  can  be  made  available  for  the  uses  of  commerce. 

It  is  estimated  that  four  thousand  men,  in  addition  to  the  co-operating  naval 
force,  would  be  sufficient  to  take  and  hold  Hunting  island,  which  would  be  de 
fended  like  Bull's  island,  by  an  enclosed  work  on  the  point,  and  a  line  of  en 
trenchments  across  from  the  sea  to  Johnson's  creek,  at  some  distance  from  the 
light!  The  entrenchments  would  be  less  extreme  on  account  of  the  island  be 
ing  much  narrower. 

In  order  to  fill  out  our  notes  on  this  vicinity,  we  shall  observe  that  at  the 
eastern  end  of  St.  Helena  island,  which  forms  the  right  bank  of  the  outlet  of 
Morgan  river  into  St.  Helena  sound,  stands  the  plantation  of  Mr.  Coffin,  at 
whose  place  commences  a  public  road  called  the  Sea-side  road,  that  extends 
thirteen  miles  to  Port  Royal  bay,  at  Land's  End.  Two  miles  from  Mr.  Coffin's 
a  road  diverges  to  the  right,  leading  to  Ladies'  island  and  Beaufort,  distant 
eleven  miles.  Both  these  roads  are  lined  with  the  residences  of  gentlemen,  and 
sea-island  cotton  plantations.  Parrot  creek,  joining  Morgan  and  Coosaw  rivers, 
has  been  referred  to ;  opposite  to  it  is  Village  creek,  leading  to  a  village  on  a 
bluff,  the  summer  resort  of  the  St.  Helena  planters.  Four  fathoms  may  be  car 
ried  up  Morgan  river  to  Dalthay  island,  which  is  separated  from  St.  Helena 
sound  by  a  creek.  This  creek  unites  at  its  head  with  Cowan  creek,  while  the 
latter  separates  St.  Helena  from  Ladies'  island.  Boats  pass  by  this  route  from 
Beaufort  to  St.  Helena  sound.  The  road  to  Beaufort  from  Ashton's,  just  men 
tioned,  crosses  the  creek  by  a  bridge,  at  the  plantation  of  the  late  Mrs.  General 
Eustis.  Ladies'  island,  at  the  head  of  Morgan  river,  is  a  little  more  than  a  mile 
wide.  The  town  of  Beaufort  is  on  the  opposite  shore  of  the  river  of  that  name. 
A  road  leads  from  Mr.  McKee's  plantation,  at  the  head  of  Morgan  river,  across 
to  the  bluff  opposite  Beaufort. 

The  above  description  will  enable  you  to  form  an  idea  of  the  interdependence 
and  of  the  intercommunication  by  boat  and  carnage  between  the  islands  filling 
up  the  head  of  St.  Helena  sound  and  the  waters  emptying  into  it;  of  the  ad 
vantages  to  be  derived  from  its  military  occupation  ;  and  of  the  opposition,  with 
its  means  and  facilities  of  combination,  which  this  occupation  is  likely  to  pro 
voke. 

Port  Royal  bay  is  the  finest  harbor  south  of  Chesapeake  bay,  which  it 
resembles  in  capacity  and  extent.  It  is  approached  by  three  channels,  the  least 
of  which  has  seventeen  feet  of  water,  while  the  two  others  have  nineteen  feet  at 
mean  low,  and  twenty-five  feet  at  mean  high  water.  Several  of  our  screw  frig 
ates  of  the  first  class  can  pass  the  bar,  and  when  the  entrance  is  once  made  a 
whole  navy  can  ride  at  anchor  in  the  bay  in  uninterrupted  health  and  security. 
The  bar,  however,  is  badly  situated ;  the  narrowest  and  shoalest  part  is  so  far 
out  from  the  headlands,  which  generally  furnish  natural  beacons  and  sailing 
marks,  that  a  conspicuous  object  is  needed  on  the  spot. 


320  TESTIMONY 

The  light-ships  should  be  replaced,  and  large  buoys  should  be  planted  in 
proper  places.  (An  open  screw-pile  basket-beacon,  well  braced,  might  be  put  down 
with  great  advantage  in  a  well  protected  spot,  under  the  the  lee  of  Martin's  In 
dustry  and  the  southeast  breakers.)  We  are  looking  ahead  a  little  in  saying 
this.  The  absence  of  light-vessels,  beacons,  and  buoys,  will  by  no  means  pre 
vent  access  to  the  bay.  The  ships  of  the  expedition  will  pass  through  a  lane  of 
small  vessels  anchored  on  the  borders  of  the  natural  channel. 

It  is  probable  that  the  entrance  to  the  harbor  has  bee-n  fortified  on  both  sides, 
and  especially  at  Bay  Point.  This  point  may  be  approached  in  the  rear  by  land 
ing  at  Pritchard's  inlet,  next  east  of  Trenchard's  inlet,  near  high  water,  pulling 
through  the  creek  connecting  the  two,  down  Trenchard's  inlet  to  a  point  near 
Luce  Station,  and  thence  passing  along  the  beach  and  through  the  woods  to 
Bay  Point.  On  the  Hilton  Head  side  it  is  more  difficult  to  take  the  point  in  the 


rear. 

rn 


The  entrance  is  over  two  miles  wide ;  there  is  fine  achorage  under  Bay  Point ; 
on  the  shore  is  a  number  of  rough  houses,  the  summer  resort  of  planters.  Un 
der  the  head  of  St.  Helena  we  have  entered  into  some  details  respecting  the 
interior  communications  and  navigation,  that  need  not  be  repeated.  The  town 
of  Beaufort,  on  Port  Royal  island,  lias  no  commercial  importance.  During  the 
hot  weather,  when  the  planters  are  in  their  summer  residences,  the  population 
numbers  about  two  thousand;  at  other  periods  of  the  year  it  has  but  little  more 
than  five  hundred  inhabitants.  A  battery  of  eight  guns,  it  is  said,  has  been 
erected  at  the  eastern  end  of  the  town. 

Water  may  be  had  at  the  station  Port  Royal,  Land's  End,  St.  Helena  sound, 
or  by  sinking  wells  from  six  to  ten  feet  deep  anywhere  along  shore,  or  casks  at 
Bay  Point.  Near  this  point  may  be  constructed  a  wharf  for  a  coaling  station, 
above  the  mouth  of  the  little  creek  that  appears  on  the  coast  survey  chart.  The 
piece  of  marsh  between  the  fort  land  and  deep  water  (on  the  chart)  must  be 
crossed  by  a  bridge.  Timber  grows  close  by.  The  woods,  directly  in  the  rear 
of  the  sea-beach,  consists ,  chiefly  of  pine,  interspersed  with  chinquapin  and  live 
oak.  Portions  of  the  island  are  clear  and  open.  Near  the  beach  there  are  many 
clumps  of  myrtle  bushes  matted  together  with  jack  vines  and  Cherokee  roses. 
The  island  is  healthy  where  exposed  to  the  influence  of  the  sea  breeze.  Perry 
island,  which  separates  Beaufort  and  Broad  rivers,  is  about  five  miles  long,  and 
is  devoted  to  the  culture  of  sea-island  cotton.  Broad  river  is  navigable  up  to 
the  Charleston  and  Savannah  railroad  station  at  Pocotaligo.  Steamers  and  sail 
ing  vessels  from  St.  Helena  pass  around  Port  Royal  island  and  enter  Broad 
river  by  way  of  Port  Royal  ferry  and  Whale  Branch. 

Port  Royal  is  one  of  the  wealthiest  of  the  sea  islands,  and  is  devoted  to  the 
culture  of  sea-island  cotton.  Besides  the  passage  of  communication  between 
Port  Royal  bay  and  St.  Helena  sound,  through  Whale  Branch,  there  is  a  nar 
row  passage,  having  nine  feet  at  low  water,  between  Lemon  and  Daw  islands, 
going  down  the  Chechesee  river,  and  entering  Skull  creek.  A  depth  of  nine 
teen  feet  may  ba  carried  from  Port  Royal  bay  up  Chechesee  river  to  Foot  Point, 

on  the  Colleton  river.  This  range,  a  distance  of miles,  was  surveyed  in 

1859,  with  reference  to  a  naval  depot  and  coaling  station  at  Foot  Point. 

Hilton  Head  island,  which  is  devoted  to  the  culture  of  sea-island  cotton,  ex 
tends  from  Port  Royal  bay  to  Calibogue  sound,  and  thirteen  feet  may  be  carried 
up  the  Chechesee  through  Skull  creek  to  the  sound,  which  constitutes  the  inland 
passage  to  Savannah.  The  outer  shore  of  Hilton  Head  island  is  so  effectually 
protected  by  Gaskin  bank,  and  the  shoals  inside  of  it,  that  a  landing  is  practi 
cable  in  moderate  weather.  This  is  facilitated  by  an  inshore  channel  within 
the  outer  breakers.  It  may  be  stated,  as  one  general  fact,  true  of  the  whole 
coast  of  South  Carolina,  that  there~are  from  one  to  two  feet  less  water  on  the 
bars  during  and  immediately  after  westerly  gales,  and  as  much  more  during  and 
after  northeast  and  southeast  gales;  the  latter  cause  the  heaviest  sea.  Another 


TESTIMONY.  321 

general  fact  is  that  those  are  the  most  healthy  sites  which  are  open  to  the  direct 
action  of  the  sea  breeze.  Sheltered  points  close  to  the  sea  shore  will  often  be 
unhealthy,  while  others,  with  a  southern  exposure,  six  or  eight  miles  inland, 
will  be  perfectly  healthy  during  summer  and  autumn. 

For  the  military  occupation  of  Port  Royal  bay,  it  would  be  necessary,  in  order 
to  escape  molestation,  to  hold  three  points,  and  this  would  probably  involve,  as 
the  easiest  method  of  holding  them,  the  occupation  of  the  three  islands  of  which 
these  points  form  part;  that  is,  Hilton  Head  island,  Parry's  island,  and  Philip's 
island.  It  is  difficult  to  give  any  precise  estimate  of  the  exact  number  of  troops 
required  to  hold  these  islands.  At  the  present  moment,  when  most  of  the 
southern  troops  are  in  Virginia  or  Tennessee,  it  is  triable  that,  notwithstand 
ing  the  contiguity  of  Savannah  and  Charleston,  no  very  large  bodies  could  be 
concentrated  against  us,  but  the  operation  would  be  likely  to  withdraw  the 
troops  from  the  north.  This  effect,  almost  certain  as  it  is,  will  compensate  us 
for  the  application  of  a  considerable  force  at  this  point.  Six  thousand  men 
might  take  possession  of  Port  Royal,  but  to  hold  it  permanently  would  probably 
require  ten  or  twelve  thousand  men,  in  addition  to  the  available  navy  contingent. 
Of  these  three  places,  Bull's  bay,  St.  Helena  sound,  and  Port  Royal  bay,  we 
have  no  hesitation  in  recommending  the  immediate  military  occupation  of  the 
first,  for  the  reasons  already  fully  given  in  the  preceding  pages,  viz :  its  acces 
sibility,  direct  channel,  safe  anchorage;  all  of  which  make  it  a  most  convenient 
harbor  of  refuge,  and  its  being  securely  held  by  the  possession  of  a  single  point. 

With  regard  to  St.  Helena  sound  and  Port  Royal  bay  there  is  more  room  for 
doubt.  We  have  compared  the  two  somewhat  as  follows :  If  Port  Royal  has 
the  greater  depth  over  the  bar,  twenty- three  feet  to  twenty-five,  yet  the  bar  of 
the  former  is  eight  miles  from  the  land,  whilst  that  of  the  latter  is  only  three 
and  a  half  miles.  St.  Helena  is  held  by  the  occupation  of  a  single  point.  Port 
Royal  requires  that  three  points  should  be  taken  and  fortified.  The  entrance 
of  the  former  is  six  miles  wide,  and  the  west  channel  can  only  be  molested  from 
Hunting  island.  That  of  the  latter  is  only  two  miles  wide,  and  the  attacking 
fleet  will  be  subject  to  fire  from  both  sides.  The  resources  for  wood  and  coal 
are  about  the  same  in  each.  St.  Helena  is  more  central  between  Charleston 
and  Savannah  ;  Port  Royal  commands  a  larger  interior  communication  and 
trade.  The  whole  bay  of  Port  Royal  comprises  one  large,  open  space,  capable 
of  containing  any  number  of  vessels  anchored  in  one  body.  The  anchorages  of 
St.  Helena  are  divided,  and  distinct  from  each  other.  It  seems  to  us  that  St. 
Helena  ought  to  be  seized  before  Port  Royal,  because  it  will  be  so  much  more 
easily  taken  and  held.  The  former  is  a  comparatively  obscure  place,  little 
known,  and  but  little  resorted  to,  while  the  latter  is  constantly  talked  of  as  the 
first  point  of  attack,  and  is  closely  looked  after.  Stephen  Elliott,  jr.,  of  Parry 
island,  a  nephew  of  George  P.  Elliott,  has  been  employed  in  fortifying  Port 
Royal,  every  foot  of  which  he  is  familiar  with,  while  not  a  planter  knows  St. 
Helena. 

Finally,  believing  that  the  three  points  we  have  recommended  will  suffice  for 
the  purpose  of  coaling  stations  and  harbors  of  refuge  for  the  blockading  squad 
rons,  we  are  not  disposed  to  recommend  any  immediate  measures  for  the  taking 
of  Port  Royal.  The  putting  of  twelve  or  fifteen  thousand  men  thus  in  the  im 
mediate  neighborhood  of  Charleston  and  Savannah,  and  the  presence  of  a  con 
siderable  fleet  in  this  noble  harbor,  would,  doubtless,  be  a  sore  annoyance  to  the 
rebels,  and  necessitate  the  constant  maintenance  of  large  forces  in  those  cities 
and  on  those  shores.  Yet  the  same  force,  naval  and  military,  organized  as  an 
expedition,  and  held  in  hand  at  New  York  for  a  blow  anywhere,  would  threaten 
not  only  Savannah  and  Charleston,  but  the  whole  southern  coast. 

If,  in  the  organization  of  such  a  force,  its  destination  should  be  absolutely 
undefined,  the  threat  would  be  equally  against  every  important  point  of  the 
southern  coast,  from  Hatteras  to  the  Rio  Grande.  The  simple  putting  to  sea  of 

Part  iii 21 


322  TESTIMONY. 

such  a  force,  if  it  were  only  but  to  return  again  to  its  post,  would  cause  general 
alarm,  and  the  Gulf  States  could  no  longer  permit  their  troops  to  swell  the 
armies  of  Virginia. 

The  force  thus  organized,  after  having,  by  frequent  embarcations  and  disem- 
barcations,  used  as  a  means  of  threat,  and  thus  perfectly  drilled  to  its  intended 
service,  might,  at  last,  be  permitted  to  strike  its  blow,  whether  at  New  Orleans; 
or  Mobile,  or  Pensacola,  or  Savannah,  or  Port  Royal,  or  that  focus  of  rebellion 
— the  scene  of  the  great  indignity  offered  our  flag — Charleston,  might  be  de 
cided  at  the  last  moment. 

We  have  the  honor  to  be,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servants, 

S.  F.  DUPONT,    ' 
Captain  United  Stutes  Navy,  President. 

A.  D.  BACHE, 
Superintendent  United  States  Coast  Survey,  Member. 

J.  G.  BARNARD, 
Major  United  States  Engineers,  Member. 

CHARLES  PLINY  MILES, 
Commander  United  States  Navy,  Secretary  and  Member. 

Honorable  GIDEON  WELLES, 

Secretary  of  the  Navy. 


WASHINGTON,  April  15,  1862. 
Captain  RUFUS  SAXTON  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  chairman  : 

Question.  What  is  your  rank  and  position  in  the  army  ? 

Answer.  I  am  a  captain  in  the  quartermaster's  department — an  assistant 
quartermaster. 

Question.  Where  have  you  served  during  the  present  war  ? 

Answer.  My  first  service  was  with  General  Lyon,  in  Missouri;  I  was  his 
chief  quartermaster.  I  served  with  him  during  the  siege  at  the  St.  Louis 
arsenal,  and  also  at  the  attack  on  Jackson.  I  continued  to  serve  with  him 
until  a  short  time  before  the  battle  of  Springfield.  I  was  then  ordered  to 
the  department  of  Western  Virginia,  where  I  served  with  General  McClellan 
during  his  campaign  there  as  his  chief  quartermaster.  When  that  campaign 
was  over,  I  was  sent  to  New  York  city  to  assist  General  Sherman  in  organ 
izing  his  expedition  to  Port  Royal.  I  organized  that  expedition  and  went 
with  it  to  Port  Royal,  and  served  there  until  a  week  ago  last  Sunday. 

Question.  What  force  had  General  Sherman  under  him  there  ? 

Answer.  When  I  left  there  were  about  17,000  men  there. 

Question.  What  time  did  you  arrive  there  ? 

Answer.  Early  in  November  last.  We  left  New  York  in  October.  We 
met  a  very  severe  storm  on  the  way  down,  which  scattered  our  fleet.  We 
thought  at  first  that  it  would  annihilate  our  expedition,  but  it  did  not.  We 
collected  it  together  again,  and  proceeded  to  our  destination. 

Question.  What  number  of  vessels  had  you  in  that  expedition  ? 

Answer.  I  do  not  recollect  the  exact  number. 

Question.  You  had  the  whole  army  on  board  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  we  had  15,000  men  afloat,  besides  the  naval  force. 

By  Mr.  Odell : 

Question.  Your  vessels  were  all  chartered  ? 
Answer.  Yes,  sir. 


TESTIMONY.  323 

Question.  Were  all  the  vessels  chartered  by  you?  Here  is  a  list  of  ves 
sels  chartered,  purporting  to  give  the  names  of  those  chartering  them.  Did 
you  charter  all  assigned  you  in  this  list? — (Senate  Executive  Document  No. 
37,  37th  Congress,  2d  session.) 

Answer.   [Examining  the  list.]     Yes,  sir;  the  list  is  correct. 

Question.  Are  all  you  chartered  contained  in  this  list  ? 

Answer.  I  do  not  recollect  of  any  others  than  those  mentioned  here. 

Question.  There  are  some  schooners  mentioned  here  as  being  chartered 
by  you  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  we  chartered  them  down  at  Port  Royal;  we  found  it 
cheaper  to  do  so  than  to  keep  the  steamers  there. 

Question.  Did  you  charter  the  steamers  by  the  day  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir,  mostly;  some  few  of  them  by  the  month.  I  think  the 
most  of  them  were  chartered  by  the  day. 

Question.  The  Atlantic  and  Baltic  were  chartered  by  the  day  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  at  $1,500  each;  the  Yariderbilt  and  Ocean  Queen  were 
chartered  at  $2,000  a  day  each. 

Question.  The  prices  contained  in  this  list  are  correct  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  For  what  time  did  you  charter  these  steamers  ? 

Answer.  It  was  entirely  indefinite — as  long  as  the  government  might  want 
them.  Some  few  of  them  we  had  to  agree  to  take  for  a  certain  length  of 
time;  but  I  avoided  that  whenever  I  could,  and  sought  to  keep  it  entirely 
optional  with  myself  when  they  should  be  discharged.  Some  of  the  owners 
insisted  that  they  should  be  retained  in  service  a  certain  number  of  days, 
or  they  would  not  let  me  have  their  steamers  at  all. 

When  I  went  to  New  York  to  charter  these  vessels  no  one  knew  about 
the  expedition,  or  that  any  such  expedition  was  going,  and  I  kept  it  secret; 
and  in  that  way  I  got  the  vessels  a  great  deal  less  than  I  should  have  done 
had  I  let  it  be  known  in  New  York  that  I  was  going  to  charter  so  many 
vessels.  No  two  persons  were  allowed  to  know  at  that  time  that  this  ex 
pedition  was  to  be  fitted  out. 

Question.  Did  you  charter  the  vessels  directly  from  the  owners  them 
selves  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Without  the  intervention  of  brokers  or  agents  ? 

Answer.  I  consulted  with  two  men  who  understood  shipping  as  advisers. 
I  had  no  agents  at  all. 

Question.  There  were  no  agents  between  you  and  the  parties  owning  the 
vessels  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir;  I  was  a  stranger  there,  and  I  employed 'men  who  knew 
about  ships  to  advise  me;  to  see  the  owners  of  the  ships  and  the  vessels; 
but  there  was  no  one  between  me  and  the  owners. 

Question.  So  far  as  you  know,  were  there  any  commissions  paid  by  the 
owners  of  these  vessels  to  any  of  these  parties  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir;  not  that  1  know  of.  If  there  had  been.,  and  I  had  known 
it,  I  would  not  have  taken  the  ships.  No  commissions  were  paid,  to  my 
knowledge.  If  I  had  supposed  that  there  had  been  any,  that  would  have 
been  a  reason  for  my  not  taking  the  ships.  I  received  nothing  myself,  and 
I  did  not  allow  anybody  else  to  take  anything,  to  my  knowledge. 

Question.  It  has  been  charged  that  these  vessels  have  been  detained  at 
Port  Royal  at  a  very  heavy  expense. 

Answer.  There  has  been  no  vessel  detained  there  that  was  not  absolutely 
necessary. 

Question.  Take  the  steamer  Marion;  how  long  has  she  been  there? 

Answer.  A  very  long  time;  I  do  not  recollect  how  many  days.     We  were 


324  TESTIMONY. 

operating  all  along  the  whole  coast.  We  had  possession  of  the  coast  from 
the  harbor  down  to  Augustine,  and  we  kept  vessels  there  for  days  and 
weeks,  because  we  did  not  know  how  far  we  would  have  to  go,  or  where. 

Question,  Did  you  use  these  vessels  for  that  purpose  ? 

Answer,  Yes,  sir;  altogether.  Sometimes  we  kept  vessels  there  for 
weeks,  and  did  not  use  them  at  all;  but  it  was  the  understanding  of  General 
Sherman  that  they  would  be  used.  I  sent  the  vessels  home  as  soon  as  I 
could  learn  they  would  not  be  needed,  and  I  did  not  keep  them  after  we 
were  through  with  them. 

Question.  How  many  did  you  keep  there  ? 

Answer.  Sometimes  more,  and  sometimes  less.  At  first  we  had  to  land 
everything  through  the  surf  in  small  boats.  There  was  no  pier  there,  and 
sometimes  it  would  be  so  windy  for  days  that  we  could  not  do  anything. 
We  set  to  work  immediately  to  build  a  pier,  and  finally  finished  it,  when  we 
could  unload  much  faster.  The  vessels  were  then  unloaded  and  sent  home, 
except  those  that  we  considered  it  necessary  to  keep  for  our  operations 

Question.  How  many  steamers  did  you  have  there  for  fifty  days  ? 

Answer.  A  great  many,  I  should  think.     I  cannot  tell  the  number. 

Question.  Were  they  not  idle  most  of  the  time  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  they  were  idle.  They  had  loads  on,  however.  There 
were  cargoes  on  them  that  we  could  not  get  out.  We  used  to  work  our 
men  in  the  water  night  and  day  taking  out  the  cargoes.  We  were  waiting 
some  weeks  for  the  navy  to  move  to  operate  down  at  San  Augustine. 

Question.  But  all  this  time  the  cost  of  these  vessels  was  running  on  at 
the  rate  of  from  $1,000  to  $2,000  a  day  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  they  were  lying  there  idle  all  the  time.  It  was  a 
matter  over  which  I  had  not  the  slightest  control.  I  was  merely  an  agent. 
No  vessel  could  leave  there  without  the  order  of  the  general  commanding. 

Question.  Did  you  represent  to  the  general  commanding  that  there  was 
an  enormous  expense  going  on  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  a  great  many  times. 

Question.  .Could  you  not  get  from  him  authority  to  send  them  home  ? 

Answer.  We  could  not  spare  them.  It  was  not  safe  for  the  army  there 
without  these  vessels.  We  did  not  know  what  force  they  had  in  front  of 
us,  and  without  these  vessels  we  had  nothing  to  fall  back  upon.  It  was 
supposed  that  there  were  some  60,000  or  70,000  of  the  enemy  in  front  of  us. 

Question.  You  kept  these  vessels  as  a  refuge— something  to  fall  back 
upon,  should  it  become  necessary  to  do  so  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  and  to  move  troops  also.  We  could  do  nothing  there 
except  by  water. 

By  Mr.  Chandler: 

Question.  How  many  men  did  you  say  you  had  in  front  of  you  ? 

Answer.  We  estimated  that  there  were  some  60. 000  on  the  line,  including 
those  in  Savannah,  along  the  line  of  the  railroad,  and  in  Charleston. 

By  Mr.  Odell: 

Question.  Have  yo*u  any  data  with  you  which  would  enable  you  to  tell 
how  long  you  kept  these  steamers  there  ? 

Answer.  I  have  in  my  office. 

Question.  In  this  city  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  I  have  given  certificates  for  the  time  the  vessels  served 
there.  It  will  all  appear  in  the  quartermaster's  office. 

Question.  Can  you  furnish  this  committee  with  a  list  of  steamers  and 
other  vessels  that  you  chartered,  and  the  time  for  which  you  gave  them 
certificates  ? 


TESTIMONY.  325 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  I  will  do  that. 

Question.  Do  these  charters  for  the  steamers  in  every  instance  cover  all 
expenses  ? 

Answer.  The  whole  running  expenses,  coaling  and  all.  I  chartered  the 
fleet  that  took  down  our  force  of  15,000  men,  and  we  took  them  down  there 
without  losing  a  single  vessel  which  I  chartered,  or  losing  a  single  life,  and 
we  passed  through  one  of  the  severest  storms  ever  seen  on  this  coast. 
There  were  vessels  lost,  but  none  that  were  chartered  by  me. 

Question.  According  to  the  terms  of  the  charter-parties,  the  owners  of  the 
vessels  that  you  chartered  were  to  furnish  coal  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  every  one,  except  the  Ben  Deford,  perhaps.  For  that, 
I  think,  I  agreed  to  furnish  the  coal,  but  all  the  rest  had  to  furnish  coal  for 
themselves.  They  received  a  great  deal  of  coal  from  the  government,  but 
every  pound  of  coal  that  they  got  from  me  I  charged  on  their  charter-party. 

Question.  Why  did  you  furnish  coal  to  them  ? 

Answer.  It  was  when  they  had  none  down  there. 

Question.  Was  it  not  rather  their  business  to  furnish  the  coal  than  yours  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  but  the  charter  stipulated  that  in  case  the  government 
furnished  coal  they  should  pay  for  it. 

Question.  How  did  you  charge  the  cost  of  the  coal  ? 

Answer.  At  New  York  prices. 

Question.  Then  you  gave  them  the  cost  of  transporting  the  coal  down 
there  ?  ^ 

Answer.  They  would  not  charter  to  pay  for  coal  what  it  might  be  worth 
wherever  they  got  it.  They  agreed  to  furnish  coal  and  to  run  the  ships; 
but  if  they  used  government  coal  they,  were  to  receive  it  at  New  York 
prices. 

Question.  Did  you  furnish  coal  to  the  whole  of  them? 

Answer.  No,  sir;  not  to  half  of  them.  I  furnished  it  only  in  cases  of  ab 
solute  necessity,  when  they  were  entirely  out  of  it,  and  were  ordered  off 
somewhere  and  had  no  coal.  Then  I  let  them  have  government  coal  which 
had  been  sent  down  there. 

Question.  Sent  by  the  government  ? 

Answer.  Mr.  Tucker  sent  it. 

^  Question.  The  government  transported  the  coal  down  there,  and  then  fur 
nished  it  to  the  owners  of  these  steamers  at  New  York  prices  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  that  was  in  the  charter;  they  would  not  make  any 
other  agreement. 

By  the  chairman: 

Question.  What  is  the  expense  of  running  one  of  those  steamers  that 
you  chartered,  for  instance,  at  $1,000  a  day  ? 

Answer.  I  cannot  tell;  I  am  not  acquainted  with  the  cost  of  running 
ships.  I  know  that  it  would  cost  the  government  a  great  deal  more  than  it 
would  cost  a  private  company.  But  I  am  not  able  to  say  what  it  would 
cost. 

By  Mr.  Odell: 

Question^  Did  you  keep  an  account  of  the  cotton  shipped  from  there,  or 
was  that  shipped  under  your  superintendence  ? 

Answer.  It  was  shipped  under  my  superintendence  at  first,  but  afterwards 
it  was  all  turned  over  to  Colonel  Reynolds,  the  government  agent.  I  com 
menced  the  collection  of  the  cotton,  and  got  it  under  way  before  Colonel 
Reynolds  got  down  there,  and  when  he  came  I  furnished  him  transportation 
for  it. 

Question.  Has  the  cotton  exported  by  yonr  expedition  anything  like  com 
pensated  the  demurrage  of  the  ships  there  ? 


326  TESTIMONY. 

Answer.  No,  sir;  it  has  not,  if  you  reckon  the  steamers. 

Question.  I  mean  reckoning  all. 

Answer.  No,  sir;  it  has  not. 

Question.  Has  it  half  done  it  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir;  I  should  think  not.  I  do  not  imagine  there  has  been 
more  than  $700,000  worth  of  cotton  shipped;  certainly  not  more  than  a  mil 
lion  of  dollars  worth.  I  do  not  think  the  cotton  has  been  sold  for  its  full 
value.  It  was  very  fine  cotton,  arid  I  think  worth  more  than  it  was  sold  for. 

Question.  Are  these  vessels  still  there? 

Answer.  Very  few  of  them  are  there  now.  I  sent  them  off  as  fast  as  we 
thought  we  could  spare  them. 

Question.  There  has  been  a  large  number  of  vessels  chartered  to  take 
coal  there,  chartered  either  by  yourself  or  others  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  It  has  been  said  that  care  has  not  been  taken  to  clear  these 
vessels  out  as  soon  as  might  be. 

Answer.  All  I  can  say  is,  that  any  such  charge  as  that  is  false.  Every 
precaution  was  taken  to  get  them  off  as  soon  as  possible  We  worked  our 
men  night  and  day  in  the  water  to  get  the  coal  landed  and  the  vessels  sent 
off.  We  got  piers  erected  as  soon  as  possible,  and  had  the  coal  landed  as 
rapidly  as  possible.  And  even  after  we  had  done  that,  it  was  a  question 
whether  the  greater  length  of  time  it  took  to  coal  the  steamers  from  the 
docks  was  not  enough  to  make  up  for  all  the  demurrage  in  keeping  the  coals 
on  the  vessels  and  loading  the  ships  directly  from  the  coal  transports.  I 
know  that  I  worked  for  the  interest  of  the  government  as  well  as  I  could, 
and  so  did  my  assistants.  I  pronounce  all  such  statements  as  that  false. 

Question.  You  refer  to  sending  off  the  transports  ? 

Answer.  I  refer  to  every  vessel  down  there,  so  far  as  the  unloading  them 
is  concerned.  Every  effort  was  made  to  unload  those  ships  rapidly.  I 
worked  night  and  day  at  it,  as  did  my  agents — night  and  day,  Sundays  and 
all.  Ships  may  have  been  detained  there  when  it  was  not  necessary.  But 
I  am  not  responsible  for  that.  That  comes  under  the  commanding  general. 
Every  ship  was  sent  off  as  quickly  as  I  could  get  orders  to  send  it;  and  I 
could  not  send  it  before. 

By  the  chairman: 

Question.  What  is  the  condition  of  the  army  there  in  regard  to  their  health 
and  efficiency  ? 

Answer.  They  were  very  healthy  when  I  left.  There  seemed  to  be  very 
little  sickness  there.  In  the  course  of  the  winter  it  was  otherwise;  it  was 
very  sickly  for  a  time;  but  that  we  attributed  to  working  the  men  in  the 
water  night  and  day,  carrying  stores  ashore — especially  the  working  them 
in  the  water  after  night. 

Question.  Why  did  you  not  employ  contrabands  for  that  business  ? 

Answer.  We  did  employ  a  great  many  of  them.  We  could  not  have  got 
along  without  the  assistance  of  the  contrabands.  They  worked  very  cheer 
fully,  and  were  of  great  assistance  to  us.  But  it  is  a  very  great  undertaking 
to  supply  an  army  of  17,000  men  on  shore  from  vessels,  without  piers  to  land 
the  stores  upon. 

Question.  There  seemed  to  be  a  time  when  the  army  might  have  advanced 
upon  Charleston  and  Savannah,  and  have  proceeded  into  the  interior.  Do 
you  know  any  reason  why  that  was  not  done  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir;  I  do  not.  I  suppose  the  officers  in  command  were  not 
•  aware  of  the  panic  that  seized  the  people  there  after  the  taking  of  Port 
Koyal.  After  we  took  the  forts  there,  there  was  a  complete  panic  through 
out  the  whole  southern  country.  We  could  have  gone  into  Savannah  at 


TESTIMONY.  327 

that  time  with  200  men,  I  believe.  And  the  reason  we  did  not,  I  suppose, 
was  because  the  condition  of  the  country  was  not  known. 

Question.  Do  you  know  what  were  the  orders  from  headquarters  to  the 
commanding  officers  of  the  expedition  ? 

Answer.  Their  orders  were  to  open  two  harbors  on  the  southern  coast,  in 
order  that  the  blockading  squadron  should  have  some  place  to  go  into  when 
necessary.  They  were  to  open  two  ports,  if  possible;  one  certainly. 

Question.  Were  their  orders  sucfe  as  to  prohibit  their  making  expeditions 
into  the  interior  ? 

Answer.  Not  so  far  as  I  am  aware. 

Question.  In  brief,  what  was  the  condition  of  affairs  that  you  found  there  ? 
You  have  already  said  that  there  was  such  a  panic  created  by  your  landing 
that  Charleston  and  Savannah  might  have  been  taken  easily.  In  regard  to 
the  white  inhabitants  there,  did  they  leave  the  country  ? 

Answer.  They  deserted  the  country,  leaving  everything  behind.  They 
tried  to  take  their  negroes  with  them,  but  they  would  not  go.  They  shot 
down  their  negroes  in  many  instances  because  they  would  not  go  with  them. 
They  tied  them  behind  their  wagons,  and  tried  to  drag  them  off;  but  the 
negroes  would  not  go.  The  great  majority  of  the  negroes  remained  behind, 
and  came  into  our  lines. 

Question.  What  is  the  condition  of  the  negroes  there  now  ? 

Answer.  It  is  improving  very  much.  There  have  been  a  great  many 
articles  Bent  down  to  them  from  the  north.  Ladies  have  gone  down  there, 
and  are  teaching  them,  and  they  are  going  to  work  on  the  plantations  now; 
and  I  think  their  condition  is  very  much  improved. 

By  Mr.  Odell: 

Question.  Has  the  culture  of  the  soil  been  gone  into  to  any  great  extent  ? 

Answer.  To  quite  a  large  extent. 

Question.  Enough  to  give  employment  to  the  contrabands  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  There  is  no  trouble  about  employing  them  if  they  can 
receive  the  products  of  their  labor.  I  have  been  told  by  many  of  the  negroes 
that  if  they  can  be  assured  that  they  will  receive  the  benefit  of  their  own 
labor,  they  are  ready  to  go  to  work.  They  can  take  care  of  themselves. 

Question.  What  has  been  your  hospital  accommodations  there  ? 

Answer.  At  first  they  were  very  poor.  But  we  have  a  very  good  hospital 
there  now. 

Question.  The  accommodations  now  are  all  that  are  necessary  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  we  have  a  hospital  there  1,300  feet  long — a  temporary 
hospital — raised  up  from  the  ground  and  well  ventilated;  as  good  a  hospital 
as  there  is  in  the  country  anywhere. 

Question.  Well  appointed? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  with  good,  skilful  surgeons,  and  everything  necessary  to 
make  the  sick  comfortable.  I  built  it  myself,  and  I  know  all  about  it.  I 
think  that  in  the  course  of  the  spring,  and  certainly  if  we  go  into  the  inte 
rior,  there  must  be  a  great  deal  of  sickness  from  the  malaria  that  arises 
from  the  swamps,  and  which  is  very  dangerous.  But  I  think  there  will  be 
no  difficulty  in  remaining  at  Hilton  Head  all  summer.  Beaufort,  too,  I  think 
is  healthy,  and  also  Tybee  island  and  a  great  part  of  the  Edisto.  But  the 
trouble  is,  that  going  into  the  interior  will  bring  us  into  these  malarious 
swamps. 

By  Mr.  Gooch: 

Question    Could  you  not  have  used  a  large  force  there  to  good  advantage  ? 
Answer.  Yes,  sir;  we  needed  a  larger  force.     We  could  have  used  50,000 
men  to  great  advantage,  and  ought  to  have  had  them. 


328  TESTIMONY. 

By  Mr.  Odell: 

Question.  What  could  you  have  done  with  that  force,  if  you  had  had  it? 
Answer.  We  could  have  taken  Savannah  and  Charleston,  both. 
Question.  How  early  could  you  have  done  that  ? 
Answer.  Very  soon  after  we  received  the  force,  I  think. 

By  Mr.  Gooch: 

Question.  Has  there  been  any  time  when  you  could  not  have  taken  Charles 
ton  and  Savannah  with  a  force  of  50,000  men  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir;  no  time  at  all. 

Question.  You  mean  by  50,000,  if  your  force  had  been  increased  to  50,000  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  we  then  could  have  taken  both  of  those  places  at  any 
time.  We  should  have  first  marched  to  their  railroad  and  cut  off  their  com 
munication,  and  then  we  could  have  moved  from  Pocotaligo,  which  was  very 
near  our  line,  to  Savannah  a|jd  Charleston. 

Question.  Do  you  know  whether  application  was  made  for  more  force  ? 

Answer.  I  do  not  know  certainly  about  that.  I  know  that  application 
was  made  for  horses  and  wagon  trains,  for  I  made  the  application  myself, 
but  they  were  not  supplied.  It  is  my  impression  that  General  Sherman 
applied  for  more  troops;  I  am  pretty  sure  he  did. 

Question.  What  did  you  want  with  horses  and  wagons  ? 

Answer.  To  make  these  onward  movements.  We  wanted  to  move  on 
Savannah,  and  also  on  Charleston. 

Question.  You  say  "  we  wanted  to." 

Answer.  By  that  I  refer  to  the  whole  army. 

Question.  Including  the  general  in  command  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Then  why  did  you  not  move  on  Savannah  ? 

Answer.  There  were  two  plans  of  action.  The  generaPs  orders,  I  think, 
were  to  secure  two  harbors  on  the  coast,  to  make  a  place  for  the  blockading 
squadron  to  go  into  in  case  of  bad  weather.  Having  taken  Port  Royal,  we 
found  that  a  great  deal  more  fell  into  our  hands  ;  indeed  we  got  possession  of 
the  entire  coast.  The  question  then  arose  whether  it  would  be  better  to  take 
possession  of  all  the  harbors  on  the  coast  and  hold  them,  or  to  keep  the  force 
inland  and  m-ove  directly  on  Savannah.  And  I  think  that  upon  consultation 
with  the  Navy  Department  the  decision  was  that  it  was  better  to  occupy  the 
coast.  And  in  consequence  of  that  the  movement  upon  Savannah  was  given 
up  until  re-enforcements  should  arrive. 

Question.  If  your  force  had  been  increased  to  50,000  men,  you  could  then 
have  occupied  the  coast,  and  taken  Charleston  and  Savannah,  too  ? 

Answer.  I  think  so  ;  I  know  that  if  I  had  been  in  command  I  should  have 
liked  very  much  to  have  had  an  opportunity  to  have  attempted  it. 

Question.  In  army  operations,  as  a  general  thing,  can  a  considerable  por 
tion  of  colored  people  be  used  without  putting  arms  into  their  hands  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir  ;  they  are  ready  to  do  anything  for  us. 

By  Mr.  Covode  : 

Question.  Could  they  not  be  made  use  of  in  fortifications  in  the  sickly 
season  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir  ;  with  very  great  advantage. 

By  Mr.  Gooch  : 

Question.  If  our  army  should  remain  in  the  south,  would  it  be  possible  to 
employ  quite  a  large  number  of  negroes  to  aid  and  assist  the  army  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  We  have  some  five  hundred  now  employed  in  the  Port 
Royal  department.  They  will  do  anything  we  tell  them  to  do. 


TESTIMONY.  329 

Question.  As  a  general  thing  do  you  find  them  willing  to  work  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Are  they  reasonably  intelligent  ? 

Answer.  Some  of  them  are  very  intelligent,  while  others  are  not.  There 
is  a  wide  distinction  between  them  in  that  respect. 

Question.  In  your  opinion,  what  could  you  have  accomplished  if,  within, 
say,  sixty  or  ninety  days  after  you  landed  there,  you  had  been  re-enforced  to 
75,000  men  ? 

Answer.  I  think  we  could  have  taken  military  possession  of  the  greater 
portion  of  South  Carolina  and  Georgia  I  think  that  there  are  a  great  many 
loyal  men  there  who  would  have  joined  our  cause  the  moment  there  was  a 
show  of  force  there  to  sustain  the  cause  of  the  government.  I  think  we 
could  have  taken  possession  of  all  their  lines  of  railroads  and  all  their  prin 
cipal  towns.  I  have  conversed  with  a  great  many  prisoners  whom  we  have 
taken  there,  and  have  frequently  found  men  in  the  middle  and  lower  condi 
tions  of  life  to  whom  this  rebellion  is  exceedingly  distasteful.  They  only 
serve  in  the  rebel  ranks  because  they  are  forced  to  do  so. 

By  Mr.  Odell : 

Question.  Is  that  the  general  verdict  of  the  men  you  have  taken  prisoners  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir  ;  of  that  class. 

Question.  That  they  are  in  the  rebel  army  because  they  are  obliged  to  be 
there  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir  ;  and  they  have  told  me  that  if  they  could  only  be 
assured  that  they  would  not  be  forced  to  violate  their  oath  of  allegiance, 
they  would  take  it  and  go  back  to  their  homes. 

By  Mr.  Gooch  : 

Question.  It  is,  then,  your  opinion  that  if  we  had  taken  military  possession 
of  South  Carolina  and  Georgia,  as  we  might  have  done,  with  an  army  of  75,000 
men,  we  should  have  found  a  large  portion  of  the  people  ready  to  give  in 
their  allegiance  to  the  government  as  soon  as  they  could  have  felt  assured 
of  protection  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir  ;  that  is  my  opinion. 

Question.  And  by  not  doing  that  before  this  time,  has  not  the  best  season 
of  the  year  for  operations  in  that  country  been  lost  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir  ;  I  think  it  has. 

Question.  Have  you  had  sufficient  transportation  to  have  taken  such  an 
army  from  Annapolis,  or  some  other  point  in  this  vicinity,  to  the  southern 
coast  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir,  by  making  several  trips. 

Question.  How  many  trips  would  it  have  required  to  have  taken  75,000 
men  down  there  ? 

Answer.  Our  fleet  took  down  between  14,000  and  15,000  at  one  time. 
The  best  policy  would  have  been  to  have  employed  some  of  those  large 
steamers  that  could  have  gone  down  there  in  60  hours.  They  would  have 
taken  the  troops  down  very  rapidly. 

Question.  How  long  would  it  have  taken,  with  the  means  of  transporta 
tion  that  you  had,  to  have  transferred  60,000  men  from  the  Potomac  to  your 
scene  of  operations  ? 

Answer.  I  should  think  it  might  all  have  been  done  in  a  month. 

Question.  And  without  any  very  great  increase  of  expense  to  the  govern 
ment  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  I  think  a  great  portion  of  the  army  of  the  Potomac 
might  have  been  taken  down  there,  and  have  fought  several  battles,  and 
come  back  here  again  before  they  were  needed  for  operations  here,  and  been 


330  TESTIMONY. 

all  the  better  prepared  to  fight  here  from  the  experience  they  would  have 
gained. 

By  Mr.  Odell  : 

Question.  Would  it  have  been  possible  for  the  enemy,  with  the  means  of 
transportation  at  their  command,  to  have  concentrated  an  army  down  there 
in  time  to  have  met  the  force  that  we  could  have  taken  there  ? 

Answer.  I  think  not.  We  should  have  taken  possession  of  the  railroad 
lines  at  the  very  first,  and  could  have  retained  all  the  advantages  we  had 
in  the  beginning. 

By  Mr.  Gooch: 

Question.  Has  this  been  a  subject  of  discussion  among  military  men 
where  you  were,  that  the  seat  of  war  should  have  been  transferred  to  the 
cotton  States  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.     We  have  all  along  felt  that  that  should  have  been  done. 

By  Mr.  Covode: 

Question.  In  your  judgment  would  it  have  been  safe  to  have  trusted 
arms  in  the  hands  of  the  colored  men  there  ? 
Answer.  Yes,  sir,  I  think  it  would. 

Question.  They  would  have  used  them  against  the  rebels  ? 
Answer.  Most  undoubtedly.     There  can  be  no  question  about  that. 

By  Mr.  Gooch: 

Question.  Have  the  enemy  in  any  instance  armed  their  slaves  ? 
Answer.  We  understood  that  they  had  one  or  two  regiments  of  slaves  in 
New  Orleans.     But  I  do  not  think  they  could  rely  upon  them  at  all. 

By  Mr.  Covode: 

Question.  You  think  they  could  be  relied  upon  to  fight  for  our  side  ? 

Answer.  I  am  sure  of  that. 

Question.  Are  the  local  attachments  of  these  negroes  very  strong  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Do  you  think  that  if  slavery  should  be  abolished  that  we  of  the 
north  would  be  seriously  troubled  by  their  coming  among  us  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir.  I  do  not  think  they  would  leave  their  old  homes  wil 
lingly.  It  is  my  impression  that  if  37ou  would  give  each  of  these  negroes  a 
little  strip  of  land  to  cultivate  for  themselves,  enough  to  support  themselves 
and  their  families,  they  would  take  care  of  themselves,  and  the  remaining 
land  would  soon  become  worth  more  than  all  the  land  and  all  the  negroes 
were  worth  before. 

Question.  In  your  opinion,  has  it  not  been  a  military  mistake  that  we  have 
not  before  this  made  use  of  the  muscle  of  the  blacks  to  aid  us  in  putting 
down  this  rebellion  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  I  think  so. 


TESTIMONY. 


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TESTIMONY.  333 


BURNSIDE  EXPEDITION. 


WASHINGTON,  March  19,  1863. 

Major  General  A.  E.  BURNSIDE  recalled  and  examined. 
By  Mr.  Gooeh: 

Question.  Will  you  give  the  committee  a  statement  of  all  matters  of  in 
terest  connected  with  the  origin  and  operations  of  the  coast  division,  com 
monly  known  as  the  Burn  side  expedition  ? 

Answer.  In  the  early  part  of  September,  1861,  I  was  in  command  of  the 
provisional  brigades  in  the  city  of  Washington,  which  were  formed  from 
the  new  troops  as  they  arrived.  During  that  time  I  had  several  conversa 
tions  with  General  McClellan  with  reference  to  the  blockade  of  the  Potomac, 
and  movements  of  discontented  people  in  the  southern  counties  of  Maryland 
on  the  boarders  of  the  Patuxent  river,  as  well  as  along  the  coast  of  the 
eastern  shore  counties  of  Virginia  and  Maryland.  During  one  of  those  con 
versations  I  said  to  him  that  I  thought  it  would  be  well  to  organize  a  division 
composed  of  men  from  the  eastern  States,  and  to  equip  vessels  of  proper 
draught  and  capacity  to  operate  in  those  waters,  with  a  view  to  taking  posses 
sion  of  points  on  the  rivers  and  coast  occupied  by  the  enemy,  and  prevent 
the  occupation  of  other  important  points.  He  said  that  he  had  long  felt  the 
want  of  something  of  that  kind,  and  he  would  be  very  glad  if  I  would  ma 
ture  the  plan  of  which  I  had  been  thinking,  and  submit  a  written  proposi 
tion  to  him.  I  did  so.  The  plan  was  about  as  follows: 

To  organize  in  the  eastern  States  regiments  near  the  sea-coast,  composed 
as  much  as  possible  of  men  who  knew  more  or  less  about  steamers,  sailing 
vessels,  surf-boats,  &c.,  and  to  arm  and  equip  a  sufficient  number  of  vessels 
of  light  draught  to  carry  this  division  of  men,  (which  at  that  time  it  was  in 
tended  should  number  about  10,000  men,)  so. that  they  could  be  moved 
quickly  from  one  point  on  the  coast  to  another.  The  object  in  arming  these 
vessels  with  heavy  guns  was  to  enable  them  to  overcome  any  slight  oppo 
sition  that  they  might  meet  with  on  the  rivers  or  coast,  without  the  necessi 
ty  of  waiting  for  assistance  from  the  navy,  which  might  not  be  at  hand. 
All  these  vessels  were  to  be  well  supplied  with  surf-boats,  launches,  and 
other  means  of  landing  troops.  The  vessels  were  to  be  of  the  lightest  draught 
possible,  in  order  to  navigate  all  the  bays,  harbors  and  rivers  of  the  waters 
of  the  Chesapeake  bay  and  of  North  Carolina. 

It  was  first  contemplated  to  place  this  division  at  work  in  the  waters  of 
Chesapeake  bay,  and  the  rivers  running  into  it,  then  to  be  transferred  to 
the  waters  of  North  Carolina.  This  plan  was  approved  by  General 
McClellan,  and  I  carried  it  to  the  Secretary  of  War,  had  it  approved  by  him, 
and  got  the  necessary  orders  issued  for  the  fitting  out  of  the  command.  I 
then  repaired  to  New  York,  and  from  there  to  New  England,  where  I  suc 
ceeded  in  getting  the  troops,  and  in  fitting  out  the  best  vessels  that  could 
be  obtained;  as  soon  as  the  expedition  was  fitted  out  it  repaired  to  Annapolis. 
The  three  brigades  of  the  division  were  commanded  by  Generals  Keno, 
Parke,  and  Foster.  In  the  meantime  I  had  been  informed  by  General 
McClellan  that  it  had  been  decided  to  send  the  expedition  into  the  waters  of 
North  Carolina.  I  was  summoned  to  go  to  Washington,  where,  in  the 
presence  of  the  President,  Secretary  Seward,  General  McClellan  and  Com- 


334  TESTIMONY. 

modore  Goldsborough — to  all  of  whom  I  explained  the  nature  of  my  force — 
it  was  decided  that  I  should  sail  at  the  earliest  day  possible  to  Hatteras  inlet, 
cross  into  the  sound  in  connexion  with  a  naval  fleet,  t6  be  under  the  com 
mand  of  Commodore  Goldsborough,  and  take  if  possible,  first,  Koanoke 
island,  and  then  such  other  points  as  it  should  appear  necessary  to  hold  on 
the  coast  and  the  sounds  of  that  State.  I  returned  to  Annapolis,  and  at 
once  made  my  arrangements  for  embarking*.  Having  received  my  instruc 
tions  from  General  McOlellan,  I  sailed  from  there  on  the  8th  of  January, 
1862.  When  the  expedition  was  twenty  miles  out  from  Fortress  Monroe, 
the  commanders  of  the  vessels  having  been  furnished  by  me  with  sealed 
orders,  opened  them,  and  the  whole  fleet  concentrated  at  Hatteras  inlet,  as 
had  been  contemplated.  Upon  leaving  Fortress  Monroe  we  were  overtaken 
by  a  very  severe  storm,  which  continued  almost  incessantly  for  twenty  eight 
days.  The  history  of  that  period  is  so  well  known  that  it  is  not  worth  while 
to  go  into  a  detail  of  it. 

By  Mr.  Odell  : 

Question.  How  many  vessels  did  you  lose  in  that  storm  ? 

Answer.  We  lost  three  steamers  and  some  half  a  dozen  sailing  vessels — 
sloops  and  schooners.  There  were  but  three  lives  lost  by  the  storm.  By 
the  6th  of  February  we  succeeded  in  getting  all  our  vessels,  with  our  troops 
on  board,  over  the  bulkhead  at  Hatteras  inlet.  We  started  at  once  for 
Koanoke  island,  where  the  fleet  concentrated,  and  on  the  night  of  the  7th 
succeeded  in  landing  our  troops  under  cover  of  our  own  gunboat  Picket 
and  the  naval  gunboat  Delaware;  there  were  some  7,500  troops  landed  in 
all,  the  remainder  of  them  having  been  left  at  Hatteras  inlet.  During  the 
day  of  the  7th,  and  before  landing  the  troops,  the  naval  portion  of  the  expe 
dition,  together  with  the  armed  troop  vessels,  engaged  the  shore  batteries 
until  the  troops  commenced  landing. 

On  the  morning  of  the  8th  the  command  was  moved  forward.  At  a  point 
one  mile  and  a  half  from  the  landing  we  came  upon  an  intrenched  position 
of  the  enemy  of  which  we  had  been  informed  by  spies.  After  some  four 
hours'  fighting  we  succeeded  in  carrying  that  position.  The  troops  were 
then  pushed  rapidly  up  to  the  head  of  the  island,  at  which  point  the  whole  reb«l 
garrison  was  captured  before  they  had  time  to  embark.  Their  vessels  ran 
up  the  sound  without  them.'  We  took  about  2,700  prisoners  and  44  guns. 

The  next  day  the  naval  part  of  the  enemy's  fleet  was  followed  by  our 
naval  fleet,  under  Commodore  Rowan,  and  overtaken  at  Elizabeth,  where 
they  were  all  either  destroyed  or  captured. 

Our  vessels  had  suffered  very  much  from  the  violence  of  the  storm,  so 
that  it  required  a  considerable  time  to  repair  them. 

By  the  8th  of  March  we  had  everything  in  readiness  for  another  move 
ment.  The  troops  were  embarked,  and,  in  accordance  with  the  instructions 
given  to  us,  we  sailed  for  Newbern.  We  landed,  under  cover  of  Commo 
dore  Rowan's  gunboats,  at  a  point  about  eighteen  miles  from  there,  at  the 
mouth  of  Slocum's  creek,  early  on  the  morning  of  the  13th — getting  about 
7,500  on  shore.  From  that  point  the  troops  marched  up  to  within  five  miles 
of  Newbern,  where  we  came  upon  the  enemy's  intrenchments  on  the  night 
of  the  13th.  Early  on  the  morning  of  the  14th  we  engaged  the  enemy,  in 
conjunction  with  the  naval  fleet,  and  in  two  and  a  half  hours  carried  their 
intrenchments,  capturing  three  batteries  of  field  artillery  and  all  their  shore 
batteries — in  all,  about  69  guns — and  took  some  500  prisoners,  and  all  their 
camps,  quartermaster,  commissary,  and  ordnance  stores.  Their  army  saved 
itself  by  retreating  across  the  Trent  river  and  destroying  the  two  bridges 
over  it,  which  prevented  us  from  following  them. 

Within  two  or  three  days  I  started  General  Parke's  division  down  across 
the  country  with  a  view  to  investing  Fort  Macon,  which  was  the  next  point 


TESTIMONY.  335 

we  were  ordered  to  attack.  The  bridges  between  Newbern  and  Beaufort, 
which  was  opposite  Fort  Macon,  were  destroyed  by  the  enemy.  But  General 
Parke  succeeded  in  taking  possession  of  Moorehead  City  and  Beaufort  in  two 
days. 

Within  a  week  the  bridges  on  the  road  were  repaired,  and  hand-cars, 
which  we  had  taken  with  us  in  the  vessels,  were  placed  upon  the  track,  by 
means  of  which  we  were  enabled  to  transport  all  the  means  necessary  to 
besiege  Fort  Macon. 

We  labored  under  great  difficulty  in  getting  across  Bogue  sound  on  to  the 
banks,  in  order  to  invest  the  fort,  as  there  were  no  vessels  or  boats  at  Moore- 
head  City  or  Beaufort,  and  Cove  sound  was  guarded  by  the  batteries  of  the 
enemy.  The  fort  also  protected  the  entrance  to  the  harbor.  General  Parke, 
on  the  second  or  third  day  after  he  reached  Moorehead  City,  discovered  a 
small  sailing  vessel  coming  up  Bogue  sound,  and  at  once  sent  out  a  launch 
(which  we  succeeded  in  carrying  over  the  country  on  a  hand-car)  with  some 
armed  men  and  captured  her.  On  it  we  found  a  mail  of  the  enemy  and 
some  corn  for  the  fort,  of  all  of  which  we  took  possession.  With  this  vessel 
General  Parke  succeeded  in  throwing  across,  during  the  forepart  of  the 
night,  some  200  men  who  held  their  position  on  that  bank  until  they  were 
re-enforced  the  next  night;  and  finding  some  scows  on  the  opposite  bank, 
they  were  brought  over,  and  he  succeeded  within  a  week  in  getting  his 
whole  command  of  3,500  men  on  to  the  banks.  The  channel  across  there 
was  very  intricate  and  shallow,  and  the  transportation  of  the  troops  was 
attended  with  very  great  difficulties. 

After  .getting  the  troops  over,  the  heavy  guns,  mortars,  and  ammunition 
were  then  transported  across,  together  with  some  horses  to  move  them;  at 
which  time  General  Parke  commenced  the  erection  of  batteries  in  the  sand 
hills  outside  of  the  fort;  and  by  the  morning  of  the  25th  of  April  we  were  ena 
bled  to  open  our  batteries  upon  the  fort.  That  afternoon  at  4  o'clock  the 
enemy  ran  up  a  white  flag.  During  the  time  of  the  siege  we  communicated 
with  the  vessels  outside  by  means  of  surf-boats,  and  those  vessels  joined 
in  the  attack  on  the  25th. 

Our  batteries  ceased  firing  as  soon  as  the  white  flag  was  discovered,  and 
I  was  placed  in  communication  with  the  commanding  officer  of  the  fort, 
and  arranged  with  him  for  a  meeting  the  next  morning  at  six  o'clock,  on 
board  my  vessel,  which  was  lying  just  off  Beaufort.  At  eight  o'clock  the 
articles  of  capitulation  were  signed.  We  then  went  on  shore  and  General 
Parke  received  the  fort  with  all  its  armament,  and  the  arms  of  the  garrison, 
from  Colonel  White,  who  had  been  in  command  of  the  fort. 

An  expedition  was  then  sent  to  Washington  to  take  possession 'of  that 
place  ;  and  subsequently  one  was  sent  to  Plymouth  to  take  possession  of 
that  place,  and  our  boats  held  Elizabeth  City  and  Edenton,  and  points  on 
the  Chowan  river  up  as  high  as  Winton. 

From  that  time  up  to  the  4th  of  July  nothing  of  great  importance  oc 
curred  in  the  department,  excepting  some  demonstrations  threatening  the 
rear  of  Norfolk.  During  one  of  those  demonstrations  General  Reno  had  a 
sharp  engagement  with  the  enemy  at  South  Mills.  After  having  accom 
plished  the  purpose  of  his  expedition  he  returned  with  his  force  to  Newbern. 

We  held  so  many  points  and  so  long  a  line  of  coast  that  it  was  not 
possible  to  spare  from  any  one  point  any  force  for  an  important  expedition  ; 
a  great  many  unimportant  scouts  and  skirmishes  occurred  in  the  mean  time. 

By  Mr.  Gooch  : 

Question.  Will  you  state  the  strength  of  the  several  positions  of  the 
enemy  at  Roanoke  island,  Newbern,  and  Fort  Macon,  and  the  obstacles  you 
had  to  overcome  in  taking  those  places  ? 


336  TESTIMONY. 

Answer.  At  Roanoke  island  we  were  forced  to  land  at  a  point  below  the 
shore  batteries,  on  a  very  low  and  swampy  shore.  The  men  in  leaping  from 
the  boats  were  at  once  more  than  knee-deep  in  mud  and  water.  After  going 
up  a  short  distance  from  shore,  a  hundred  yards  or  so,  they  came  upon  a 
causeway,  some  ten  feet  wide,  which  led  up  through  a  dense  thicket  and 
swamp  for  a  mile  and  a  half  to  where  we  found  the  enemy's  battery.  In 
front  of  the  battery,  for  some  800  yards,  the  enemy  had  cleared  away  all 
the  timber  and  undergrowth,  so  as  to  give  full  play  to  their  guns  over  the 
ground  in  front  as  well  as  down  the  causeway. 

General  Foster  led  off  with  his  brigade  and  occupied  the  enemy  in  front 
of  the  battery,  just  in  the  skirting  of  timber  which  bordered  this  cleared 
space.  As  soon  as  General  Foster  had  got  into  position  General  Reno 
turned  his  brigade  off  to  the  left,  and  General  Parker  turned  his  brigade  off 
to  the  right,  with  a  view  to  flanking  the  battery.  The  moment  the  troops 
left  the  causeway  they  found  themselves  from  knee  to  waist  deep  in  mud 
and  water  in  that  dense  thicket.  They  succeeded  by  extraordinary  efforts 
in  getting  into  positions  which  gave  them  a  flanking  fire  upon  the  battery. 
As  soon  as  the  enemy  became  at  all  shaken  by  this  fire  the  troops  charged 
forward  into  the  cleared  space  and  carried  the  works.  This  was  the  first 
time  the  troops  had  been  under  fire,  and  in  my  estimation  no  troops  ever 
behaved  more  gallantly.  The  enemy  retreated  in  great  confusion  and  were 
closely  followed,  as  I  have  before  said,  by  our  forces,  and  all  on  the  island 
captured. 

At  Newbern  the  enemy's  intrenchments  extended  from  the  Neuse  river 
to  an  impenetrable  swamp,  the  borders  of  which  run  parallel  to  the  river, 
and  within  a  mile  and  a  half  of  the  river  bank.  Across  this  space  of  a  mile 
and  a  half  the  enemy  had  a  continuous  line  of  intrenchments,  rifle-pits,  and 
redans  for  field-pieces.  On  the  river  bank  there  was  a  part  of  thirteen 
heavy  guns  commanding  the  river  and  protecting  the  line  of  intrench  merits. 
In  front  of  this  line,  as  we  had  to  approach  it,  the  timber  was  cleared  away 
as  at  Roanoke  island,  and  our  troops  had  to  be  deployed  in  the  timber 
which  skirted  this  clearing.  The  three  brigades  engaged  the  whole  line  of 
the  enemy's  works,  until  General  Parke's  brigade  succeeded  in  breaking 
through  the  centre,  when  the  line  of  works  was  charged  by  the  brigades  of 
General  Foster  and  General  Reno,  and  carried.  Three  batteries  of  light 
artillery  behind  the  intrenchments  and  in  the  redans,  as  well  as  all  the  shore 
batteries,  were  captured.  As  at  Roanoke,  the  troops  in  this  action  behaved 
as  gallantly  as  any  men  could. 

At  the  siege  of  Fort  Macon  the  hardships  and  difficulties  which  the  troops 
had  to  undergo  in  the  transportation  of  the  guns,  mortars,  ammunition,  and 
provisions,  through  the  intricate  channels  and  over  the  sand-hills,  exceeded 
anything  that  I  have  ever  known  in  the  way  of  land  service.  It  was  all 
performed  by  the  men  without  a  murmur. 

It  would  be  well  to  state  here  that  I  was  most  cordially  supported  in 
everything  I  attempted  to  do  by  Generals  Foster,  Reno,  and  Parke,  and  the 
navy  never  failed  to  co-operate. 

On  the  4th  of  July  we  heard  of  the  retreat  of  General  McClellan's  army. 
I  received  a  telegram  from  the  President  of  the  United  States  saying  that  I 
better  send  at  once  all  the  infantry  possible  to  the  support  of  General  Mc- 
Clellan.  The  message  was  sent  by  telegraph  as  far  as  Fort  Monroe,  and 
from  there  sent  through  to  me  by  way  of  the  canal  which  we  had  just  suc 
ceeded  in  opening,  it  having  previously  been  obstructed  by  the  enemy.  I 
at  once  decided  to  go  myself,  with  as  much  force  as  could  possibly  be 
spared,  to  Fort  Monroe.  The  troops  were  at  once  embarked,  and  we  arrived 
there,  I  think,  on  the  7th  of  July. 


TESTIMONY.  .  337 

Question.  What  was  the  amount  of  the  force  under  your  command  on 
the  4th  of  July,  and  at  different  periods  previous  to  that  time  ? 

Answer.  I  cannot  give  the  exact  figures,  but  it  was  very  nearly  as  follows: 
We  reached  Hatteras  inlet  with  11,500  men.  We  left  a  portion  at  Hatteras 
inlet,  and  succeeded  in  landing  on  Roanoke  island  from  7,000  to  7,500  men. 
A  garrison  was  left  at  Roanoke  island.  Upon  going  to  Newbern,  I  took  a 
portion  of  the  force  that  had  been  left  at  Hatteras  inlet,  landing  at  New 
bern  with  about  7,500  men.  At  the  siege  of  Fort  Macon  General  Parke 
had  about  3,000  or  3,500  men.  In  other  words,  our  whole  force,  up  to  that 
period,  was  about  11,500  men.  After  the  siege  of  Fort  Macon  we  received 
re-eriforcements,  which  made  our  force  something  over  15,000.  Of  that 
number  I  took  to  Fort  Monroe  a  little  over  7,000  men,  and  was  joined  there 
by  a  division  from  General  Hunter,  which  increased  my  command  to  about 
11,000  men. — (See  testimony  upon  "Army  of  the  Potomac.") 


FORT  DONELSON,   ETC. 


WASHINGTON,  July  9,  1862. 
General  LEWIS  WALLACE  sworn  and  examined. 

By  Mr.  Covode: 

Question.  Where  do  you  reside  ? 

Answer.  In  the  State  of  Indiana. 

Question.  What  is  your  position  and  rank  in  the  army  ? 

Answer.  I  am  major  general  of  volunteers. 

Question.  Will  you  please  to  give  us  as  condensed  a  statement  as  you 
can  conveniently  of  what  you  have  witnessed  about  the  conduct  in  the 
west  that  may  be  of  interest  and  importance  to  this  committee  ? 

Answer.  In  the  first  place  I  would  state  that  my  knowledge  of  opera 
tions  in  the  west  extend  only  to  the  conduct  of  my  own  particular  com 
mand.  I  do  not  think  I  ever  had  the  honor  to  be  present  at  a  council  of 
war  except  upon  one  occasion. 

Question.  What  occasion  was  that  ? 

Answer.  That  was  the  day  before  the  troops  marched  from  Fort  Henry 
to  the  attack  on  Donelson.  I  was  then  a  brigadier  general,  commanding  a 
brigade.  Upon  notice  from  General  Grant,  I,  with  others  commanding  brig 
ades,  went  on  board  his  boat  and  attended  a  council  of  war.  The  question 
before  us  was  whether  the  troops  should  immediately  march  upon  Donelson  or 
not.  It  was  a  very  unceremonious  council  of  war  ;  no  formal  opinions  were 
expressed  at  all.  We  all  appeared  to  be  of  the  same  opinion,  and  that  was 
that  the  troops  should  march  upon  Donelson.  We  being,  as  I  said,  quite 
unanimous  on  that  point,  of  course  there  was  no  debate.  Marching  upon 
Donelson  being  agreed  upon,  the  question  was  as  to  the  time  of  marching. 
There  were  some  who  held  to  the  opinion  that  we  should  march  immediately. 
A  few  thought  we  better  wait  a  day  or  two  for  re-enforcements.  The  re 
sult  of  it  was  that  the  main  body  of  troops  marched  at  once.  I  was  left 
behind  on  that  occasion,  with  my  brigade,  in  command  of  Fort  Henry.  The 
rest  of  the  troops  were  gone  two  days  before  I  received  an  order  to  bring 
my  command  up.  I  immediately  marched  with  my  command  and  reached 
there  on  Friday.  Of  course  I  was  ignorant  of  the  position  of  our  army,  and 
knew  nothing  of  the  lines  of  the  enemy.  I  arrived  at  Fort  Donelson,  and 

Part  iii 22 


338  TESTIMONY. 

was  put  in  command  of  a  division.  I  had  no  time  to  organize  my  division, 
except  as  it  marched  past  me,  going  to  take  its  position,  I  had  my  posi 
tion  assigned  to  me,  and  went  and  took  it.  The  battle  opened  on  Saturday 
morning.  My  orders  were  simply  to  hold  the  position  I  occupied,  which 
was  in  the  centre  of  the  line  of  attack.  I  was  to  hold  it  for  the  purpose  of 
repelling  any  sally  from  the  enemy's  lines.  I  had  no  authority  whatever 
given  me  to  make  an  offensive  movement,  and  I  accordingly  held  my  posi 
tion.  The  battle  commenced  early  Saturday  morning  on  the  extreme  right. 
General  McGlernand's  command  was  attacked,  the  object  of  the  enemy  be 
ing,  if  possible,  to  drive  him  from  the  right,  that  they  might  have  a  road  by 
which  to  get  out  from  the  fort.  I  did  not  see  it ;  I  knew  nothing  about  the 
particulars  of  the  fight.  I  only  knew  that  it  was  McClernand's  command 
that  was  engaged. 

I  very  soon,  however,  saw  the  resnlts;  I  saw  a  large  portion  of  his  com 
mand  coming  back  in  confusion.  I  had  in  the  meantime  sent  in  a  portion 
of  my  command  to  re-enforce  him.  The  brigade  I  sent  him  reached  him, 
but,  like  all  the  rest,  it  was  compelled  to  fall  back.  I  am  glad  to  say,  how 
ever,  that  it  fell  back  in  good  order.  The  prospect  looked  very  gloomy  for 
a  little  while.  1  could  find  nobody  who  could  give  me  an  intelligent  opinion 
or  account  of  what  was  transpiring.  It  was  a  matter  of  great  solicitude 
to  me  to  know  whether  the  enemy  were  pursuing.  I  finally  saw  an  officer, 
now  dead,  and  through  information  obtained  from  him,  I  obtained  some 
knowledge  which  enabled  me  to  take  up  a  position  with  my  remaining 
troops,  aod  fortunately  took  it  just  in  time  to  repel  -the  enemy.  They  were 
following  in  rapid  pursuit,  but  were  repulsed.  There  was  no  fighting  after 
that  until  about  3  o'clock  in  the  day. 

About  3  o'clock  I  was  ordered  to  take  my  command  over  to  the  right  and 
make  an  attack  there,  for  the  purpose  of  recovering  the  road  that  had  been 
lost  in  the  morning.  I  did  so.  My  command  immediately  took  the  position 
and  held  it  ail  that  night.  In  the  morning,  while  I  was  making  dispositions 
to  storm  the  works  of  the  enemy,  they  sent  out  a  flag  of  truce,  and  told  me 
that  they  had  surrendered,  and  that  the  place  was  ours.  Of  course,  I  marched 
in  and  took  'possession  of  that  side  of  the  fort. 

Question.  How  many  prisoners  did  you  take  there  ? 

Answer.  I  never  saw  the  official  report  of  them.  My  opinion,  however, 
formed  from  the  statements  of  rebel  officers,  is,  that  between  13,000  and 
15,000  prisoners  were  taken  there.  I  went  over  the  ground,  and  came  to 
the  conclusion  that  it  was  a  matter  of  marvel,  and  must  always  remain  a 
matter  of  marvel,  that  we  took  the  place.  I  was  not  more  rejoiced  than 
astonished  at  our  success. 

Question.  If  it  had  not  been  for  the  decision  of  your  council  to  nif/ve  for 
ward,  and  to  do  it  promptly,  is  it  not  very  probable  that  your  campaign 
there  might  have  been  a  failure  ? 

Answer.  To  do  General  Grant  justice,  I  will  say  that  I  became  satisfied 
at  the  council  that  it  was  his  determination  to  march  in  any  event  I  am 
satisfied  that  he  had  determined  in  his  own  mind,  no  matter  what  the  opinion 
of  the  council  might  have  been,  to  march  on  Donelson.  I  am  therefore  sat 
isfied  that  the  result  would  have  been  the  same,  no  matter  what  conclusion 
the  council  might  have  reached. 

Question.  Did  you  get  your  instructions  from  Was-hington  how  to  proceed 
in  those  matters,  or  did  they  come  from  officers  in  the  west  ?  What  do  you 
know  about  that  ? 

Answer.  All  I  knew  about  orders  was  when  I  received  them  myself.  I 
received  them  through  the  proper  channel.  I  always  understood,  as  a  matter 
of  course,  that  all  orders  for  movements  came  from  General  Halleck.  Those 
I  received  were  passed  down  through  the  regular  channels  to  me. 


TESTIMONY.,  339 

Question.  Was  there  any  time  or  opportunity,  while  operating  at  Donel- 
8on,  for  you  to  receive  orders  from  Washing-ton  by  telegraph  ? 

Answer.  I  do  not  know. 

Question.  How  far  were  you  from  the  nearest  telegraph  station  ? 

Answer.  The  nearest  I  think  was  at  Paducah. 

Question.  How  far  off  was  that? 

Answer.  Probably  some  forty  or  fifty  miles. 

Question.  Too  far  off  to  direct  a  battle,  of  course  ? 

Answer.  I  think  so.  After  the  battle  of  Fort  Henry  the  wires  were 
brought  up  to  Smithlaud,  and  then  they  were  very  promptly  brought  across 
to  Fort  Henry.  That  was  after  the  battle  of  Donelson,  however,  whether 
the  march  upon  Donelson  was  ordered  by  General  Halleck,  or  whether  it- 
was  undertaken  by  General  Grant  of  his  own  accord,  I  do  not  know.  I  do 
not  know  who  indicated  that  movement. 

Question.  Is  it  a  common  thing  in  battles  for  commanders  of  divisions 
and  brigades  to  know  so  little  about  what  is  going  on,  about  the  position 
of  the  enemy,  &c.?  It  would  appear  that  there  is  a  great  deal  of  uncer 
tainty  as  to  what  is  going  on. 

Answer.  I  know  nothing  about  other  armies.  But  I  have  understood 
from  what  military  reading  I  have  had,  that  every  army,  whether  on  the 
march  or  in  action,  has  its  head,  and  that  all  movements  come  from  that 
head,  as  a  matter  of  course. 

Question.  From  your  statement  it  would  appear  that  there  was  not  much 
connexion  between  the  heads  of  divisions  in  this  battle  of  Donelson.  Do  not 
I  BO  understand  it  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  you  do.  I  saw  General  Grant  in  the  battle  of  Donelson 
on  Saturday  but  once.  I  saw  his  adjutant  general  and  one  of  his  aids  pass 
ing  along  the  lines  on  different  occasions.  But  I  saw  General  Grant  but 
once,  and  that  was  at  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon.  He  then  ordered  this 
attack  on  the  night  I  have  spoken  of.  He  first  gave  the  order  to  General 
.McClernand;  but  General  McClernand  not  having  the  troops  in  readiness  at 
the  time,  requested  me  to  make  the  attack.  I  sent  two  or  three  messages 
to  General  Grant  on  Saturday  morning,  while  the  disaster  to  McClernand 
was  occurring,  requesting  or  asking  permission  to  send  him  re-enforcements. 
But  my  messengers  did  not  get  to  him.  He  afterwards  explained  it  by 
saying,  that  at  that  time  he  was  on  board  the  gunboats.  I,  however, 
assumed  the  responsibility  of  sending  re-enforcements  to  General  McCler- 
nand. 

Question.  You  had  to  act  on  your  own  judgment  ? 

Answer.  In  that  particular,  I  did. 

Question.  And  in  doing  so  you  saved  the  army,  did  you  not  ? 

Answer.  I  am  satisfied  my  command  repulsed  the  enemy;  I  know  they 
did.  They  were  not  pursued. 

Question.  Please  proceed  and  state  in  regard  to  your  movements  after  that. 

Answer.  After  the  battle  of  Donelson,  an  hour  after  General  Grant  arrived 
and  took  possession  of  the  town  of  Dover,  and  the  enemy's  works,  and  the 
prisoners,  I  received  an  order  to  proceed  with  my  division  back  to  Fort 
Henry.  I  immediately  proceeded  to  execute  the  order,  and  what  took  place 
at  Donelson  afterwards  I  do  not  know.  I  marched  back  to  Fort  Henry,  put 
my  division  in  position  there,  and  lay  there  for  some  days.  I  then  received 
information  that  we  were  going  up  the  river.  The  transports  arrived  and 
our  troops  were  put  on  board.  We  moved  up  the  river  in  a  kind  of  column. 
General  C.  F.  Smith  was  in  command  of  that  movement.  That  part  of  it,  I 
think,  was  unquestionably  conducted  with  most  soldierly  ability.  There  is 
no  doubt  of  that;  it  was  a  very  orderly  proceeding.  The  embarking  of  so 


340  TESTIMONY. 

many  troops  on  board  the  transports,  always  a  matter  of  considerable  diffi 
culty,  was  done  in  good  order  and  with  celerity. 

Question.  To  what  place  did  you  go  ? 

Answer.  We  moved  up  the  river  to  Savannah.  t  I  learned  from  General 
Smith  what  was  the  object  of  the  movement.  It  had  in  contemplation  an 
attack  on  Corinth.  We  arrived  at  Savannah,  and  lay  there  a  day  or  two, 
while  the  general  was  obtaining  information  as  to  the  nature  of  the  country, 
the  number  of  the  enemy's  forces,  &c.  He  was  very  frank  with  me.  For 
the  first  time,  I  may  say,  I  was  satisfied  with  the  treatment  I  received.  He 
told  me  what  his  designs  were,  and  I  frankly  state  my  opinion  that  if  Gen 
eral  Smith  had  retained  his  health  we  would  have  had  Corinth,  and  there 
would  have  been  no  battle  at  Fittsburg  Landing.  Without  any  delay  he 
undertook  his  preliminary  movements.  One  of  them  was  conducted  by  Gen 
eral  Sherman,  an  attack  on,  or  an  effort  to  break,  the  Memphis  and  Charles 
ton  railroad  east  of  Corinth.  Owing  to  a  rise  of  water  there,  the  general 
failed,  although  he  tried  most  gallantly  to  carry  out  his  orders.  I  was  sent 
with  my  division  to  break  the  road  running  from  Jackson,  Tennessee,  to 
Corinth.  Not  having  so  far  to  march,  I  was  more  successful  than  General 
Sherman,  arid  succeeded  in  burning  the  bridges  and  tearing  up  the  track. 
From  the  information  given  me  by  General  Smith,  I  considered  these  move 
ments  as  preliminary.  Those  roads  being  broken,  he  intended  to  march 
right  straight  on  Corinth.  Unfortunately  he  was  hurt,  got  sick,  and  had  to 
turn  the  command  over. 

Question.  To  whom  ? 

Answer.  The  command  was  turned  over  to  General  Grant.  General  Grant, 
as  I  understand,  made  a  disposition  of  what  forces  we  had  there,  the  exact 
number  of  which  I  do  not  know.  I  think  there  were  between  30,000  and 
40,000  effective  men.  He  put  the  main  body  of  the  troops  at  Pittsburg 
Landing.  My  division  he  put  at  Crump's  Landing,  six  miles  below  Pittsburg 
Landing.  The  object  of  putting  me  there  was  to  observe  the  road  to  Purdy, 
four  miles  beyond  that  point.  That  railroad  offered  the  enemy  a  facility  for 
sending  troops  and  getting  on  our  right  flank.  We  lay  there  a  considera 
ble  time,  waiting  for  General  Halleck,  as  I  understood.  That  was  merely 
my  understanding,  however. 

One  Sunday  morning  I  heard  cannonading  in  the  direction  of  Pittsburg 
Landing.  I  heard  it  very  early  in  the  morning,  and  from  its  continuance  I 
very  soon  became  satisfied  that  a  battle  was  going  on.  I  commenced,  as  a 
matter  of  course,  making  what  I  considered  the  best  disposition  of  my 
troops,  becAuse  I  had  no  doubt  that  the  enemy  would  attack  me. 

As  near  as  I  can  now  recollect,  about  8  o'clock,  or  8.15  in  the  morning, 
General  Grant  passed  up  the  river  on  a  boat.  He  stopped  and  asked  me  a 
few  questions,  and  directed  me  to  hold  myself  in  readiness  for  orders. 
What  took  place  on  Sunday  morning  at  that  battle  I  have  no  personal 
knowledge  of.  I  only  know  from  the  remarks  of  others  there  is  a  great  dis 
pute  as  to  whether  General  Grant  was  surprised  or  not.  I  do  not  undertake 
to  say  that  the  general  was  surprised.  But  from  the  statements  of  soldiers 
•of  some  of  the  regiments,  I  am  satisfied  that  some  of  his  regiments  were 
surprised.  But  on  that  point  I  will  endeavor  to  do  justice  to  General  Grant. 
My  opinion  is  that  if  there  was  a  surprise,  the  responsibility  does  not  pro 
perly  attach  to  him.  If  any  one  could  have  gone  to  his  headquarters  and 
seen  the  immense  mass  of  details  that  he  had  to  attend  to,  he  would  readily 
have  understood  how  absolutely  impossible  it  was  for  him  to  go  around  the 
picket  lines  and  see  whether  they  were  all  right  or  not.  From  the  very  na 
ture  of  his  situation  he  had  to  confide  much  in  the  officers. 

About  eleven  or  half  past  eleven  o'clock  that  forenoon  I  received  an  order 
in  writing,  unsigned,  brought  me,  as  I  understood,  by  Quartermaster  Baxter. 


TESTIMONY.  341 

He  at  that  time  was  on  General  Grant's  staff.  I  was  told  that  he  had  re 
ceived  the  order  verbally  from  some  officer  coming  down  the  river,  and  had 
stopped  on  board  a  boat  to  write  it  out.  It  was  brought  to  him  verbally, 
and  he  put  it  in  writing  and  brought  it  to  me.  The  order  directed  me  to 
move  up  with  my  division  and  take  position  on  the  extreme  right  of  our 
lines,  as  they  were  on  Sunday  morning;  and  upon  arriving  at  that  point  to 
form  in  line  of  battle  at  right  angles  with  the  river.  As  I  understood  it, 
the  point  to  which  I  was  to  march  was  between  three  and  four  miles  from 

*  the  river. 

I  started  exactly  at  12  o'clock,  giving  my  men*  time  to  eat  their  dinners, 

•  I  marched  in  the  direction  indicated  to  me,  and  got  within  probably  two  and 
a  half  miles  of  the  point  at  which  I  was  to  form  a  junction  with  our  forces, 
when  I  was  overtaken  by  an  aid  of  General  Grant,  Captain  Rowley,  who 
told  me  that  our  lines  had  been  beaten  back  from  the  point  to  which  I  was 

Vmarcbing',  and  were  then  not  far  from  the  river.  He  gave  rne,  in  other 
words,  quite  a  disastrous  account  of  the  fight.  I  received,  however,  no 
countermanding  of  my  previous  order,  tfo  directions  were  given  to  me; 
merely  a  statement  of  a  fact.  It  was  a  very  serious  fact,  however.  It  threw 
the  responsibility  of  my  movements  upon  myself.  The  question  with  me 
was,  whether  I  should  go  on  in  pursuance  of  my  order,  or  should  I  counter 
march  and  take  another  road  that  would  take  me  to  Pittsburg  Landing,  and 
form  a  junction  there.  For  reasons  satisfactory  to  myself  I  concluded  that 
I  would  endeavor  to  take  the  other  road,  called  the  river  road,  following  the 
windings  of  the  Tennessee  bottom,  crossing  Snake  creek — a  place  very  diffi 
cult  to  pass  at  all  times  on  account  of  its  boggy  bottom — crossing  Snake 
creek  about  a  mile  from  Pittsburg  Landing.  Subsequent  events  satisfied 
me  that  I  did  the  best  thing  I  could  have  done,  for  if  I  continued  on  as  I 
started  at  first,  I  should  have  met  Prentiss's  fate,  and  been  taken  prisoner 
or  destroyed 

While  I  was  marching  to  the  other  road  I  met  two  other  officers  of  Gen 
eral  Grant's  staff,  his  adjutant  general  and  Colonel  McPherson,  and  they  gave 
me,  if  anything,  a  still  more  gloomy  picture  of  the  condition  of  the  fight. 
They  informed  me  that  our  troops  were  gathered  almost  immediately  around 
"Pittsburg  Landing,  and  that  it  was  a  very  desperate  struggle,  and  that  I 
would,  in  all  probability,  have  to  fight  my  way  to  them.  Again  there  were 
no  orders  or  directions  to  me;  and  understanding  nothing  said  to  me  to  be 
in  the  nature  of  an  order,  I  think  I  would  have  been  justified  in  going  back 
to  Crumps  Landing  with  my  command  for  the  purpose  of  saving  it.  I  did 
not  do  that,  however.  I  went  on  arid  met  a  great  many  fugitives  escaping 
from  the  battle. 

At  dusk  in  the  evening  I  crossed  Sante  creek .  My  foremost  regiment  went 
in  in  line  of  battle,  and  passed  under  the  guns  of  the  enemy.  It  was  so 
dark,  however,  that  they  did  not  fire  at  us.  Of  course  I  reported  to  Gene 
ral  Grant  immediately  upon  forming  the  junction.  The  battle  was  then  over 
for  the  night  at  least.  He  told  me  to  occupy  the  road  I  had  marched  in  on. 

There  was  a  council  of  war  that  night;  at  least  I  understood  so.  I  did  not 
attend  it.  It  was  my  own  fault,  however.  I  went  once  to  try  to  find  it  and 
could  not,  and  then  went  back.  I  asked  for  a  diagram  showing  me  the  enemy's 
lines  and  our  own  lines.  It  was  promised  me,  but  I  never  got  it.  I  had  to 
take  a  soldier  and  go  myself  in  the  night  and  ascertain  as  well  as  I  could 
the  position  of  the  enemy  relatively  to  my  own  position.  Having  obtained 
that  knowledge,  the  best  I  could,  I  made  the  best  disposition  of  my  troops 
that  I  considered  possible.  I  selected  a  position  for  my  batteries  at  a  point 
which  I  thought  would  enable  me  to  command  the  enemy's  batteries,  or  at 
least  to  fight  them.  Between  one  and  two  o'clock  that  night  I  laid  down 
and  tried  to  get  some  sleep.  But  it  stormed  all  night,  raining  terribly,  and 


342  TESTIMONY. 

the  gunboats  kept  up  a  fire  every  five  minutes,  so  that  sleep  was  almost 
impossible. 

The  next  morning,  a  little  after  daybreak,  one  of  my  batteries  opened 
fire;  the  enemy  replied,  and  the  battle  began.  While  this  fight  between  the 
batteries  was  going  on,  General  Grant  rode  down  to  where  I  was.  He  gave 
me  the  simple  direction  to  march  forward  with  my  command,  in  a  direction 
that  was  direct!}"  at  right  angles  with  the  river.  That  was  about  all  the 
order  I  received.  I  marched  them  forward  accordingly,  having  dislodged 
the  enemy's  batteries.  They  had  two  batteries.  Having  driven  them  back, 
I  pushed  forward  with  my  command.  I  had  nobody  to  tell  me  the  nature 
of  the  ground.  I  got  on  a  hill  opposite,  where  I  had  been,  and  rode  forward 
and  found  out  that  if  I  persisted  in  going  forward  in  the  direction  I  was  then 
going,  I  should  find  myself  and  my  whole  command  in  this  almost  impassable 
bottom  of  Snake  creek.  I  was  not  disposed  to  go  there.  I  saw  a  chance, 
as  I  thought,  of  turning  the  enemy's  left  flank.  I  accordingly  changed  the 
direction  of  my  command  by  a  left  half  wheel,  and  we  pushed  forward. 
The  skirmishers  were  all  the  time  engaged.  The  batteries  changed  their 
position  two  or  three  times,  and  their  supports,  as  a  matter  of  course,  had 
to  follow  them.  I  did  not  see  General  Grant  until  about  4  o'clock  that  after 
noon.  I  was  left  entirely  to  my  own  direction,  except  the  simple  direction 
which  I  had  received  at  first.  General  Sherman  was  on  my  left,  and  I  had 
some  conversation  with  him.  I  told  him  I  would  endeavor  to  act  in  concert 
with  him;  that  I  would  depend  upon  him  to  support  my  left  flank,  which  he 
readily  agreed  to  do,  and  which  he  did  do.  About  4  o'clock  in  the  afternoon 
General  Grant  came  down  to  where  I  was — I  had  driven  the  enemy  back 
then — and  told  me  to  change  my  direction  again.  As  from  the  original  posi 
tion  I  was  marching  in  a  left  oblique  direction.  The  new  change  of  position 
would  take  me  back  almost  in  the  original  direction  I  started  from.  I  obeyed 
nis  order,  of  course,  and  marched  on.  About  that  time  the  enemy  broke, 
and  after  that  I  understand  it  became  a  rout.  I  followed  them  from  that 
point  probably  a  mile  and  three-quarters.  I  then  halted  and  sent  my  cavalry 
out  on  my  left,  knowing  there  was  nobody  on  my  right,  to  find  out  who  were 
supporting  me.  They  brought  up  directly  against  the  enemy's  pickets,  and 
then  came  back  and  reported.  I  sent  them  then  in  a  direction  left  in  my 
rear;  but  not  finding  anybody  in  that  direction  to  support  me,  and  finding 
the  enemy  on  my  left,  I  dropped  back  probably  three-quarters  of  a  mile 
and  took  up  quarters  for  the  night  in  the  tents  from  which  our  troops  had 
been  driven  on  Sunday  morning,  and  there  I  remained  for  the  night.  At 
3  o'clock  the  next  morning  I  formed  line  of  battle,  expecting  an  order  to 
pursue  the  enemy;  but  no  order  came.  We  took  up  our  position  there  and 
waited.  The  result  of  it  all  is,  that  so  far  as  any  orders  in  the  battle  were 
concerned,  I  did  not  know  of  any  orders  except  the  two  I  have  mentioned. 
The  result  of  the  second  day's  battle  was  in  our  favor,  and  the  enemy  were 
routed. 

Question.  What  turned  the  scale  ?  What  movement  of  the  troops  decided 
it  in  our  favor  on  the  second  day  of  the  battle  ? 

Answer.  It  is  very  difficulty  to  say.  I  cannot  sit  in  judgment  on  what 
was  done,  fcr  I  do  not  know  what  was  being  done.  I  could  only  tell  how 
the  battle  was  going  by  the  sound  of  the  cannon  and  musketry.  That  on 
the  left  sounded  to  me  like  a  steady  advance  during  the  day.  The  troops 
to  the  centre  repulsed  our  troops  two  or  three  times.  I  had  to  halt  three 
times  to  wait  until  the  support  of  my  left  came  up.  I  turned  their  left  flank; 
at  least  I  thought  I  did.  They  were  compelled  to  send  strong  columns  from 
their  centre  to  strengthen  their  left.  On  the  enemy's  right  wing,  I  under 
stood  that  General  Nelson  and  the  troops  of  Buell's  command  turned  their 
right.  So  that  the  enemy  were  driven  back  in  that  way. 


TESTIMONY.  343 

Question.  With  all  your  opportunities  of  knowing  what  was  going  on  in 
the  west,  could  you  tell  whether  you  were  acting  upon  some  general  plan 
from  Washington,  or  were  you  acting  upon  a  plan  inaugurated  in  the  west? 
I  refer  now  to  all  your  movements  in  the  west  ? 

Answer.  I  can  only  speak  for  myself. 

Question.  Well,  in  all  your  movements  did  you  know  anything  about  any 
plans  from  Washington  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir.  That  was  a  matter  frequently  discussed  among  us,  but 
nobody  knew.  I  could  not  see  such  a  plan.  I  do  not  pretend  to  say  there 
was  not  such  a  plan.  I  do  not  profess  any  knowledge  about  the  matter. 
I  confess  to  you  I  was  profoundly  ignorant  in  regard  to  the  whole  conduct 
of  that  campaign.  I  was  profoundly  ignorant  of  the  intentions  of  it  until 
they  were  shown  to  me  by  the  movements  of  it.  During  the  most  of  it  I 
was  a  brigadier  general  of  volunteers;  and  it  is  my  opinion  that  there  is  not 
much  importance  attached  to  the  opinions  of  such  officers;  and  believing 
that  to  be  the  case  I  never  thrust  myself  forward.  I  always  believed  it  to 
be  unmilitary  to  ask,  when  orders  came,  "  what  does  it  mean?" — "  What  is 
the  object  of  it?" — "Is  it  a  part  of  a  system?"  I  never  asked  such  ques 
tions.  I  ventured  two  or  three  times  to  make  suggestions.  I  better  not 
have  done  it. 

Question.  I  gather  from  your  remarks  that  so  far  as  your  own  fighting 
was  concerned,  it  was  not  done  in  accordance  with  any  general  plan  from 
Washington  ? 

Answer.  Not  that  I  know  of.  It  was  not  done,  as  I  understood  it,  in  ac 
cordance  with  any  plan  from  anywhere.  You  understand  that  it  is  the  duty 
of  an  officer  to  obey  his  orders  without  questioning.  Suppose  I  issue  an 
order  to  a  subordinate:  it  would  be  very  improper  for  him  to  demand  to 
know  the  reasons  for  it.  In  other  words,  that  would  result  in  having  a 
general  council  of  war  consisting  of  all  the  officers  and  all  the  soldiers:  a 
thing  impossible  in  itself. 

I  was  at  General  Halleck's  headquarters  once  after  he  arrived  at  Pittsburg 
Landing.  I  remained  there  about  five  minutes.  My  business  was  to  see 
about  the  reinstatement  of  an  officer  who  had  fought  gallantly  in  my  division 
at  the  battle  of  Pittsburg  Landing,  and  who  I  thought  had  been  unjustly 
dismissed  the  service.  The  reply  of  the  general  to  my  application  was  very 
unsatisfactory  to  me.  I  got  on  my  horse  and  rode  off,  and  never  went  near 
his  headquarters  after  that.  I  remained  in  my  own  camp,  and  when  he  sent 
orders  to  me  I  executed  them  to  the  best  of  my  ability. 

After  the  battle  of  Pittsburg  Landing,  when  the  movement  against  Corinth 
was  inaugurated,  I  found  myself  put  in  what  was  called  the  reserve,  with 
General  McClernand.  Singularly  enough,  General  McClerriand  and  myself 
were  both  of  us  then  major  generals  of  volunteers.  As  to  the  operations 
against  Corinth,  it  is  but  simple  truth  for  me  to  say  that  of  my  personal 
knowledge  I  know  nothing  about  it,  except  that  I  was  there.  My  command 
policed  the  roads  from  Pittsburg  Landing;  to  Corinth.  We  built  bridges 
and  corduroyed  the  roads.  My  command  was  scattered  from  almost  the 
advance  to  within  about  ten  miles  of  Pittsburg  Landing.  It  would  have 
taken  me  a  day,  I  think,  at  any  time,  to  have  concentrated  my  command,  if 
I  had  been  brought  up  to  act  as  the  reserve.  I  think  I  understood  the  mo 
tive.  I  have  no  part  in  the  siege  of  Corinth — had  no  hand  in  it.  I  heard 
the  guns,  and  two  or  three  times  I  had  my  command  in  readiness  to  march, 
upon  receiving  orders — had  them  formed  upon  their  color  lines.  That  is  as 
near  as  I  got  to  the  siege. 

Question.  Had  you  much  difficulty  in  getting  along  on  account  of  mud 
and  the  bad  roads  ? 


344  TESTIMONY. 

Answer.  At  the  time  the  roads  were  almost  impassable.  I  do  not  think  I 
ever  saw  anything  like  it  before. 

Question.  And  yet  you  pushed  through  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  At  times  the  roads  were  almost  literally  impassable, 
and  yet  I  got  through. 

Question.  Could  you  account  for  the  long  delay  in  making  the  attack  on 
Corinth,  thus  permitting  the  rebels  to  get  away  ? 

Answer.  Of  course  I  can  account  for  it,  by  simply  saying  that  I  suppose 
that  General  Halleck,  from  the  information  he  possessed ,  was  satisfied  that 
the  enemy  were  there  in  force,  and  he  thought  it  wiser  to  approach  the  place 
cautiously.  He  approached  it  systematically,  I  thought.  And  if  the  enemy 
were  in  superior  numbers,  or  even  equal  to  us  in  numbers,  there  is  no  ques 
tion  about  the  wisdom  of  his  method  of  approach.  It  was  slow,  but  it  was 
very  safe. 

Question.  What  means  had  you  of  knowing  the  force  of  the  enemy  at 
that  time  ? 

Answer.  Had  I  myself  of  knowing  ? 

Question.  Yes,  sir;  or  any  of  you  in  the  army.  Had  you  any  means  of 
even  approximately  getting  at  the  force  of  the  enemy  at  the  time  you  were 
approaching  Corinth  ? 

Answer.  I  had  my  scouts  employed.  But  my  scouts  were  generally  sent 
out  in  the  direction  of  Purdy.  Their  operations  were  confined  to  that  direc 
tion,  and  never  in  front.  From  the  citizens  of  Purdy,  and  from  men  who  had 
deserted  from  the  rebel  army,  we  got  all  the  items  of  information  we  received. 
Negroes  once  in  a  while  would  give  us  information. 

Question.  Would  the  negroes  give  you  correct  information  ? 

Answer.  I  would  to-day  take  the  statement  of  a  negro,  whom  I  knew  to 
have  means  of  knowing,  in  preference  to  the  statement  of  a  white  man 
there. 

Question.  They  were,  then,  the  most  reliable  source  of  information  you 
had  in  that  country  ? 

Answer.  I  have  no  doubt  of  it. 

Question.  What  was  the  practice,  generally  speaking,  of  the  officers  com 
manding  our  forces  in  regard  to  availing  themselves  of  information  to  be 
obtained  in  that  way  ? 

Answer.  That  depends  upon  circumstances.  When  I  was  upon  an  expe 
dition,  having  for*  the  time  being  to  act  independently,  I  accepted  their  in 
formation,  and  acted  upon  it. 

Question.  And  you  found  it  safe  to  do  so  ? 

Answer,  Certainly.  I  will  illustrate  :  I  come  up  to  a  house  where  I  find 
a  man  or  woman  at  home.  I  take  dinner  there,  and  ask  them  questions  for 
the  purpose  of  getting  information  of  the  enemy's  movements,  their  position, 
and  their  numbers.  Perhaps  I  pursue  my  questioning  in  regard  to  late  visits 
on  their  part  to  that  neighborhood.  To  these  questions  they  give  certain 
answers.  My  negro  servant,  a  contraband,  under  my  direction  in  all  such 
cases,  betakes  himself  to  the  kitchen,  where  he  asks  questions  of  the  ne 
groes.  When  we  start  off  he  comes  to  me  and  gives  me  information 
directly  the  opposite  of  that  which  I  have  received  from  the  whites  there. 

Question.  Which  do  you  find  out  to  be  correct  ? 

Answer.  The  chances  are  ten  to  one  that  the  information  I  receive  from 
the  whites  is  false,  while  that  which  the  negro  brings  rne  is  correct.  That 
is  why  I  would  give  more  credence  to  the  statements  of  a  negro  than  I 
would  to  those  of  a  white  person. 

Question.  What  did  you  understand  to  be  the  force  of  the  enemy  at 
Corinth  ? 

Answer.  There  was  such   a  conflict  in  the  statements  that  it  was  almost 


TESTIMONY.  345 

impossible  to  tell.  My  opinion  was  that  the  force  there  approximated  to 
100,000  or  110,000  in  all  ;  of  which  number  from  20,000  to  25,000  were 
sick.  I  always  supposed  that  their  effective  force  was  in  the  neighborhood 
of  90,000  men. 

Question.  At  that  time  what  was  our  effective  force  ? 

Answer  It  is  impossible  for  me  to  tell.  Nobody  knew  that  except  the 
commanding  general  and  his  assistant  adjutant  general. 

Question.  Was  it,  in  your  judgment,  as  large  or  larger  than  their  force  ? 

Answer.  My  judgment  is  that  our  force  was  larger  than  theirs  ;  that  it 
was  larger  than  theirs  by  10,000  or  15,000  men. 

Question.  How  was  it  as  to  the  equipment  and  armament  of  the  two 
forces  ? 

Answer.  From  the  specimens  of  their  arms  which  I  saw  there,  I  should 
say  that  they  had  quite  as  good  arms  as  we  had — I  mean  their  small  arms. 

Question.  How  about  their  heavy  artillery  ? 

Answer.  That  I  don't  know  anything  about;  they  took  them  all  away — 
left  none  behind. 

Question.  Did  they  lose  any  of  their  trains,  and  not  succeed  in  getting 
them  away,  in  consequence  of  the  burning  of  a  bridge  ? 

Answer.  I  understood  that  they  lost  some  trains  by  mistaking  some  order, 
and  burning  the  wrong  bridge.  But  what  was  taken  then  I  never  knew.  I 
was  informed  that  they  burned  some  of  their  trains.  It  is  proper  for  me 
to  state  here  that,  in  answering  many  of  these  questions,  I  am  simply  giv 
ing  my  opinions.  As  a  matter  of  course,  there  are  in  General  Halleck's 
headquarters  reports  and  documents  which  would  answer  these  questions 
more  correctly  than  I  can.  Of  those  reports  I  know  nothing.  I  may  be 
mistaken,  hugely  mistaken,  in  many  opinions  I  have  expressed.  My  means 
of  information  were  very  limited,  and  it  is  very  probable  that  I  may  be 
mistaken  in  some  things.  Still,  I  have  given  you  frankly  my  opinions. 

Question.  You  say  that  at  the  time  of  the  battle  of  Monday,  at  Pittsburg 
Landing,  you  pursued  the  enemy  until  you  found  you  were  not  supported. 
Do  you  know  why  you  were  not  supported  ? 

Answer.  I  do  not. 

Question.  Could  not  our  army  have  driven  the  enemy  from  Corinth  at  that 
time,  routed  as  they  were,  if  we  had  pursued  them  ? 

Answer.  There  is  no  question  about  that,  in  my  mind.  I  think  we  could 
have  done  it.  I  never  knew  the  reason  why  we  did  not  pursue  the 
enemy.  On  the  night  after  the  battle  at  Pittsburg  Landing  I  required  my 
men  to  lie  down  in  order  of  battle;  in  other  words,  on  their  arms.  I  had  no 
more  doubt  that,  when  the  morning  came,  I  would  be  ordered  with  my 
division,  co-operating  with  other  divisions,  to  pursue  the. enemy,  than  that 
I  was  then  a  living  man.  I  waited  for  those  orders,  and  waited;  but  they 
never  came.  Why  they  did  not,  I  do  not  know,  nor  did  General  Grant  ever 
inform  me.  I  have  heard  it  stated  that  it  was  on  account  of  orders  that  he 
had.  Whether  he  had  any  orders  I  do  not  know. 

Question.  Orders  from  whom  ? 

Answer.  Said  to  have  been  from  G'eneral  Halleck;  but  General  Halleck 
was  not  on  the  ground  at  that  time.  But  I  had  no  idea  that  General  Halleck 
had  any  idea  that  there  would  be  a  battle  fought,  or  that  there  had  been 
one  fought.  I  knew  of  no  telegraphic  communication  with  General  Halleck. 
In  regard  to  its  being  a  rout  of  the  enemy,  I  would  say  that  some  regiments 
in  the  rebel  army  went  off  in  order.  But  the  concurrent  testimony  given 
since  of  citizens  then  living  in  the  neighborhood  has  satisfied  me  that  my 
conjecture  of  that  day  was  true — that  they  did  go  off  in  a  rout.  A  Union 
man,  who  was  in  Corinth  at  the  time  they  returned,  says  that  he  saw  but 
one  command  comeback  in  order;  and  that  was  Breckinridge's.  They  cut 


346  TESTIMONY. 

up  their  wagons;  they  destroyed  their  provisions,  or  at  least  large  quanti 
ties  of  meal  and  flour;  they  left  their  wounded  and  their  dead  behind  them. 
If  they  had  gone  off  in  order  they  would  not  have  done  that.  It  is  a  very 
strong  necessity  that  compels  a  general  to  leave  his  dead  and  wounded  be 
hind  him — particularly  his  wounded.  I  do  not  mean  to  say  that  they  left 
all  their  wounded  behind  them.  There  were  two  days'  fighting.  *  The 
wounded  of  the  first  day,  I  suppose,  they  got  off  pretty  generally.  But 
the  wounded  of  the  second  day's  fight  were  not  taken  off.  They  threw  away 
a  great  many  of  their  arms.  They  burned  some  of  their  tents;  others  they 
left  standing.  Now  I  have  every  reason  to  believe  that,  within  three  or 
four  days  after  that  fight,  they  carne  out  from  Corinth,  or  their  rear  guard 
on  this  side  of  Corinth  came  back,  and  recovered  large  quantities  of  arms, 
and  hauled  off  wagons  and  caissons  that  they  had  left  behind,  while  we  were 
lying  in  our  camps. 

By  Mr.  Gooch: 

Question.  Do  you  understand  why  the  operations  of  our  armies  in  the 
west  have  been  suspended  ? 

Answer.  I  have  not  the  remotest  idea  of  the  reasons  for  the  recent  sus 
pension  of  operations  there. 

Question.  Have  you  any  knowledge  in  your  possession  which  would  indi 
cate  that  a  suspension  was  necessary  ? 

Answer.  A  suspension  of  two  weeks'  time,  in  that  neighborhood,  was 
necessary,  in  my  opinion,  in  order  to  put  the  Memphis  and  Charleston  rail 
road  from  Corinth  to  Memphis  in  running  order. 

Question.  Is  there  any  necessity  for  rebuilding  those  other  roads  in  Ten 
nessee  which  our  army  is  now  engaged  in  rebuilding  ? 

Answer.  I  never  could  see  the  necessity  for  rebuilding  any  of  the  others, 
except  the  road  from  Purdy  to  Corinth.  Purdy  is  near  to  Pittsburg  Land 
ing.  Crump's  Landing  would  also  have  furnished  a  place  for  the  shipment 
of  supplies  to  the  army.  That  section  of  the  road,  1  think,  ought  to  have 
been  repaired. 

By  Mr.  Covode: 

Question.  How  many  days  would  it  have  taken  to  repair  that  road  ? 
Answer.  I  think  it  took  about  two  days,  or  two  and  a  half. 

By  Mr.  Gooch: 

Question.  Had  it  not  been  for  the  suspension  of  operations  of  our  army 
in  the  west,  would  it  have  been  possible  for  the  rebels  to  have  brought  to 
Richmond  any  re-enforcement  from  their  army  there  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir;  I  think  not.  At  least  I  cannot  see  how  it  would  have 
been  possible  for  them  to  have  done  it. 

By  Mr.  Chandler: 

Question.  You  think  they  could  not  have  done  it  ? 

Answer.  I  think  not.  I  cannot  pretend  to  any  positive  knowledge  in  re 
gard  to  the  matter;  I  can  only  give  ;ny  opinion,  from  the  best  information 
I  have  got.  But  I  am  inclined  to  think  that  Beauregard  sent  what  troops 
came  from  the  west  to  the  east,  at  least  a  portion  of  them,  before  Corinth 
was  evacuated.  It  is  ray  opinion  now  that  Beauregard  never  intended  to 
fight  us  at  Corinth. 

Question.  The  fight  for  Corinth  was  fought  at  Pittsburg  Landing  ? 

Answer.  Entirely. 

By  Mr.  Covode: 
Question.  What  is  the  course  of  policy  of  our  leading  commanders  in  the 


TESTIMONY.  347 

west  in  regard  to  the  protection  of  rebel  property.  What  was  it  during 
the  time  you  were  out  there  ? 

Answer.  All  property  was  protected. 

Question.  Was  it  not  all,  or  nearly  all,  rebel  property  ? 

Answer.  Rebel  property  was  protected  in  common  with  the  property  of 
Unionists. 

Question.  Was  it  not  known  to  you  all  that  it  was  nearly  all  rebel  pro 
perty  that  was  protected  ? 

Answer.  It  was  very  seldom  that  wo  did  not  know  the  character  of  the 
man  whose  property  we  came  upon. 

By  Mr.  Chandler  : 

Question.  Were  there  many  Union  men  to  be  found  after  you  got  into 
Tennessee  ? 

Answer.  I  have  reason  to  believe  that  there  were.  I  think  there  are  a 
great  many  more  Union  men  there  than  many  suppose;  a  great  many  more 
than  will  show  themselves  to  be  such,  particularly  in  Tennessee;  but  they 
are  overawed  and  cowed;  they  have  long  since  been  disarmed,  and  I  think 
have  to-day  reached  that  point  when  they  never  will  take  up  arms  even  to 
defend  themselves. 

By  Mr.  Covode  : 

Question.  Was  there  any  distinction  made,  that  you  were  aware  of, 
between  the  protection  of  the  property  of  Unionists  and  the  property  of 
rebels  ? 

Answer.  I  never  made  any  distinction,  and  I  know  of  no  instance  where 
any  distinction  of  that  kind  was  made.  Under  the  orders  that  we  all  had, 
our  duty  was  to  protect  all  property.  Now,  if  you  ask  me  if  that  was  con 
sistent  with  my  feelings,  I  will  say  very  promptly  that  it  was  not. 

Question.  You  did  not  give  those  orders  then  in  accordance  with  your 
own  judgment,  or  because  you  believed  them  to  be  right? 

Answer.  I  gave  those  orders  simply  because  they  were  in  conformity  with 
orders  that  I  had  received.  I  would  have  made  rny  soldiers  comfortable 
upon  the  property  of  anybody,  Union  man  or  secessionist. 

Question.  Have  your  soldiers  not  suffered  very  much  when  you  could  have 
made  them  comfortable  by  taking  rebel  property  that  was  within  your  reach  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  they  have;  I  know  it,  for  I  have  seen  it. 

Question.  Has  not  that  policy  been  very  discouraging  to  your  command  ? 

Answer.  I  have  no  doubt  of  it.  I  never  want  to  command  a  column  again 
through  a  country  under  those  circumstances. 

Question.  In  your  judgment,  will  a  continuance  of  the  policy  we  have 
pursued  ever  subdue  the  rebellion  ? 

Answer.  Never,  on  earth.  I  understand,  reasoning  from  general  prin 
ciples,  that  there  are  but  two  principles  upon  which  you  can  sustain  a  govern 
ment  by  the  people — one  is  that  of  love,  and  when  you  cannot  get  their  love 
then  you  must  make  them  fear  you. 

By  Mr.  Julian  : 

Question.  Has  that  policy  tended  to  make  the  people  out  there  Unionists  ? 

Answer.  A  certain  class  of  citizens  it  may  have  conciliated  to  some 
extent',  But  those  conciliated  by  it  are  Union  people,  were  in  the  beginning 
and  are  yet,  and  would  have  been  under  all  circumstances.  It  conciliates 
no  secessionist  The  secessionist  whose  property  is  protected  by  our  troops 
is  a  secessionist  still.  He  stands  in  his  porch,  or  at  his  door,  sees  our 
-column  advance,  expresses  his  gratitude  perhaps  to  the  officer  commanding 
for  what  he  has  done;  his  property  is  safe;  not  a  blade  of  grass  upon  his 


348  TESTIMONY. 

premises  has  been  touched.  But  the  moment  the  column  is  gone,  he  is  as 
much  of  a  secessionist  as  ever,  and  laughs  at  your  clemency.  There  is  no 
question  about  that. 

I  recollect  an  instance  that  occurred  out  there  in  Tennessee.  I  went  up 
to  the  gate  of  a  secessonist,  the  owner  of  a  beautiful  property  between 
Somerville  and  Memphis.  In  order  to  prevent  his  property  from  being  in 
jured,  as  his  house  was  full  of  women  and  children,  1  had  the  negroes  bring 
all  the  tubs  and  barrels  he  had  on  his  premises  out  to  the  gate  and  fill  them 
with  water,  and  keep  them  filled  for  my  troops  when  they  passed.  That 
man  was  sitting  in  his  porch,  and  alongside  of  him  were  two  women,  the 
wives  of  rebel  officers  then  in  the  army.  I  knew  them  to  be  such,  and  I 
knew  him  to  be  a  secessionist. 

Can  anybody  doubt  what  my  feelings  would  have  prompted  me  to  have 
done  under  the  circumstances  ?  It  was  to  have  said  to  my  troops,  "  boys, 
here  are  plenty  of  blackberries;  yonder  is  an  orchard  full  of  ripening  plums; 
you  can  see  them  on  the  trees  from  this  distance;  now  help  yourselves." 
It  was  to  tell  the  boys,  "  come,  here  is  a  cool,  shady  place — a  nice,  grassy 
la*wn — lie  down  and  rest  yourselves."  It  was  to  say,  "  yonder  is  a  well  of 
good,  pure,  cool  water — draw  it  and  help  yourselves;  fill  your  canteens  with 
water  fresh  from  the  bucket  and  not  from  those  tubs.'7 

I  recollect  that  just  about  that  place  a  poor  soldier  went  arid  squatted 
down  in  the  fence  corner  to  get  out  of  the  hot  sunshine;  as  I  passed  him  he 
made  a  remark,  intended,  I  have  no  doubt,  for  me  to  hear,  but  said  in  such 
a  way  that,  if  I  noticed  it,  he  could  say  that  he  did  not  notice  that  I  was 
there.  Said  he,  "  boys,  isn't  this  a  damned  nice  business  to  protect  secesh 
property  as  we  go  along,  and  we  can't  get  a  plum  to  eat  off  those  trees."  I 
paid  no  attention  to  it,  but  rode  along  ;  but  you  must  not  think  I  did 
not  feel  it. 

As  a  general  rule  I  endeavor  to  make  my  soldiers  comfortable,  even  when 
I  am  not  comfortable  myself;  I  see  that  their  tents  are  pitched  before  I 
pitch  mine.  I  see  that  they  have  their  rations  issued  to  them  before  I  get 
anything  for  myself  to  eat.  In  that  way  I  get  their  respect;  in  that  way 
I  look  for  their  respect,  and  I  never  look  for  it  that  I  do  not  get  it. 

During  the  last  march  I  made,  from  Purdy  to  Memphis,  I  foraged  on  the 
enemy.-  I  subsisted  my  cattle  upon  their  corn-cribs,  &c.,  giving  the  rebels 
vouchers  for  what  I  took.  My  quartermaster  invariably  gave  a  voucher  to 
this  effect — stating  what  property  had  been  taken,  and  its  value  as  near  as 
he  could  get  at  it.  Then  he  appended  this  condition  to  it,  that  it  was  to 
be  paid  for  whenever  Mr.  So-and-so  gave  satisfactory  proof  to  the  United 
States  government  that  he  was  a  loyal  man.  In  that  way  I  got  along  on 
that  march. 

By  Mr.  Covode: 

Question.  Could  you  generally  have  subsisted  your  army  in  the  west  by 
pursuing  that  policy  ? 

Answer.  In  some  places  you  could  not.  There  were  some  districts  that 
were  absolutely  stripped.  In  other  districts  you  could  have  done  it. 
Whether  you  could  have  subsisted  your  whole  army  in  that  country  is  a 
different  question  ;  I  do  not  think  you  could.  That  was  the  very  region  of 
country  that  the  rebels  had  subsisted  their  great  army  in  for  so  long  a 
time;  and  when  they  left  it,  they  endeavored  to  leave  it  as  barren  as  "possi 
ble  before  us. 

Question.  Are  our  commanders  in  Memphis,  and  at  other  points  in  the 
west,  at  this  time,  taking  care  of  rebel  property  and  returning  their  slaves  ? 

Answer.  I  think  not.  We  endeavored  to  execute^  General  Halleck's  order 
as  far  as  possible. 


TESTIMONY.  349 

Question.  Did  not  that  require  you  to  do  all  that  ? 

Answer.  We  never  construed  it  in  that  way.  I  will  tell  you  how  I 
managed  it,  A  man's  negro  came  into  my  camp.  The  soldiers  will  smug 
gle  them  in,  and  there  is  no  help  for  it.  A  negro  makes  his  appearance 
inside  the  camp,  but  how  he  gets  in  the  Lord  only  knows.  In  a  very  short 
time,  in  all  human  probability,  you  find  some  fellow  looking  around  for 
his  negro;  for  his  bright  mulatto  Jim,  or  his  black  boy  Sam,  or  Jake.  He 
will  want  you  to  go  and  look  him  up  for  him.  We  will  not  do  that.  Then 
v  he  wants  a  pass  to  go  around  and  find  him.  Unless  it  is  not  a  place  where 
secrecy  is  a  matter  of  no  importance,  we  tell  him  he  cannot  have  it.  If  he 
comets  in  and  says  he  saw  his  negro  in  the  camp  of  a  certain  regiment,  I 
will  send  an  order  to  the  colonel  of  that  regiment  to  turn  that  negro  out  of 
the  camp,  to  put  him  outside  of  our  lines.  I  then  inform  Mr.  So-and-so: 
"Your  negro  is  not  in  my  camp;  he  is  outside  of  our  lines;  if  you  can  catch 
>hirn  you  can  do  so."  Where  the  negro  belongs  to  a  Union  man,  I  have  no 
hesitation  at  all  about  the  matter.  If  I  am  satisfied  he  is  a  Union  man, 
I  issue  a  peremptory  order  to  the  colonel  of  the  regiment  in  whose  camp 
the  negro  is,  to  give  him  up  to  his  master.  But  where  I  have  the  slightest 
ground  of  belief  that  he  is  a  secessionist,  I  do  not  trouble  myself  to  give 
him  up. 

Question.  Has  it  not  cost  our  government  a  vast  amount  of  money  in 
Memphis  and  about  there,  feeding  and  protecting  and  taking  care  of  rebels  ? 

Answer.  I  cannot  say  that  it  has.  I  am  free  to  say  that  I  do  not  think 
many  of  them  have  been  fed  by  us. 

By  Mr.  Julian  : 

Question.  When  you  come  to  rebel  property  in  abundance,  and  our  troops 
need  it,  what  do  you  do  ? 

Answer.  Well,  I  take  it. 

Question.  You  say  the  practice  is  the  other  way  ? 

Answer.  The  practice  is  to  take  forage  with  you.  But  I  seize  the  forage, 
giving  the  voucher  I  have  already  mentioned.  My  quartermaster  takes  it, 
and  gives  a  voucher  to  pay  when  the  party  4  makes  himself  satisfactorily 
known  to  .the  government  as  a  Union  man. 

By  Mr.  Covode  : 

Question.  Would  not  our  prospects  of  putting  down  the  rebellion  be  better 
if  we  were  to  raise  an  army  and  take  it  down  there  with  the  understanding 
that  it  was  not  to  be  used  to  protect  the  property  of  rebels  or  to  return  their 
negroes  to  them  ? 

Answer.  I  do  not  believe  we  can  raise  another  army  soon  except  upon 
such  a  principle.  Our  best  friends  there  are  the  negroes.  They  might  be 
made  very  valuable  to  us,  not  only  to  do  our  work,  but  as  a  means  for  obtain 
ing  information  ;  and  I  cannot  understand  the  military  policy  of  refusing 
the  proffered  friendship  and  good  will  of  all  that  people. 

By  Mr.  Chandler  : 

Question.  That  has  never  been  used  in  that  army,  as  I  understand  it  ? 

Answer.  It  has  never  been  used.  The  labor  of  that  class  of  people  has 
never  been  used.  How  far  the  generals  have  acted  upon  information  to  be 
obtained  from  them  I  cannot  say. 

Question.  Our  own  men  have  dug  the  ditches  and  built  the  intrcnchments 
there  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  The  rebels  pursue  a  different  policy.  They  had  4,000 
negroes  at  Fort  Pillow,  and  those  negroes  built  all  those  miles  of  intrench- 
ments;  and  when  they  evacuated  that  place,  I  have  every  reason  to  believe 
that  they  took  the  most  of  those  negroes  along  with  them. 


350  TESTIMONY. 

Question.  Suppose  we  had  used  negroes  to  have  dug  the  intrenchments 
in  ffont  of  Corinth,  instead  of  using  our  own  soldiers,  what,  in  your  judg 
ment,  would  have  been  the  difference  in  mortality  among  our  troops  ? 

Answer.  That  can  only  be  a  matter  of  conjecture. 

Question.  I  want  your  opinion  merely  ? 

Answer.  My  conjecture  is  that  it  would  have  saved  a  great  many  valuable 
lives  ;  I  cannot  approximate  to  the  number.  And  another  thing  is  certain  : 
our  troops  would  have  been  at  all  times  fresh  for  battle. 

By  Mr.  Gooch  : 

Question.  Is  it  or  not  your  opinion  that  the  use-  of  negroes  for  all  such 
purposes  as  you  indicate  would  greatly  increase  the  efficiency  of  our  forces 
in  that  country  ? 

Answer.  Undoubtedly.  By  that  I  mean  this,  more  or  less  ;  it  is  possible 
to  organize  the  negroes  in  such  a  way,  making  them  part  of  a  brigade  or  a 
division  for  instance,  and  giving  them  proper  instruction  and  keeping  them 
in  proper  order  and  in  a  certain  state  of  discipline,  charged  with  certain 
duties,  as  to  relieve  our  soldiers  in  a  great  measure  from  those  very  duties 
that  in  most  instances  are  most  onerous. 

Question.  Have  you  ever  felt  authorized  to  use  negroes  for  the  purposes 
you  have  indicated  ? 

Answer.  I  have  never  felt  myself  authorized  to  do  it;  in  fact,  I  could  not 
do  it,  for  I  have  never  yet,  so  far  as  I  can  recollect,  been  so  situated  as  to 
feel  myself  authorized  to  issue  rations  to  them.  I  would  have  had  to 
have  fed  them  as  a  matter  of  course,  and  I  have  had  no  authority  at  any  time 
to  issue  rations  to  them. 

Question.  Then  all  that  is  required  to  accomplish  this  object  is  to  author 
ize  the  commanders  in  the  field  to  receive  within  their  lines  such  negroes  as 
choose  to  come,  and  to  use  them  for  such  purposes  as  they  could  be  used 
for  to  relieve  our  own  soldiers  and  promote  their  efficiency  ? 

Answer.  Had  I  been  President  of  the  United  States  I  would  have  issued 
that  order  a  year  ago. 

Question.  Would  you  carry,  the  matter  to  the  extent  of  arming  the  ne 
groes,  or  would  you  merely  use  them  in  the  capacity  you  have  indicated  ? 

Answer.  It  would  be  unjust  and  cruel  to  require  the  negro  to  form  part 
of  our  army  and  do  the  labor  of  the  army,  and  yet  not  give  him  the  means 
of  defending  himself. 

Question.  Then  you  would  arm  him  ? 

Answer.  I  would  arm  him.  I  am  looking  at  this  question  not  as  a  politi 
cian,  but  as  a  soldier. 

Question.  In  other  words,  in  order  to  put  down  this  rebellion,  you  would 
make  use  of  all  legitimate  instrumentalities  which  you  found  within  your 
reach  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  and  thank  God  for  sending  them  to  me. 

Question.  And  you  regard  it  proper  and  right  to  use  every  man,  whoever 
he  may  be,  who  offers  his  services  ? 

Answer.  He  would  be  an  idiot  who  would  not.  I  look  at  this  matter  as 
a  soldier.  It  is  to  me  precisely  as  if,  in  the  midst  of  a  battle,  when  the  * 
battle  was  going  against  me,  God  Almighty  should  stretch  'out  his  right 
hand  with  a  brand  in  it,  and  say  to  me,  "Take  and  use  this  brand,  and  I 
will  help  you,"  and  I  should  turn  my  back  upon  it.  It  is  a  most  astonishing 
thing  to  me  that  men  should  hesitate  about  the  matter. 

Question.  What  would  be  the  effect  upon  the  army  of  the  adoption  of  this 
policy  ? 

Answer.  There  are  certain  men  in  the  army  who  at  first  would  give  play 
to  their  prejudices;  and,  in  view  of  the  prejudices  of  our  soldiers,  I  would 


TESTIMONY.  351 

never,  unless  it  was  in  a  moment  of  extreme  peril,  ask  a  regiment  of  negroes 
to  take  their  place  in  line  of  battle  and  fight  side  by  side  with  our  soldiers. 
When  I  propose  to  arm  the  negro,  I  propose  it  as  a  matter  of  humanity.  I 
would  require  no  man  to  labor  for  me  under  such  circumstances  and  not 
give  him  the  means  to  defend  himself.  I  do  not  propose  to  put  the  negro 
upon  an  equality  with  the  soldier.  I  propose  to  make  him  follow  our  army 
in  a  subordinate  capacit}7.  I  propose  to  make  him  follow  our  army  as  a 
laborer,  believing  that  it  frequently  happens  that  labor,  such  as  the  negro 
can  perform,  is  of  just  as  much  importance  to  be  done  as  it  is  for  the 
soldier  to  fight  in  battle.  For  instance,  I  pass  the  house  of  a  well-to-do 
secessionist  to-day — one  that  I  know  to  be  a  secessionist.  I  stop  at  his 
door  and  ask  him  if  he  has  got  any  good  cooks;  if  he  has,  I  would  take 
them,  for  1  should  need  their  services.  To  every  company  in  each  regiment 
I  would  give  at  least  two  good  negro  cooks,  to  every  regiment  I  would 
give  at  least  a  company  of  negroes  as  laborers,  and  to  every  brigade  of 
soldiers  I  would  add  a  regiment  of  negroes  for  laborers.  , 

By  Mr.  Chandler: 

Question.  And  have  them  armed  ? 
Answer.  Of  course  I  would. 

By  Mr.  Gooch: 

Question.  And  in  that  way  you  deem  you  would  greatly  promote  the 
efficiency  of  the  army  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  and  as  an  incentive  to  the  negroes — though  it  is  my 
opinion  that  the  great  mass  of  the  negroes  do  not  need  any  incentive  to  join 
us — I  would  say,  ';  Here,  I  will  feed  you,  clothe  you,  protect  you,  and  give 
you  the  means  of  self-protection.  Now,  follow  my  arm}7,  labor  for  us,  and 
when  this  war  is  over  you  shall  be  free." 

Question.  What  would  be  the  effect  upon  the  army  by  the  adoption  of 
that  policy  ? 

Answer.  It  would  be  good  ;  there  is  no  doubt  about  it. 

Question.  Both  soldiers  and  officers,  in  your  opinion,  would  be  gratified 
and  pleased  with  it  ? 

Answer.  Why,  sir,  do  you  not  suppose  that  the  poor  soldier  laboring  in 
the  trenches  would  be  gratified  if  he  could  find  a  substitute  ready  and  wil 
ling  to  take  his  place  ?  Human  nature  furnishes  the  answer  to  that  ques 
tion. 

By  Mr.  Julian  : 

Question.  And  all  of  the  negroes  thus  employed  in  our  army  would  be 
withdrawn  from  the  plantations  of  the  rebels? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir  ;  and  that,  I  should  say,  was  the  reason  above  all  others 
why  that  should  be  done.  Permit  me  to  explain  my  idea  about  that.  To 
day  I  am  marching  my  column  past  the  house  of  a  secessionist.  I  go  to  the 
gate  or  the  door  and  ask  the  folks  about  the  house,  and  in  all  human  proba 
bility  I  will  find  that  the  man's  wife  and  children  and  his  negroes  have  been 
left  behind  to  take  care  of  the  property.  I  ask  where  is  the  man  of  the 
Jiouse.  I  am  told  that  he  is  gone.  I  ask  where  has  he  gone.  They  do  not 
know.  Go  to  the  negroes  privately  and  ask  them,  and  they  will  tell  you 
that  he  is  hiding  in  the  woods,  or  else  he  is  in  the  rebel  army.  Suppose 
that  the  man  is  in  the  rebel  army.  Do  you  not  see  the  difference  between  the 
position  of  that  soldier  in  the  rebel  army  and  the  farmer  who  is  a  soldier 
in  our  army  ?  Many  of  our  soldiers  are  farmers.  Take  two  soldiers  in  the 
opposite  armies  who  are  farmers.  The  rebel  farmer  soldier  has  his  field 
hands  at  work  on  his  farm  at  home  ;  they  plant  it  and  cultivate  it  for  him, 
and  when  the  harvest  cornes  they  gather  it  and  put  it  in  his  granaries.  It 
is  not  so  with  our  northern  farmer  soldier.  When  he  is  away  in  the  army 


352  TESTIMONY. 

his  farm  to  a  great  extent,  if  not  altogether,  goes  untended  and  unsown;  or 
if  he  has  any  harvest  it  goes  unreaped,  unless  his  neighbors,  through  charity, 
do  it  for  him.  Is  not  the  inference  inevitable?  He  must  be  blind  who 
does  not  see  it.  In  the  one  instance  the  man  is. away,  but  his  farming  goes 
on  as  well  as  if  he  were  at  home,  and  his  harvest  is  gathered  and  stowed 
away.  And  do  we  take  it  under  our  present  policy  ?  No,  sir;  it  is  there  in 
his  barns,  and  we  protect  it  for  him,  unless  we  happen  to  be  marching  as  I 
was  upon  my  last  inarch,  when  I  had  permission  to  take  it  if  I  needed  it, 

Now,  is  it  not  military  policy  to  strike  at  a  man's  operations  as  well  as  at 
himself?  I  would  take  every  negro  from  every  secessionists7  farm,  if  for 
no  other  purpose  than  to  prevent  him  from  being  able  to  work  his  farm,  for 
just  so  far  do  I  deprive  that  southern  army  of  food.  I  would  do  it  more  par 
ticularly  this  year  than  ever.  You  may  stop  by  the  fences,  as  you  go 
through  the  country,  and  you  will  see  in  almost  every  wheat  fieldand  corn 
field  last  year's  cotton-stalks.  They  have  this  year,  in  obedience  to  orders 
from  headquarters,  put  corn  and 'wheat  in  the  fields  where  last  year  they 
planted  cotton. 

To  sum  it  all  up:  I  do  not  want  to  set  our  soldiers  to  murdering  people;  all 
the  ordinary  amenities  of  war  should  be  observed;  but  for  God's  sake  do 
let  our  armies  make  war. 

Question.  You  do  not  want  our  armies  to  go  through  the  enemy's  country 
like  organized  peace  societies  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir;  I  do  not;  nor  like  knight-errants,  each  general  travelling, 
with  his  train  following  him,  in  search  of  some  enemy  to  fight  him,  and 
doing  it  upon  the  pure  principles  of  the  chivalry  of  olden  times. 

Mr.  JULIAN.  Northern  chivalry. 

The  WITNESS.  That  is  well  said. 

By  Mr.  Chandler: 

Question.  They  have  no  such  chivalry. 

Answer.  Just  imagine  for  a  moment  a  southern  army  let  loose  in  Indiana 
or  Ohio.  Suppose  that  Beauregard's  army  had  got  into  Indiana  ;  what 
would  he  have  spared  ?  They  make  war  ;  they  are  bold,  and  are  powerful 
simply  because  they  are  bold.  When  they  want  soldiers  they  do  not  hesi 
tate;  they  conscript  them.  Yet  we  hesitate.  This  is  a  moment  of  desperate 
emergency;  and  yet  you  and  your  friends  here  will  not  pass  a  drafting  law. 
You  should  have  upon  your  statute  book  a  law  which  will  bring  every  militia 
man  from  Pennsylvania,  New  York,  New  England,  Ohio,  Indiana,  Michigan, 
&c.f  and  bring  them  here  in  a  week  if  necessary.  You  need  not  tell  me  the 
impressed  man  will  not  fight.  I  know  they  will  fight.  They  have  shot  at 
me  often  enough  for  me  to  know  that. 

By  Mr.  Julian : 

Question.  If,  in  place  of  acting  according  to  General  H/illeck's  order  No. 
3,  we  had  received  the  negroes  that  came  to  our  lines,  and  got  all  the  infor 
mation  we  could  of  them,  what  would  have  been  the  effect  upon  the  progress 
of  our  cause,  do  you  suppose  ? 

Answer.  It  would  have  been  a  great  deal  owing  to  the  locality.  A  gen* 
eral  ought  to  exercise  discretion  in  regard  to  negroes;  he- ought  to  have 
discretion  in  regard  to  them.  There  are  places  where  it  would  have  been 
impolicy  for  him  to  have  pursued  that  course.  Of  that  he  must  be  the  judge. 

Question.  I  mean  if  we  had  availed  ourselves  of  all  the  information  we 
could  have  obtained  of  them  in  regard  to  the  movements  and  plans  of  the 
enemy,  would  it  not  have  been  of  essential  service  to  us  ? 

Answer.  There  is  no  doubt  of  it.     In  making  war  I  would  regard  that 


TESTIMONY.  353 

man  as  crazy  who  would  refuse  information,  I  do  not  care  from  what  source 
it  comes. 

Question.  Have  you  ever  found  any  information  they  have  given  to  be 
unreliable  and  untrustworthy  ? 

Answer  You  must  take  a  negro's  statement  with  allowance,  from  the  very 
nature  of  the  man.  He  is  an  extravagant  creature,  prone  to  exaggeration. 
When  he  says  that  he  saw  7,000  of  the  enemy  pass  through  a  certain  place 
the  day  before  I  would  divide  his  estimate  by  two,  and  that  would  be  nearer 
correct.  I  would  not  doubt  that  he  had  seen  the  enemy;  I  would  only 
doubt  the  correctness  of  his  estimate  of  their  numbers.  If  he  said  that  he 
had  passed  through  a  camp  of  secessionists  the  day  before,  I  would  believe 
him. 

Question.  Is  he  trustworthy  as  to  his  loyalty? 

Answer.  There  is  no  question  about  that.  The  last  march  I  made,  to 
Memphis,  was  an  ovation.  At  every  plantation  the  negroes  would  come 
and  just  line  the  fences  as  we  passed;  and  the  evidences  of  their-  feeling 
were  unmistakable.  They  only  waited  for  a  little  encouragement  to. have 
gone  with  us.  And  that  is  the  very  trouble  about  the  matter;  too  many  of 
them  would  come.  I  could  have  taken  three  times  as  many  negroes  with 
with  me  into  Memphis  as  I  marched  white  men  in  there.  I  propose  to  use 
the  negro  purely  as  a  military  instrument. 

By  Mr.  Gooch: 

Question.  You  mean  that  you  would  use  that  number  of  negroes  that  could 
be  used  to  advantage  ? 
Answer.  That  is  what  I  mean.     I  would  not  cumber  my  army  with  them. 


CAPTURE   OF   NEW  ORLEANS. 


WaSHiNGTON,  February  2,  1863. 
Major  General  B.  F.  BUTLER  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  chairman  : 

Question.  Will  you  please  give  the  committee  a  concise  account  of  your  ad 
ministration  of  the  department  of  the  Gulf? 

Answer.  I  left  Fortress  Monroe  on  the  24th  of  February  last,  on  the  steamer 
Mississippi.  After  being  run  aground  by  the  carelessness  of  the  captain,  and 
stopping  at  Port  Royal  to  refit,  I  got  to  Ship  island  on  the  23d  of  March.  I 
had  under  my  command  13,700  troops,  all  New  England  regiments  but  three, 
and  from  every  State  in  New  England  except  Rhode  Island.  Those  three 
other  regiments  were  western  regiments,  from  Indiana,  Michigan,  and  Wisconsin. 
On  the  15  tli  of  April  we  left  Ship  island  with  8,000  troops — which  were  all  we 
"had  transportation  for — to  attempt  to  get  to  New  Orleans.  Two  of  the  trans 
ports  were  steamers,  the  rest  were  sailing  vessels.  We  entered  the  Mississippi 
and  remained  there  during  the  attempted  bombardment  of  Forts  Jackson  and 
Philip,  until  the  morning  of  the  24th  of  April.  We  had  agreed  with  Admiral 
Farragut,  before  the  bombardment  commenced,  that  if  the  bombardment  failed 
to  reduce  the  forts  and  he  could  run  by  enough  of  his  fleet  to  clear  the  river 
above  of  the  rebel  gunboats,  which  would  otherwise  shell  us  off  the  levee  if  we 
attempted  to  land,  we  would  go  out  of  the  Southwest  Pass,  come  round  in  the 
rear  of  Fort  St.  Philip,  and  wade  through  the  marah  until  we  could  get  on  to 
Part  iii 23 


354  TESTIMONY 

the  hard  land,  and  in  the  rear  of  both  the  forts,  so  as  to  cut  them  off  entirely 
from  any  supplies,  and  if  possible  take  Fort  St.  Philip  by  assault.  On  the 
morning  of  the  24th  of  April,  when  Farragut  succeeded  in  getting  by  the  forts, 
I  put  that  plan  into  execution,  and  landed  3,000  men  here,  (pointing  to  the  place 
on  the  map — west  of  Sable  island,  at  the  quarantine  station.)  We  had  to  row 
seven  miles  before  we  struck  where  we  could  find  good  footing.  Then  I  threw 
a  body  of  men  across  the  Mississippi  and  entirely  hemmed  in  the  forts.  The 
night  after  that  was  done  the  garrison  of  Fort  Jackson  mutinied  against  their 
officers,  turned  their  guns  against  them,  and  the  majority  of  them  surrendered 
to  our  pickets.  Commodore  Porter,  who  lay  below  with  the  mortar  fleet,  had 
the  day  before,  the  27th,  sent  up  a  flag  of  truce,  asking  the  fort* to  surrender. 
He  did  not  learn  that  we  had  captured  the  men  in  the  forts.  The  next  morn 
ing  the  officers  sent  down  word  that  they  were  willing — as  well  they  might  be — 
to  accept  the  terms  offered  them  the  day  before.  The  white  flag  was  hoisted 
and  they  surrendered. 

In  the  meantime,  leaving  General  Williams  in  command,  I  had  gone  up  the 
river  to  join  Farragut  and  to  take  part,  if  necessary,  in  the  correspondence  be 
tween  him  and  the  authorities  of  New  Orleans.  In  that  correspondence  I 
advised  that  the  city  should  be  bombarded  unless  the  forts  about  it  were  sur 
rendered.  The  forts  were  the  exterior  defences,  and,  I  thought,  should  be 
surrendered  with  the  city.  That  was  the  origin  of  the  notice  to  them  to  leave 
the  city  in  forty-eight  hours.  Before  that  time  expired  the  forts  on  the  river 
surrendered,  as  well  as  the  forts  at  the  entrance  of  Lake  Pontchartrain — Forts 
Pike  and  Wood.  At  that  time  my  steamers  were  all  around  in  the  rear  of  Fort 
St.  Philip.  Some  of  the  men  had  got  across  on  the  levee,  and  I  had  to  get  my 
steamers  back  again  into  the  river  so  as  to  transport  my  troops  up  to  the  city, 
so  that  it  took  us  until  the  1st  of  May  to  get  up.  I  had  one  steamer  that  would 
carry  from  1,000  to  1,500  men,  and  another  that  would  carry  something  like 
500  men.  I  could  get  up  to  New  Orleans  only  about  2,000  men  at  a  time.  As 
soon  as  I  got  up  that  number  I  landed  and  took  possession  of  the  city,  and 
posted  guards  in  and  around  it.  Owing  to  an  accident  to  these  same  steamers, 
it  was  a  fortnight  before  I  got  any  more  men  up  there.  So  that  I  really  lay  for 
a  fortnight  in  New  Orleans — with  guards  posted  in  a  city  seven  miles  long  and 
two  and  a  half  miles  wide — having,  within  the  city,  only  250  men,  as  a  reserve, 
whom  I  could  call  into  line  on  a  sudden  occasion.  The  enemy  thought  I  had  a 
great  many  more  men  than  that,  for  my  men  were  very  busy  moving  about  in 
the  daytime  ;  and  it  so  happened,  too,  that  the  papers  all  said  that  we  landed 
10,000  or  15,000  troops.  We  Jiad  the  advantage  of  bragging  a  little  on  our 
side.  The  men  were  marched  about  pretty  lively,  so  that  they  might  learn  the 
streets,  and  thus  appeared  to  be  a  great  many,  more  especially  as  I  had  those 
parts  of  four  or  five  different  corps,  so  that  it  looked  like  a  great  many  regi 
ments.  We  never  had  any  trouble  after  the  first  day  in  the  city.  I  found, 
when  we  got  there,  that  the  people  were  in  a  state  of  absolute  starvation.  There 
were  not  twenty  days'  provisions  in  the  city,  and  they  were  wholly  dependent 
upon  the  Red  river  and  Mobile  for  their  supply.  I  went  into  consultation  with 
the  city  council.  We  fitted  out  boats  to  go  to  Mobile,  where  they  had  large 
supplies  of  provisions,  and  from  which  place,  before  we  took  New  Orleans, 
provisions  were  got  by  means  of  the  Jackson  railway.  The  city  council  agreed 
that  they  would  run  the  boat,  and  even,  and  fairly,  and  honestly,  to  bring  in 
provisions.  At  the  same  time  they  agreed  to  go  up  the  Red  river  and  purchase 
provisions  there.  Two  boat  loads  of  provisions  did  come  down  from  the  Red 
river,  and  then  Governor  Moore  stopped  the  further  trade,  and  said  we  should 
have  no  more  provisions  from  that  part  of  the  country.  Representations  were 
made  to  him  by  the  leading  citizens  of  New  Orleans  that  my  army  had  pro 
visions  enough,  but  the  citizens  were  starving,  but  without  effect.  I  found  be 
fore  long  that  this  committee  that  had  brought  these  provisions  over  "from 


TESTIMONY.  355 

Mobile  were  very  careful,  in  their  distribution,  to  distribute  the  provisions  only 
to  the  families  of  confederate  soldiers.  So  that  I  was  really  in  the  condition 
simply  of  having  the  Union  citizens  starving,  while  the  provisions  belonging 
to  the  city  were  fed  out  to  the  families  of  confederate  soldiers.  There  was  a 
"  free  market,"  but  it  was  established  and  managed  for  the  purpose  of  supplying 
only  the  families  of  confederate  soldiers.  When  I  found  that  out  I  shut  up  the 
"free  market"  and  took  charge  of  the  distribution  myself.  In  the  meantime 
I  found,  in  one  of  the  warehouses  in  the  city,  some  2,000  tierces  of  beef  which 
haft  belonged  to  the  confederate  army,  and  distributed  that  amongst  the  poor. 
I  organized  a  relief  association,  and  levied  an  assessment  of  $350,000,  as  a  relief 
fund,  on  the  cotton  factors  who  had,  by  a  published  card,  advised  the  planters 
not  to  bring  in  their  cotton,  as  they  said,  for  the  purpose  of  forcing  foreign  in 
tervention.  And  upon  another  set  of  men  who  had  subscribed  a  million  and 
a  quarter  of  dollars  for  the  defence  of  the  city  I  assessed  them  25  per  cent,  on  that. 

Among  the  earliest  things  which  claimed  attention  was  the  quarantine  and 
state  of  the  health  of  the  city.  I  organized  a  thousand  men,  to  be  employed  at 
a  dollar  a  day,  to  clean  the  streets ;  to  be  paid  out  of  this  "  relief  fund"  thus 
assessed,  arid  allowed  them  to  buy  of  our  commissaries  their  rations  at  the 
government  prices,  which  was  making  their  employment  a  charity,  at  the  same 
time  we  made  them  earn  their  living.  Thereupon  the  city  council,  by  way  of 
getting  up  a  quarrel  between  me  and  the  poor  men,  said,  "  This  is  a  poor, 
mean,  Yankee  piece  of  business.  In  the  confederacy  the  laboring  men  got  a 
dollar  and  a  half  a  day."  And  thereupon  voted  an  extra  fifty  cents  a  day  to  the 
laborers,  subject  to  my  approbation,  hoping  that  I  would  veto  it.  But  I  an 
swered  them  at  once  that  I  was  very  glad  they  had  fifty  cents  a  day  extra  to 
spare  for  the  laborers,  and  that  I  would  rather  pay  them  a  dollar  and  a  half  a 
day  than  a  dollar.  And  the  men  were  accordingly  employed  at  a  dollar  and  a 
half  a  day,  for  a  time,  and  were  employed  from  that  time  until  I  left. 

In  the  meantime  the  need  of  the  relief  commission  grew,  until  I  was  feeding, 
on  an  average,  about  10,000  families  a  day,  nearly  3^  persons  to  each  family, 
making  about  34,000  persons.  About  1,200  of  these  families  were  Americans  ; 
of  the  rest,  about  4,000  families  were  British  subjects,  and  the  remainder  were 
French,  Spanish,  German  and  Italian,  &c.  So  that,  while  foreign  resident  offi 
cers  were  quarrelling  with  us  for  our  harsh  treatment  of  their  subjects,  we  were 
feeding  34,000  persons,  of  whom  a  little  over  4,000  claimed  to  be  American 
citizens.  That  feeding  was  continued  as  long  as  I  was  there  ;  and  that  was  in 
addition  to  employing  about  a  thousand — sometimes  a  little  more  and  some 
times  a  little  less — every  day  in  cleaning  the  streets  and  building  up  the  levees, 
and  putting  the  city  to  rights,  generally.  All  the  drainage  of  the  city  is  done 
by  means  of  canals,  and  we  cleaned  out  between  ten  and  eleven  miles  of  canal, 
some  of  which  had  not  been  cleaned  for  twelve  or  fifteen  years.  The  conse 
quence  was  that  we  had  comparatively  no  sickness  in  the  city  of  New  Orleans. 
I  had  a  regiment,  a  thousand  strong,  in  the  city  during  the  months  of  July  and 
August,  and  it  buried  but  one  man.  There  was  some  swamp  fever  at  Carrolton, 
nine  miles  above,  where  the  rebels  had  made  a  fortification  which  it  became 
necessary  for  us  to  occupy. 

I  established  a  very  strict  quarantine.  I  would  not  allow  any  vessel  that 
came  from  an  infected  port  to  come  up  to  the  city  under  thirty  days.  If  she  had 
anything  like  a  perishable  cargo  it  was  taken  out  and  thoroughly  overhauled 
and  fumigated.  This  strictness  created  a  great  deal  of  ill  feeling  among  the 
merchants.  A  New  York  merchant  would  start  his  steamer  laden  with  flour 
from  New  York  to  Havana,  and  thence  to  New  Orleans,  taking  a  great  number 
of  passengers  on  board,  with  large  freight,  and  if  he  had  to  lay  at  quarantine 
for  thirty  days,  while  flour  was  running  down  from  $40  to  $20  "a  barrel,  he,  of 
course,  felt  very  cross  about  it — especially  if  another  New  York  merchant,  who 
did  not  touch  at  an  infected  port,  was  allowed  to  come  up  and  make  a  large 


356  TESTIMONY. 

profit  on  his  cargo.  If  an  English  or  a  French  vessel  was  allowed  to  come, 
•that  would  cause  complaints  from  the  ships  of  all  other  nations  who  were  forced 
to  remain  at  quarantine  ;  each  charging  that  favoritism  had  been  shown  to  the 
other.  Eut  it  was  necessary,  and  I  strictly  adhered  to  it.  That  was  illustrated 
by  this  :  I  did  allow  a  small  steamer  from  New  York  to  come  up  ;  the  captain 
stating  that  he. touched  at  Nassau  merely  to  take  in  coal,  and  was  there  but  a 
short  time.  It  turned  out,  however,  that  he  did  take  passengers  on  board,  one 
of  whom  had  the  yellow  fever  after  he  arrived  at  New  Orleans.  I  immediately 
had  the  square  shut  up  completely,  allowed  no  one  to  enter  or  leave  it,  white- 
wasl^ed  everything,  cleaned  the  square  up,  fumigated  it,  and  when  the  man 
died  buried  him,  and  pretty  much  everything  he  had  ever  looked  at.  •  This 
ended  the  matter ;  we  did  not  have  another  case  of  yellow  fever  in  New  Or 
leans.  That,  however,  demonstrated  the  fact  that  yellow  fever  is  not  indigenous 
there,  but  requires  to  be  imported,  and  that  it  may  be  quarantined  even  after  it 
has  been  brought  into  the  river.  It,  perhaps,  can  be  fully  done  only  by  mili 
tary  measures ;  but  it  was  effectually  done  there,  although  they  had  every 
where  on  the  coast — at  Matamoras,  Galveston,  Sabine  Pass,  and  at  Pensacola, 
and  I  had  five  or  six  cases  down  at  quarantine. 

About  the  5th  of  June  I  sent  off  the  first  troops  I  got  frona  Ship  island  to 
take  possession  of  Baton  Rouge.  I  then  learned  that  there  was  no  other  garrison, 
or  fortifications,  or  guns,  between  there  and  Vicksburg.  We  went  up  and  took 
Natchez  with  the  gunboats,  and  it  has  been  practically  in  our  possession  ever 
since.  The  mayor  and  people  of  Natchez  behaved  very  well. 

I  learned  that  there  was  a  garrison  of  1,500  or  1,500  men  at  Vicksburg, 
and  somewhere  about  the  5th  of  June  I  sent  General  Williams  up  there  with 
somewhere  in  the  neighborhood  of  4,000  men,  including  two  batteries  of  artillery, 
to  co-operate  with  Commodore  Farragut  in  taking  Vicksburg.  We  heard  of  the 
retreat  of  Beauregard  from  Corinth  ^oon  after  that  expedition  left.  The  next 
thing  we  knew  about  their  movements,  Villipigne's  division  and  Breckinridge's 
division  of  the  rebel  army  came  to  Vicksburg.  That  determined  Farragut  to 
run  by  the  battery  at  Vicksburg  and  communicate  with  Davis  above  Vicksburg. 
He  also  wanted  to  get  up  there  before  Davis  came  down,  so  as  to  protect  the 
other  end  of  our  cut-off  that  we  had  determined  to  make.  He  ran  by  and 
opened  communication.  We  sent  up  to  Halleck's  army  for  re-enforcement, 
because  we  had  heard  that  30,000  men  had  gone  off  with  Buell  to  Chattanooga, 
and  we  supposed  that  10,000  or  15,000  would  be  enough  to  hold  Memphis  in 
that  direction,  and  there  would  still  be  left  a  force  that  could  be  sent  down  to 
•operate  against  us;  especially  was  this  desirable,  as  we  had  already  heard  that 
Villipigne  and  Breckinridge  had  come  down  to  Vicksburg  with  15,000  men. 
There  was  an  awful  mortality  in  the  enemy's  ranks  there,  and  they  never  had 
at  any  time  over  9,000  men  there  fit  for  duty. 

Grant  having  sent  down  word  that  he  could  not  send  us  men,  that  there  was 
none  left,  that  they  had  all  gone  forward,  General  Williams  determined  to  land 
at  Warrenton,  about  eight  miles  from  Vicksburg,  and  fight  his  way  up  on  the 
bluff,  being  aided  as  much  as  possible  by  the  gunboats  on  the  river.  But  in  the 
meantime  the  malaria  struck  down  our  men,  so  that  we  brought  of  the  force  we 
sent  to  Vicksburg  only  a  little  over  1,000  well  men.  This  prevented  Williams'^ 
movement.  When  that  force  returned,  Farragut  ran  down  the  river  again  past 
their  batteries,  and  came  down  with  us.  On  the  way  down  we  stopped  at  Port 
Hudson,  and  some  men  went  on  shore  and  examined,  but  found  no  fortification? 
there  then.  When  we  got  to  Baton  Rouge  we  had  a  little  less  than  1,000 
effective  men  of  Williams's  up-river  force,  and  much  less  than  that  number  went 
out  to  battalion  drill  and  dress  parade.  Thereupon  Breckinridge,  with  all  the 
men  he  could  spare,  about  8,000  men,  came  down  on  the  Jackson  railroad  to 
Camp  Moore,  above  Poiichatoula,  and  marched  across  sixty  miles  and  camped 
ten  miles  from  Baton  Rouge.  More  than  one-half  of  all  my  effective  force,  after 


TESTIMONY.  357 

garrisoning  Pensacola,  Ship  island,  and  the  various  forts,  and  Algiers,  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  river  from  New  Orleans,  was  up  the  river  at  Baton  Kouge, 
after  General  Williams  returned  there.  It  was  supposed  by  the  rebels  that  if 
they  could  overcome  my  force  there  that  I  would  not  have  enough  left  to  man 
the  lines  at  Carrolton,  above  New  Orleans,  and  to  guard  the  approaches  from 
Lake  Pontchartrain,  and  therefore  a  movement  upon  New  Orleans  would  be 
practicable.  Upon  that  theory  they  made  the  attack  upon  General  Williams 
at  Baton  Rouge.  But  they  were  very  badly  repulsed,  very  badly  beaten  in 
deed.  The  death  of  General  Williams  put  a  good  officer  in  command,  but  one 
with  so  little  experience,  and  with  his  small  force  he  did  not  dare  pursue.  I 
think'  if  General  Williams  had  lived  he  would  have  pursued  the  rebels,  cut 
them  off,  and  destroyed  their  entire  force.  I  had  issued  an  order  that  any  con 
federate  soldier  who  chose  to  desert  and  leave  the  rebel  army  might  come  into 
New  Orleans  and  register  his  name.  There  had  come  into  New  Orleans  up  to 
this  time  something  over  6,000  men,  who  had  been  soldiers  in  the  confederate 
army,  and  registered  themselves  as  paroled  prisoners.  So  that  I  had  in  New 
Orleans  nearly  twice  as  many  men  who  had  been  soldiers  in  the  confederate  army 
as  I  had  of  Union  soldiers.  I  had  asked  for  leave,  which  had  been  granted,  to 
recruit  my  regiments.  I  recruited  in  Louisiana  all  of  my  old  regiments  up  to 
the  full  standard,  raised  two  new  white  regiments,  and  four  companies  of  cav 
alry — all  of  men  living  in  Louisiana.  They  fought  bravely  at  Baton  Eouge. 
Out  of  460  men  of  the  14th  Maine  who  were  in  line  nearly  200  of  them  were 
recruits  from  Louisiana.  They,  of  course,  were  healthy  men,  not  having  suf 
fered  the  troubles  either  of  Camp  Parapet  or  Vicksburg.  I  ordered  $S  a  month 
to  be  paid  out  of  the  provost  fund  to  the  widows  and  mothers  of  quite  a  number 
of  Louisiana  soldiers  that  were  killed  under  our  flag,  because  I  knew  it  would 
take  a  long  time  to  get  it  from  Washington,  and  I  wanted  to  encourage  others 
to  enlist.  The  provost  fund  was  made  up  of  fines  and  forfeitures,  sales  of  con 
fiscated  property,  and  two  dollars  charged  for  each  pass,  &c.  I  asked  for 
liberty  to  raise  five  thousand  native  Louisianians,  and  raised  nearly  that 
number,  including  recruits  in  the  old  regiments.  White  recruiting  began  then 
to  fall  off,  because  of  the  high  wages  beginning  to  be  paid  for  white  labor  on 
the  plantations,  in  order  to  save  the  sugar  crop  where  the  negroes  had  left.  I 
had  written  to  Washington  for  re-enforcements,  but  they  replied  that  they  could 
not  give  me  any,  though  they  wrote  that  I  must .  hold  New  Orleans  at  all 
hazards.  I  determined  to  do  that,  if  for 'no  other  reason,  because  the  rebels  had 
offered  a  reward  for  my  head,  if  they  could  catch  me,  and  it  would  have  been 
rather  inconvenient  to  me  to  have  lost  it.  White  recruiting  had  come  to  an 
end,  and  I  could  get  no  re-enforcements  from  Washington. 

Upon  examining  the  records  I  found  that  Governor  Moore,  of  Louisiana,  had 
raised  a  regiment  of  free  colored  people,  and  organized  it  and  officered  it ;  and 
I  found  one  of  his  commissions.  I  sent  for  a  colored  man  as  an  officer  of  that 
regiment,  and  got  some  fifteen  or  sixteen  of  the  officers  together — black  and 
mulatto,  light  and  dark  colored — and  asked  them  what  they  meant  by  being 
organized  under  the  rebels.  They  said  they  had  been  ordered  out,  and  could 
not  refuse  ;  but  that  the  rebels  had  never  trusted  them  with  arms.  They  had 
been  drilled  in  company  drill.  I  asked  them  if  that  organization  could  be 
resuscitated,  provided  they  were  supplied  with  arms.  They  said  that  it  could. 
Very  well,  I  said,  then  I  will  resuscitate  that  regiment  of  Louisiana  militia.  I 
thereupon  issued  an  order,  stating  the  precedent  furnished  by  Governor  Moore, 
and  in  a  week  from  that  time  I  had  in  that  regiment  a  thousand  men,  reasonably 
drilled  and  well  disciplined ;  better  disciplined  than  any  other  regiment  I  had 
there,  because  the  blacks  had  been  always  taught  to  do  as  they  were  told.  It 
was  composed  altogether  of  free  men ;  made  free  under  some  law. 

There  was  a  very  large  French x  and  English  population  in  Louisiana.  I 
ascertained  that  neither  French  nor  English  law  permitted  French  or  English 


358  TESTIMONY. 

subjects  to  hold  slaves  in  a  foreign  country.  According  to  the  French  law, 
any  French  citizen  who  holds  slaves  in  a  foreign  country  forfeits  his  citizenship. 
According  to  the  British  law,  any  Englishman  holding  slaves  in  a  foreign 
country  forfeits  66100. 

I  thereupon  issued  an  order  that  every  person  should  register  himself;  the 
loyal  as  loyal ;  French  subjects  as  French  subjects ;  English  subjects  as  Eng 
lish  subjects,  &c.,  under  their  own  hands,  so  that  there  could  be  no  mistake  in 
the  books  of  the  provost  marshal.  That  was  accordingly  done. 

I  then  said  to  those  who  claimed  to  be  French  and  English  subjects  : 
"  According  to  the  law  of  the  country  to  which  you  claim  by  this  register  to  owe 
allegiance,  all  the  negroes  claimed  by  you  as  slaves  are  free,  and  being  free  I 
may  enlist  as  many  of  them  as  I  please."  And  I  accordingly  enlisted  one 
regiment  and  part  of  another  from  men  in  that  condition.  We  had  a  great 
many  difficulties  about  it.  But  the  English  consul  came  very  fairly  up  to  the 
mark,  and  decided  that  the  negroes  claimed  as  slaves  by  those  who  had  registered 
themselves  as  British  subjects  were  all  free.  So  that  I  never  enlisted  a  slave. 
Indeed,  it  was  a  general  order  that  no  slave  should  be  enlisted. 

In  the  meantime  I  was  informed  from  Washington  that  it  would  be  very 
desirable  to  have  congressional  elections  held  in  that  portion  of  Louisiana  which 
was  under  our  control.  The  difficulty  about  that  was  that  New  Orleans  was 
divided  into  two  election  districts.  The  lower  district  was  composed  of  the 
lower  part  of  the  city  of  New  Orleans,  and  all  of  the  State  below  the  city. 
The  other  district  comprised  the  remainder  of  New  Orleans,  and  all  along 
the  river  above  for  60  miles  to  Donaldsonville.  I  therefore  sent  an  expedition 
under  General  Weitzel  to  Donaldsonville,  and  swept  doAvn  through  that  country 
to  Berwick  bay ;  drove  out  the  enemy,  who  were  there  in  considerable  force, 
and  brought  the  whole  of  that  region,  from  one  end  to  the  other,  within  the 
Union  lines.  I  thus  got  under  the  control  of  the  American  soldiery  nearly  the 
entire  two  districts  now  represented  by  Mr.  Flanders  and  Mr.  Halm.  General 
Shepley,  as  military  governor,  then  issued  his  proclamation  for  an  election,  in 
order  that  every  man  in  those  districts  should  be  allowed  to  vote  who  had  taken 
the  oath,  and  had  the  other  qualifications  prescribed  by  the  laws  of  Louisiana ; 
and  everybody  did  vote.  There  were  seven  candidates  running  in  one  district 
and  two  in  the  other. 

In  taking  possession  of  that  district,  which  had  theretofore  been  in  the  posses 
sion  of  the  enemy,  we  obtained  possession  of  a  region  of  country  containing  more 
sugar  plantations  and  more  slaves  than  any  other  portion  of  Louisiana.  Some 
15,000,  perhaps  20,000,  slaves  came,  by  that  one  expedition,  under  our  control; 
and  as  Congress  had  passed  a  law  declaring  that  all  slaves,  held  by  rebels  in 
regions  that  afterwards  came  into  our  possession,  should  be  free,  all  those  slaves 
became  free.  And  I  enlisted  a  third  regiment  and  two  batteries  of  heavy  artil 
lery  from  among  these  negroes  thus  made  free.  Two  of  these  colored  regiments 
were  employed  in  guarding  the  Opelousas  railroad,  running  from  Algiers  to  Ber 
wick  bay;  and  when  I  left  there  they  were  still  thus  employed.  For  the 
other  regiments  I  had  enlisted  I  found  this  use  :  The  planters  there,  while  some 
claimed  to  be  loyal  and  some  disloyal,  had  come  to  the  conclusion  not  to  lay 
down  any  "  ratoons  "  of  sugar  cane,  as  they  are  called ;  that  is,  pieces  of  cane 
are  laid  in  the  ground  in  order  to  preserve  their  eyes  from  injury  by  frost,  and 
when  the  season  comes  they  are  planted  and  the  new  cane  springs  up  from 
these  eyes.  They  had  come  to  the  conclusion  not  to  lay  down  any  ratoons, 
and  to  preserve  no  seed  for  other  crops,  so  that  if  the  President's  proclamation 
of  September  should  be  followed,  as  they  feared,  by  one  in  January,  declaring 
the  slaves  free,  they  would  throw  them  upon  us,  and  we  would  have  nothing  for 
them  to  do,  and  nothing  for  them  to  eat  during  the  coming  year  from  the  crops.  I 
therefore  employed,  for  many  weeks,  the  last  regiment  that  I  raised  in  laying  down 
cane — cutting  it  down  and  laying  it  in  the  ground  to  protect  the  eyes  from  the 


TESTIMONY.  359 

frost.  And  I  have  no  doubt  that  in  that  way  I  have  made  sufficient  provision 
for  the  coming  cane  crop  upon  the  plantations  necessary  to  be  worked  by  the 
government ;  and  also  in  preserving  sweet  potatoes  and  corn  for  the  next 
year's  planting,  to  find  employment  and  sustenance,  if  these  15,000  or  20,000 
negroes  should  be  thrown  upon  us,  provided  we  went  no  further.  I  turned 
over  to  my  successor,  of  soldiers,  17,800,  including  the  black  regiments,  though 
I  had  but  13,700  to  start  with.  The  Jews,  who  have  been,  in  my  judgment, 
one  half  of  the  cause  of  this  war,  as  they  are  among  the  principal  supporters 
of  it  in  the  south,  followed  Weitzel's  army  over  into  La  Fourche  county,  and 
attempted  to  buy  up  every  thing  that  was  there  for  a  nominal  price,  both  from 
loyal  and  disloyal  men.  I  had  foreseen  that  state  of  things.  Of  course  I  knew, 
as  early  as  any  one,  at  least,  when  I  was  going  to  make  a  move,  and  where  I 
was  going  to  make  it.  And  on  the  18th  of  September,  some  month  or  so  be 
fore  I  got  ready  to  start  the  expedition  under  General  Weitzel,  I  published  an 
order  that  there  should  be  no  more  selling  of  property  by  disloyal  men,  so  that 
I  could  set  aside  all  those  sales  which  I  knew  would  be  attempted  to  those 
Jews.  The  army  moved  on  the  26th  or  27th  of  October,  and  these  Jews  fol 
lowed  the  army  and,  whenever  they  could  get  by,  they  would  go  to  the  planters 
and  buy  sugar  at  $30  a  hogshead,  and  so  on.  I  then  issued  my  order,  No.  91, 
that  all  property  in  this  newly  acquired  territory  should  be  sequestered,  not 
confiscated  ;  should  come  under  the  power  of  the  United  States.  Whenever  it 
belonged  to  disloyal  men  it  should  be  taken  for  the  United  States,  and  when 
ever  it  belonged  to  loyal  men  they  might  take  the  proceeds  and  keep  it.  I 
ordered  that  the  whole  of  the  property  that  could  be  should  be  gathered  up  and 
brought  to  the  city  of  New  Orleans ;  there  to  be  sold  at  public  auction,  and  an 
accurate  account  kept  of  each  lot  of  property ;  the  money  to  be  subject  to  the 
claim  of  whoever  it  might  concern.  And  I  appointed  a  commission  of  the  best 
men  I  could  find  in  my  army  to  administer  that  order.  We  got  ready  to  do  that 
about  the  middle  of  November ;  and  from  that  time  we  received  and  sold  some 
thing  over  $800,000  worth  of  sugar  and  cotton,  and  the  money  in  the  hands  of 
the  commission  was  turned-  over  to  General  Banks  when  I  left  there.  I  also 
turned  over  to  the  commissary  $160,000  for  property  we  had  captured ;  and 
into  the  quartermaster's  department  we  turned  over  $36,000. 

I  have  charged  myself,  in  my  accounts  with  the  War  Department,  with 
$1,088,000,  which  I  had  received  from  taxation,  assessments,  fines,  and  for 
feitures,  and  confiscated  property  in  one  way  or  another,  in  behalf  of  the  United 
States.  I  sent  home  here  to  the  treasury  the  sum  of  $345,000.  When  I  came 
away  I  turned  over  to  General  Banks  $160,000  and  odd  dollars.  About 
$525,000  I  expended  in  nine  months,  feeding  of  the  poor  and  in  the  employ 
ment  of  labor.  The  rest  I  hold  myself  responsible  for  in  various  accounts  and 
by  vouchers,  which  I  hope  the  government  will  allow,  as  the  sums  were  ex 
pended  in  good  faith. 

I  found,  when  I  got  to  New  Orleans  last  April,  that  the  banks  had  apparently 
sent  off  all  their  specie.  There  had  been  $9,000,000  of  specie  in  New  Orleans, 
but  I  could  not  find  half  a  million  in  the  banks.  I  became  very  soon  convinced 
that  all  of  it  had  not  been  sent  off.  After  a  little  examination  I  found  that  only 
about  half  of  it  had  gone.  I  found  one  loyal  cashier  there,  the  cashier,  of  the 
Bank  of  America.  He  went  up  into  the  Red  River  region  under  the  name 
of  Beef,  and  succeeded  in  obtaining  and  bringing  down  on  a  river  steamer  in 
barrels  $625,000  in  specie,  belonging  to  the  Bank  of  America.  That  was  all 
we  got  back  from  without  our  lines  that  had  been  sent  away.  The  rest  of  it 
was  taken  to  Atlanta,  Georgia.  Mr.  Memminger,  the  secretary  of  the  treasury 
for  the  Confederate  States,  informed  the  bankers  of  New  Orleans  that  the  con 
federacy  would  not  touch  this  specie;  but  just  before  I  left  he  informed  them 
that  the  confederacy  had  need  of  it,  but  would  be  responsible  for  it. 

A  negro  would  come  in  now  and  then  and  tell  me  that  there  was  money  buried 


360  TESTIMONY. 

in  such  a  place;  that  a  quantity  was  in  the  French  consul's  office,  &c.  I  began 
looking  about  and  making  the  bankers  exceedingly  uncomfortable.  At  last  they 
sent  a  committee  to  me  to  learn  if  their  specie  was  got  back  into  then-  vaults  in 
any  way  whether  it  would  be  safe.  I  told  them  it  would  be  as  safe  as  it 
ever  was.  Thereupon  they  brought  out  of  their  various  hiding  places  about 
$4,000,000  of  specie.  And  when  I  came  away  there  was  about  $4,000,000  of 
specie  in  the  bank  vaults,  and  about  $1,500,000  which  was  in  the  possession  of 
the  French  and  Dutch  consuls,  and  which  caused  a  great  deal  of  correspondence 
between  Mr.  Johnson  and  myself,  and  the  State  Department, 

I  have  spoken  of  my  administration  so  far  as  regards  aliens.  They  registered 
themselves  under  an  order  which  I  issued.  The  same  order  required  all  loyal 
citizens  to  register  themselves ;  and  it  also  required  every  man  who  claimed  to 
be  a  subject  of  the  Confederate  States  to  register  himself  as  an  enemy  of  the 
United  States,  and  to  bring  in,  when  he  registered  himself,  a  schedule  of  all  his 
property.  I  waited,  before  I  did  that,  until  the  23d  of  September,  till  the  ex 
piration  of  the  sixty  days'  notice  given  in  the  President's  proclamation  of  the 
23d  of  July.  I  required  these  rebels  to  bring  in  a  list  of  their  property  and 
to  register  themselves  over  their  own  signatures  in  the  books  of  the  provost 
marshal  as  enemies  of  the  United  States,  if  they  claimed  so  to  be,  and  would  not 
take  the  oath  of  allegiance.  And  some  4,000,  out  of  a  city  of  160,000  inhabit 
ants  so  registered  themselves.  I  required  every  man  and  woman  above  the 
age  of  eighteen  so  to  register  themselves,  in  order  to  settle  the  rights  of  the 
United  States  in  their  property.  All  the  rest,  besides  the  4,000,  either  took  the 
oath  of  allegiance  or  claimed  to  be  subject  to  some  foreign  flag.  There  was 
registered  property  to  the  amount,  of  some  millions  of  dollars,  which  I  held 
under  the  law  to  be  confiscated. 

My  object  in  doing  this  was  to  settle  titles,  because  I  had  some  experience  in 
looking  up  confiscated  titles.  A  large  portion  of  the  landed  property  of  Massa 
chusetts  depends  upon  confiscation  titles.  As  all  property  was  against  the  revolu 
tion  at  that  time,  so  all  property  in  the  South  is  now  in  favor  of  the  rebellion. 
The  act  of  Congress  provides  that  the  fact  of  a  man  having  aided  and  abetted  the 
rebellion,  and  not  having  returned  at  the  time  to  his  allegiance,  shall  be  a  good 
plea  to  bar  any  suit  for  the  recovery  of  his  property.  And  I  supposed  I  might 
have  occasion  to  sell  the  property  of  these  rebels,  and  it  would  bring  a  great 
deal  more  money,  and  the  title  would  be  a  great  deal  better,  if  I  had  under  the 
former  owner's  own  hand  that  he  was  an  enemy  of  the  United  States  at  the 
time.  This  explains  what  is  meant  by  a  registered  enemy — in  the  department 
of  the  Gulf — a  man  who,  after  the  23d  of  September,  1862,  registered  himself 
as  a  friend  of  the  confederate  government,  and  as  an  enemy  of  the  United  States, 
and  when  he  did  so  he  was  obliged  to  hand  in  a  list  of  all  his  property.  It  is 
fair  to  say  that  many  men  of  large  means  did  so. 

After  that  I  had  no  hesitation  in  taking  the  property  of  any  man  who  had 
thus  registered  himself,  and  using  it  in  any  way  or  form  for  the  benefit  of  the 
United  States  or  my  troops.  Up  to  that  time  I  never  allowed  my  officers  to 
occupy  the  houses  or  use  the  property  of  any  others  than  officers  in  the  rebel 
army.  Afterwards,  however,  when  1  found  a  good  house  that  belonged  to  a 
registered  enemy,  we  had  no  hesitation  in  turning  him  out  and  using  it,  because 
we  held  that  it  was  confiscated  to  the  United  States,  and  was  United  States 
property.  And  whenever  any  officer  used  a  house  in  that  way  it  saved  to  the 
government  commutation  for  quarters. 

There  is  one  subject  which  it  is  due  to  myself  I  should  say  something  about. 
I  have  heard  something  about  "sugar  speculations  by  the  commanding  general." 
I  desire  to  make  a  statement  upon  that  subject.  On  the  16th  of  May,  or  about 
that  time,  I  was  in  New  Orleans,  and  had  twelve  or  fifteen  transport  ships  which 
were  under  charter  at  so  much  a  day,  or  so  much  a  month — the  United  States 
to  find  them  in  ballast  to  get  home  again.  Now,  be  it  known,  that  there  is  not 
a  stone  in  all  that  part  of  Louisiana  which  we  occupied  to  throw  at  a  dog ;  and 


TESTIMONY.  361 

it  will  not  do  to  put  mud  into  a  transport  vessel  for  ballast,  because  the  earth 
would  settle  to  the  bottom,  and  the  water  come  to  the  top,  and  wash  about  and 
make  trouble.  The  only  way  to  ballast  these  vessels  was  to  send  them  to  Ship 
island,  where  there  was  no  wharf  for  a  ship  of  any  draft  of  water  to  load  at 
when  it  got  there ;  and  the  only  means  of  giving  her  ballast  was  to  wheel  white 
sand  into  boats,  take  the  boats  alongside  of  a  vessel,  and  then  hoist  the  sand  on 
board ;  and  it  became  a  question  of  importance  to  me  how  these  vessels  were 
to  be  ballasted. 

In  the  meantime  the  guerrillas  were  going  about  all  through  the  country  ad 
vising  the  planters  to  destroy  all  their  cotton  and  sugar,  telling  them  it  would 
be  confiscated  by  the  United  States  if  they  did  not  destroy  it.  To  put  a  stop 
to  that,  I  issued  a  general  order  saying  that  all  such  stories  were  lies ;  that  if  the 
people  would  bring  their  cotton  and  sugar  into  New  Orleans  it  would  have  safe 
guard  and  be  bought.  But  there  was  another  misfortune.  I  had  in  all  $75, 
and  that  would  not  go  a  great  ways  in  buying  cotton  and  sugar.  I  had  no 
quartermaster  at  that  time ;  he  had  not  got  down ;  and  no  quartermaster's  funds, 
and  the  entire  funds  of  the  expedition,  so  far  as  I  know,  was  the  aforesaid  $75. 
I  went  to  a  banker,  who  had  known  of  me  in  happier  times,  and  agreed  to  bor 
row  of  him  $100,000,  giving  him  drafts  therefor,  as  I  used  it,  on  my  private 
banker ;  and  with  that  money  I  caused  to  be  bought  sugar,  rosin,  turpentine,  &c., 
enough  to  ballast  these  vessels,  and  for  a  large  vessel  200  tons  of  ballast  would 
be  required.  To  illustrate  the  advantage  of  this :  Take  the  steamer  Mississippi, 
for  instance ;  I  had  her  there  with  a  swept  hold ;  if  I  had  sent  her  to  Ship 
island  for  sand,  it  would  have  taken  her  thirty  hours  to  get  there — call  it  a  day — 
which  would  be  $1,500  ;  then  it  would  take  ten  days  to  put  250  tons  of  sand 
on  board  of  her;  that  would  be  $15,000  more.  It  would  have  taken  four  days 
to  have  got  the  sand  out  of  her  after  she  had  got  at  the  wharf  in  New  York,  be 
sides  the  expense  of  carting  it  away  from  the  wharf,  which  would  hav&  cost  a 
great  deal.  So  that  it  would  have  cost  at  least  the  sum  of  $20,000  to  get  her 
home  in  ballast.  Now,  I  gave  five  dollars  a  hogshead  for  the  sugar  ;  the  quar 
termaster  at  New  York  complained  that  it  took  two  days  to  unload  that  sugar, 
and  that  it  cost  more  to  unload  it  than  they  could  get  for  it.  He  did  not  think 
that  by  not  putting  in  sand  I  had  saved  some  $1,200  freight,  in  addition  to 
saving  $20,000,  which  I  would  have  had  to  pay. 

By  Mr.  Odell : 

Question.  You  chartered  the  vessels  to  deliver  them  back  in  New  York  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir ;  at  so  much  a  day  or  month,  to  be  delivered  in  ballast  in 
New  York.  I  bought  $60,000  worth  of  sugar,  and  tar  and  turpentine.  At  the 
same  time  I  wrote  to  the  War  Department,  stating  exactly  what  I  had  done — 
stating  that  I  had  no  right  to  use  the  money  of  the  United  States  to  make  these 
purchases,  and  even  if  I  had  the  right,  I  had  no  United  States  money  to  use. 
I  wrote  that  I  had  used  my  own  money,  but  that  the  government  could  take 
the  property  I  had  bought,  and  sell  it  for  the  benefit  of  the  United  States  if 
they  chose,  provided  they  would  answer  my  drafts  here.  If  they  did  not  choose 
to  cover  my  drafts,  and  would  inform  my  agent  of  that  feet,  he  would  take  care 
of  the  property  for  myself  and  pay  the  drafts ;  for  I  had  bought  the  sugar  at 
two  cents  and  a  half  per  pound,  when  it  was  selling  in  New  York  at  six  cents ; 
and  tar  at  three  dollars  a  barrel,  when  it  was  selling  in  New  York  at  thirty- 
eight  dollars.  One  would  therefore  suppose  that  I  would  be  willing  to  take 
the  property  if  the  government  did  not  want  it.  Being  the  agent  of  the  govern 
ment,  however,  and  paid  for  my  time,  I  had  no  right  to  do  that. 

The  government  let  my  drafts  go  to  protest  for  non-acceptance,  while  the 
matter  was  getting  settled,  but  finally  concluded  to  assume  the  business  and  paid 
my  drafts.  They  took  the  tar  and  turpentine  for  their  own  use ;  they  had  no 
occasion  to  sell  that.  The  shipments  of  sugar  that  went  to  Boston  alone  paid 


362  TESTIMONY. 

to  the  government  after  all  expenses  the  sum  of  $17,550  16,  and  the  freight 
upon  it  was  $12,436  32.  So  it  paid  a  net  profit  to  the  government. 

As  this  matter  may  be  brought  up  some  time  hereafter,  when  things  are 
not  as  fresh  in  the  mind  as  they  are  now,  I  make  this  statement  with  your 
leave,  for  the  purpose  of  placing  these  facts  upon  the  record.  I  can  say  that  I 
would  have  given,  if  I  had  been  allowed  the  chance  for  the  speculation,  $100,000 
for  the  profits. 

Question.   Did  you  consign  this  property  to  your  private  banker  in  Boston  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir,  of  course,  for  I  had  nobody  else  to  consign  it  to.  I  con 
signed  it  to  my  agent  so  that  he  could  have  the  property  to  pay  the  drafts.  The 
government,  so  far  as  they  were  concerned,  let  the  drafts  go  to  protest,  and  my 
friends  had  to  raise  the  money  to  pay  them. 

Question.  Was  all  the  property  bought  and  shipped  through  your  agency 
not  shipped  on  your  account,  and  sold  on  account  of  the  government  ? 

Answer.  All  the  property  bought  and  shipped  by  me,  or  through  my  agency, 
was  shipped  not  on  my  account,  but  for  the  government,  if  they  chose  to  take  it. 

Question.    And  the  government  did  take  it  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  I  had  two  views  in  purchasing  it.  One  was  to  ballast 
the  government  transports ;  and  the  other  was  to  let  the  people  there  know  that 
if  they  brought  their  cotton  and  sugar  to  New  Orleans  they  could  sell  it. 

There  was  one  difficulty  I  found  then.  Nobody  in  the  port  could  trade  at 
that  time  but  me.  They  might  buy  and  sell,  but  they  could  not  send  it  out  of  the 
port,  for  it  was  not  opened  until  the  first  of  June.  After  the  port  was  opened, 
this  made  the  shipmasters  grumble  very  much.  What  they  wanted  of  me  was 
to  allow  them  lay  days,  say  twenty,  to  go  home  in,  five  days  to  get  ballast,  &c., 
as  the  case  might  be,  certify  that  I  discharged  them  there,  so  they  could  wait  until 
the  port  was  open  and  make  profit  on  their  return  cargoes.  And  one  who  was 
sensible  enough  to  be  discharged  without  lay  days,  actually,  as  I  am  informed, 
made  $60,000  on  his  profits  home. 

After  the  opening  of  the  port  there  was  but  one  restriction  upon  trade  in  New 
Orleans,  and  that  was  that  the  trader  should  be  a  loyal  citizen  of  the  United 
States,  and  have  taken  the  oath  of  allegiance.  No  one  was  allowed  to  teach  or 
preach,  or  deal  in  New  Orleans  after  the  first  day  of  June,  if  we  knew  it,  who 
was  not  a  loyal  man. 

And  I  would  like  to  refer  to  another  matter  right  here.  I  never  shut  up  any 
church  in  New  Orleans.  I  shut  lip  the  ministers,  but  kept  the  churches  open 
and  found  chaplains  for  them.  I  see  it  has  been  commonly  stated  that  General 
Banks  had  reopened  the  churches  in  New  Orleans.  He  could  not  have  done 
that,  for  they  were  not  closed.  I  provided  chaplains  for  the  churches,  and  paid 
the  choir  and  sexton,  &c.,  out  of  the  provost  fund.  And  I  shut  up  the  ministers 
who  were  disloyal.  One  had  been  a  private  in  the  rebel  army ;  another  had 
preached  against  the  government ;  and  a  third  had  expressly  refused  to  take  the 
oath  of  allegiance  or  use  the  form  of  prayer  required  by  his  church  service. 

Question.  Then,  on  the  1st  of  June,  you  gave  orders  for  trade  1 

Answer.  Then  came  the  proclamation  opening  the  port. 

Question.  And  on  the  opening  of  the  port  you  threw  trade  open  to  every 
one? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  You  gave  no  special  permits  to  any  one  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir.     Everybody  who  would  pay  $2  could  get  a  permit. 

Question.  Did  you  give  special  permits  to  anybody  to  trade  in  the  country  1 

Answer.  No,  sir ;  except  to  sutlers  to  carry  supplies  for  the  troops.  I  gave 
any  loyal  man  a  pass,  whoever  he  was,  to  go  into  the  country ;  and  I  sent  an 
official  letter  to  the  commander  at  Mobile,  being  the  nearest  person  in  authority 
I  could  deal  with,  telling  him  I  would  allow  neutral  foreigners  to  exchange  with 
him  salt  for  cotton — a  bag  of  salt  for  a  bale  of  cotton,  and  pay  the  difference — 


TESTIMONY.  363 

and  that  cotton  should  go  to  English  or  French  subjects,  and  go  out  on  neutral 
bottoms,  if  he  chose.  That  was  forwarded  to  Richmond,  and  they  refused  to 
do  it.  Governor  Pettis,  of  Mississippi,  made  a  point  upon  it,  and  there  was 
almost  a  rebellion  between  the  State  government  of  Mississippi  and  the  con 
federate  government,  as  I  am  informed ;  and  just  before  I  came  away  Governor 
Pettis  said  that  he  would  send  out  the  cotton  at  all  hazards.  My  object  in  that 
was  especially  to  keep  the  governments  good  natured  in  London  and  Paris.  I 
wrote  my  action  in  that  matter  to  Washington  as  long  ago  as  the  19th  of  July 
last,  but  I  have  not  yet  got  any  answer  to  it. 

Question.  What  regulations  had  you  in  reference  to  the  towage  of  vessels  up 
to  New  Orleans  from  below  ? 

Answer.  The  only  regulation  was  that  government  vessels  should  be  first 
served.  After  that  towage  should  be  open  to  all. 

Question.  Did  you,  by  any  order,  give  special  permits  to  special  vessels  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir.  For  the  first  month  after  we  got  there  the  only  tow-boats 
there  were  government  boats. 

Question.  Did  those  government  boats  do  the  towage  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  And  the  proceeds  of  that  labor  performed  accrued  to  the  govern 
ment  '? 

Answer.  Tes,  sir.  The  only  wrong  that  ever  took  place  about  that  was  that 
different  vessels  would  bribe  the  captains  of  the  tow-boats  to  give  them  preference. 
I  discharged  one  captain  for  taking  a  bribe.  He  was  the  only  one  I  got  at. 
There  was  one  man,  who  had  a  cargo  of  ice,  complained  because  I  ordered  up 
two  transports  loaded  with  government  troops  before  I  let  the  tow-boat  take  his 
vessel  up.  That  was  when  I  had  only  250  extra  men  in  New  Orleans.  Of 
course,  I  could  not  tell  him  then  why  I  would  not  allow  his  vessel  to  be  towed 
up  first.  But  I  have  since  told  him,  and  now  he  is  one  of  the  best  friends  I 
have. 

By  the  chairman : 

Question.  On  what  day  did  the  knowledge  of  General  Banks  coming  to  New 
Orleans  to  supersede  you  get  to  New  Orleans  ? 

Answer.  On  the  23d  of  November,  eleven  days  before  General  Banks  left  New 
York,  it  was  known  in  New  Orleans  that  I  was  to  be  superseded  by  him ;  and  a 
bet  of  $100  to  $10  was  made  in  a  secesh  club  room  that  within  twenty  days  I 
would  be  relieved  by  General  Banks.  General  WeitzePs  scouts  brought  in  the 
same  news  from  the  Teche ;  and  a  drunken  broker,  whom  I  had  put  on  Ship 
island  for  three  months,  and  who  had  served  out  his  time  there,  came  to  General 
Shepley  as  early  as  that  day  and  boasted  of  the  fact  of  my  being  superseded ; 
and  five  days  before  General  Banks  left  New  York  I  wrote  here  to  Washington 
in  consequence  of  the  information  I  had  got.  On  the  16th  day  of  December, 
the  day  I  turned  the  command  over  to  General  Banks,  Jeff.  Davis  had  come 
down  to  Jackson,  only  forty  miles  from  Vicksburg,  upon  an  expedition  to 
strengthen  the  defences  on  the  river  to  meet  Banks 's  expedition.  Yet  after 
knowing  all  that,  he,  on  the  23d,  issued  his  proclamation  that  I  should  be 
treated  as  a  felon,  knowing  that  on  the  16th  I  had  turned  over  iny  command  to 
General  Banks. 

Question.  Have  you  any  means  of  knowing  the  causes  for  your  removal  ? 

Answer.  I  have  no  knowledge.  I  have  asked  everybody  I  have  seen  in 
Washington,  and  nobody  has  been  able  to  tell  me.  • 

By  Mr.  Gooch:' 

Question.  What  kind  of  soldiers  do  these  black  men  make  whom  you  took 
into  your  regiments  ? 

Answer.   I  had  two  regiments  of  them  guarding  the  railroad  for  six  weeks 


364  TESTIMONY. 

before  I  came  away ;  and  they  were  as  well  disciplined,  as  well  drilled,  and  as 
orderly  as  any  soldiers  I  had  in  the  department  of  the  Gulf,  and  I  had  some 
there  as  good  as  any  in  the  armies  of  the  United  States. 

Question.  Can  any  number  of  blacks  fit  for  soldiers  be  obtained  in  that  sec 
tion  of  country  ? 

Answer.  Black  men  are  like  white  men  :  they  do  not  all  want  to  fight.  But 
a  much  larger  proportion  of  black  men  will  enlist  for  soldiers  than  of  whites 
who  have  enlisted  in  any  loyal  State  in  the  Union.  They  will  enlist  volun 
tarily*;  come  forward  -of  their  own  accord ;  for  they  take  great  pride  in  the  posi 
tion  of  soldier. 

By  the  chairman : 

Question.  And  their  habits  of  submission  to  the  whites  will  make  them  easier 
to  discipline  ? 

Answer.  They  are  already  disciplined.  They  have  already  learned  to  do 
exactly  as  they  are  told,  and  that  is  a  thing  we  never  can  teach  our  white 
soldiers. 

By  Mr.  Gooch  : 

Question.  In  your  judgment,  then,  the  best  interests  of  the  service  require 
that  black  regiments  shall  be  organized  and  taken  into  the  service  ? 

Answer.  I  have  no  doubt  upon  that  subject  any  more  than  I  have  that  the 
best  interests  of  the  service  require  that  we  should  look  for  aid  wherever  we 
can  get  it.  The  black  regiments  will  be  efficient  just  in  proportion  to  their 
intelligence,  like  white  regiments ;  and,  while  the  more  intelligent  white  men 
make  the  best  soldiers,  the  next  class  in  intelligence,  the  next  best,  &c.,  when 
with  the  black  man  you  strike  the  same  degree  of  intelligence,  the  black  men 
will  make  as  good  soldiers  as  the  white. 

By  the  chairman : 

Question.  Then  you  do  not  hold  with  that  reputed  maxim  of  Frederick  the 
Great,  that  the  more  stupid  the  man  the  better  the  soldier  1 

Answer,  No,  sir ;  and  I  do  not  believe  he  ever  said  that.  I  want  soldiers  as 
intelligent  as  possible.  When  you  ask  me  if  black  men  will  fight,  I  will  give 
you  this  answer,  which  is  a  philosophical  one  :  The  very  reason  why  they  are 
now,  and  their  ancestors  were,  slaves,  is  that  they  were  captured  in  war,  in 
hand-to-hand  conflicts,  and  sold  as  slaves.  They  started  into  slavery  in  that 
way.  They  come  from  a  fighting  race,  or  they  never  would  have  been  slaves. 


INVASION  OP  NEW  MEXICO. 


WASHINGTON,  July  15,  1862. 
Colonel  B.  S.  ROBERTS  sworn  and  examined. 

By  Mr.  Covode : 

Question.  What  is  your  position  and  rank  in  the  army  1 

Answer.  I  am  a  brevet  lieutenant  colonel  in  the  regular  army,  and  a  major  in 
the  third  regular  cavalry. 

Question.  Where  have  you  been  in  service  latterly?. 

Answer.  For  the  last  two  years  in  New  Mexico. 

Question.  Were  you  in  service  in  New  Mexico  at  the  time  so  many  officers  of 
the  United  States  service  there  left  and  went  over  to  the  rebels  ? 


TESTIMONY.  365 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Are  you  aware  of  any  conspiracy,  or  acts  that  would  indicate  the 
existence  of  a  conspiracy,  to  turn  over  New  Mexico  to  the  rebels  ?  If  so,  will 
you  please  give  a  statement  of  what  you  know  in  regard  to  that  matter  1 

Answer.  Colonel  Loring,  a  well  known  secessionist,  was  sent  to  New  Mexico, 
in  the  spring  of  I860,  to  command  that  department.     Soon  after  Colonel  Lor 
ing  assumed  the  command  an  expedition  was  formed,  consisting  of  the  mounted 
rifles,  now  the  third  cavalry,  against  the  Mescaloros  Apache  Indians.     Six  com- 
*  panics  of  the  regiment,  under  the  command  of  Colonel  Crittenden,  were  Assem 
bled  at  Fort  Staimton.     A  march  was  made  in  the  direction  of  the  Apaches, 
who  were  on  the  line  of  Texas,  between  Texas  and  New  Mexico,  but  none  were 
found.     Previous  to  this  the  Apache  Indians  had  been  induced  to  leave  the 
vicinity  of  Fort  Staunton,  upon  representations  made  to  them  by  Captain  Clai- 
bourne,  one  of  the  leading  rebels,  that  the  small -pox  was  there,  or  in  the  neigh 
borhood,  and  that  if  they  did  not  leave  they  would  have  the  small-pox.     It 
appears  to  me  that  this  was  a  pretence  to  get  up  a  campaign,  as  Indians  leaving 
a  military  post  and  refusing  to  return  are  regarded  as  showing  evidences  of  hos 
tility.     Colonel  Crittenden,  who  is  one  of  the  leading  rebels,  was  in  command 
of  the  expedition.     I  joined  him,  at  Fort  Staunton,  with  two  companies  of  cav 
alry.     While  at  Fort  Staunton,  Colonel  Crittenden,  having  been  drunk  for  a 
long  time,  was  about  leaving  the  post,  and  had  his  ambulance  brought  up  for 
that  purpose.     He  sent  for  me,  as  I  would  be  left  in  command,  and  told  me  he 
was  going  to  Fort  Union.     In  the  course  of  the  conversation  he  said  to  me  : 
'•Colonel,  we  have  known  each  other  a  long  time,  and  I  am  going  to  tell  you  my 
plans.     I  am  going  to  bring  the  regiment  all  here;  I  am  going  to  bring  the  other 
companies  from  Fort  Union,  Fort  Craig,  and  Fort  Albuquerque,  and  I  am  going 
to  march  the  regiment  into  Texas  and  deliver  it  over  to  the  confederate  States." 
This  was  about  the  1st  of  May,  1861.     He  said:   "Will  you  obey  my  orders, 
and  march  with  me  1"     I  told  him  that  I  considered  him  crazy,  for  he  would  be 
attempting  what  he  could  not  succeed  in  doing,  and  I  tried  to  dissuade  him  from 
his  purpose.     He  said  that  all  hell  could  not  persuade  him  from  it,  and  repeated 
the  question  to  me  again:  "Will  you  march  with  me,  and  obey  my  orders'?" 
I  then  told  him  that,  as  he  had  made  known  to  me  the  object  of  the  expedition, 
I  would  not  obey  his  orders  or  march  with  him,  but  would  resist  any  such 
attempt  writh  all  the  force  I  could.     In  the  course  of  the  day  he  called  to  see  me 
at  my  headquarters,  and  asked  me  if  I  would  take  a  furlough.     I  told  him  I 
would.     My  object  in  doing  so  was  to  get  away  from  the  post  for  the  purpose 
of  defeating  his  object,  by  giving  information  of  it  to  others.     I  went  immedi 
ately  to  Santa  Fe.  and  had  a  private  interview  with  Colonel  Loring,  who  com 
manded  the  department,  and  his  adjutant  general.     I  there  became  satisfied  that 
they  were  in  the  conspiracy  also.     I  was  treated  very  rudely  by  them;  told  that 
I  was  neglecting  my  duty  and  had  no  business  to  come  there,  and  was  ordered 
immediately  back.     I,  however,  succeeded  in  giving  notice  to  Captain  Hatch, 
commanding  at  Albuquerque,  and  had  him  give  notice  to  Captain  Morris,  com 
manding  at  Fort  Craig,  and  to  other'officers  in  the  Territory,  of  this  conspiracy, 
for  the  purpose  of  putting  them  on  their  guard,  and  causing  them  to  disobey  the 
orders  of  the  commanding  officer  of  the  department,  or  of  Colonel  Crittenden. 
Within  a  few  days  all  the  officers  concerned  in  this  conspiracy  left  the  country, 
by  the  shortest  route,  for  Texas,  and  abandoned  the  service  of  the  United  States. 
Before  leaving  Fort  Staunton  for  Santa  Fe,  I  had  notified  my  lieutenant  of 
what  I  had  learned,  and  told  him  all  about  it.     I  also  sent  for  my  orderly  ser 
geant  and  prepared  a  plan  for  them  to  resist,  if  any  attempt  was  made  before  I 
"could  succeed  in  preventing  the  movement.     The  plan  was  for  them  to  seize  the 
ordnance  which  was  in  the  company  quarters  where  my  company  was  quar 
tered,  and  resist  any  such  order,  if  any  attempt  was  made  in  my  absence  to 
carry  this  conspiracy  into  execution.     My  impression  is  that  those  officers  left 


366  TESTIMONY. 

so  hurriedly  in  consequence  of  their  being  convinced  that  they  would  be  ar 
rested  and  put  in  irons  if  they  remained.  They  left  the  country  as  rapidly  as 
they  could  get  out  of  it.  I  was  informed  by  a  number  of  the  soldiers  and  the 
sutler  at  Fort  Staunton,  the  orderly  sergeant  of  Captain  Claiborn's  company, 
and  others  in  that  company,  that  Captain  Claiborn  had  made  several  harrangues 
to  his  company  to  persuade  them  to  desert  the  service  of  the  United  States  and 
go  with  him  to  Texas.  And  I  have  no  doubt,  from  information  received  from 
others,  that  all  the  other  officers  who  left  had  used  their  influence  with  all  the 
soldiers  in  the  country  to  persuade  them  into  this  conspiracy,  by  representing 
to  them  that  there  was  no  longer  any  Union,  that  it  was  dissolved,  and  they 
never  would  be  paid  by  the  government ;  but  if  they  would  go  to  Texas  their 
payment  would  be  guaranteed  to  them.  They  told  them  that  they  had  promises 
of  money  for  that  purpose  from  Mr.  Hartt,  a  man  of  great  wealth  at  El  Paso. 
But  the  men  proved  loyal,  and  not  one  went  with  the  officers.  The  most  of 
those  officers,  among  them  Colonel  Loring,  Colonel  Crittenden,  Captain  Clai 
born,  Captain  Wilcox,  Lieutenant  Jackson,  Lieutenant  McNeil,  and  a  great 
number  of  other  infantry  officers,  made  their  rendezvous  at  Fort  Filmore,  twenty 
miles  from  the  Texas  line,  and  near  old  El  Paso.  They  there  used  great  ex 
ertions  to  induce  the  command  of  Major  Lynde  to  desert,  by  representing  to 
them  that  they  were  under  no  obligations  to  serve  this  government  longer ;  that 
the  Union  was  dissolved ;  that  they  would  never  be  paid  if  they  remained ;  but 
they  would  guarantee  their  pay  if  they  would  go  over  to  the  confederate  service. 
And,  in  rny  opinion,  so  many  officers,  far  outnumbering  the  loyal  officers  who 
were  at  the  post,  demoralized  the  command  of  Major  Lynde  to  such  an  extent 
that  his  surrender  was  consequent  upon  that  state  of  demoralization,  as  he  had 
no  confidence  that  his  men  would  fight.  After  the  surrender  of  Major  Lynde, 
the  regular  troops  left  in  the  department  of  New  Mexico  were  mainly  assem 
bled  at  Fort  Craig.  All  the  regular  troops  in  the  Territory  amounted,  according 
to  my  recollection,  to  about  1,200  men.  This  force  was  wholly  insufficient  to 
hold  the  Territory  against  the  invasion  of  the  Territory  under  the  rebel  General 
Sibley,  who  commanded  the  Texans.  We  were  without  supplies,  without 
money,  without  clothing,  without  means  of  transportation,  without  subsistence, 
and  without  any  efficient  sinew  of  war  for  offensive  or  defensive  operations. 
Our  condition,  as  I  have  been  informed  by  General  Canby,  who  is  in  command 
of  that  department,  has  been  frequently  represented  by  him  to  General  Thomas, 
the  adjutant  general  of  the  army  of  the  United  States ;  but  during  the  year 
1861,  and  the  first  four  months  of  the  year  1862,  up  to  the  time  that  I  left,  we 
had  no  relief  in  the  shape  of  re-enforcements  ordered  by  the  department  here 
in  Washington,  or  of  supplies  or  money.  We  were  reduced  to  short  rations  as 
early  as  January  last,  and  continued  on  short  rations  at  Fort  Craig,  where  the 
main  body  of  the  troops  was  as  late  as  April  of  this  year ;  and  the  troops  in 
the  field  from  Fort  Craig  were  on  short  rations  in  the  campaign  against  the 
Texans.  No  supplies  of  any  kind,  or  subsistence,  was  received  from  the  States, 
and  the  country  produced  nothing.  The  volunteers  that  came  into  the  Territory 
and  saved  Fort  Union,  and  enabled  General  Canby  to  hold  Fort  Craig,  were 
brought  in  on  General  Canby's  urgent  and  repeated  representations  to  the  gov 
ernor  of  Colorado  that  the  Territory  would  be  lost  unless  he  sent  in  volunteers 
and  saved  Fort  Union.  The  arrival  of  those  volunteers,  in  my  estimation, 
saved  New  Mexico  to  the  United  States. 

Question.  Proceed  and  give  your  own  connexion  with  the  military  operations 
in  the  Territory. 

Answer.  On  the  8th  day  of  August,  1861,  I  was  assigned  by  general  orders 
from  General  Canby  to  the  command  of  that  portion  of  New  Mexico  south  of 
Albuquerque  to  Texas,  and  placed  on  duty  according  to  my  brevet  rank  of 
lieutenant  colonel ;  and  I  continued  in  command  of  all  the  troops  in  the  field  in 
the  southern  district  up  to  the  16th  day  of  April,  1862,  after  the  last  battle  was 


TESTIMONY.  367 

fought  with  the  Texans  at  Peralta.  Immediately  upon  being  put  in  command 
of  the  southern  district  of  New  Mexico,  I  proceeded  to  fortify  Fort  Albuquerque, 
which,  up  to  that  time,  was  a  mere  defenceless  post  with  adobe  buildings.  I 
was  in  command  of  all  the  troops  in  the  field  at  the  battle  of  Valverde,  on  the 
21st  of  April,  from  Sj  o'clock  in  the  morning  until  a  quarter  before  three  in  the 
afternoon,  when  General  Canby  arrived  on  the  field  with  re-enforcements. 

Question.  What  were  the  relative  forces  engaged  in  that  battle  ? 

Answer.  I  commenced  the  action  in  the  morning  with  220  regular  cavalry,  at 
the  ford  of  the  Rio  Grande,  against  the  whole  of  Greene's  regiment  of  cavalry, 
on  the  opposite  side,  amounting  to  800  men. 

Question.  With  what  success  ? 

Answer.  I  forced  him  from  the  ford  and  drove  him  from  his  position  a  mile, 
and  brought  up  my  battery  and  planted  it  at  the  ford — it  was  McRae's  battery — 
supported  by  two  companies  of  regular  infantry  and  two  companies  of  New 
Mexican  volunteers.  With  this  force  I  fought  the  whole  Texan  army  until 
half  past  eleven  o'clock. 

Question.  What  was  the  number  of  the  Texan  army  ] 

Answer.  During  this  time  I  was  re-enforced  twice,  and  at  half  past  eleven 
o'clock  it  amounted  to  over  2,000  men.  I  succeeded,  with  McRae's  battery,  in 
silencing  one  of  their  batteries,  destroying  two  guns  and  one  caisson,  and  forcing 
the  two  batteries  in  other  positions  to  withdraw.  At  half  past  eleven  I  was  re- 
enforced  by  the  whole  of  the  regular  infantry,  720  men,  under  command  of 
Captain  Selden.  I  threw  this  force  immediately  across  the  river  at  another 
crossing  and,  as  soon  as  line  of  battle  could  be  formed,  charged  the  whole 
Texan  force  with  the  bayonet  and  drove  them  back  from  all  their  positions  on 
to  their  baggage,  repulsed  a  charge,  led  up  two  companies  of  lancers  supported 
by  two  regiments  of  cavalry,  killing  great  numbers.  It  was  the  most  gallant 
repulse  of  the  bayonet  I  ever  saw  in  my  life.  The  troops  allowed  them  to  come 
within  fifteen  paces  of  them  before  drawing  a  trigger,  and  then  literally  anni 
hilated  the  leading  company.  After  this  repulse  of  the  enemy  and  driving  them 
from  their  positions,  I  changed  the  position  of  McRae's  battery  and  crossed  it 
over  the  river,  continuing  the  artillery  fire  until  General  Canby  came  on  the 
field  at  a  quarter  before  three  o'clock.  The  good  service  of  McRae's  battery 
had  so  annoyed  the  Texans  for  seven  hours  that  they  resolved  to  take  it  at  all 
hazards,  and  making  a  demonstration  to  charge  the  dismounted  cavalry  on  our 
extreme  right,  which  drew  off  some  of  the  supporting  troops  of  the  battery,  an 
overwhelming  charge  was  made  upon  the  battery  from  the  extreme  right  of  the 
enemy,  and  after  desperate  fighting,  in  which  one  company  of  infantry  lost 
twenty-two  men  killed  at  the  guns,  the  horses  all  killed  or  wounded,  Captain 
McRae,  commanding  the  battery,  killed,  Lieutenant  Mitchell,  the  next  in  rank, 
killed,  Lieutenant  Bell  twice  wounded,  the  overwhelming  force  of  the  enemy 
succeeded  in  capturing  the  battery.  Under  the  direction  of  General  Canby 
the  force  fell  back  in  order,  re-crossed  the  river,  and  fell  into  the  fort. 
Previous  to  this,  about  one  o'clock  in  the  day,  a  train  of  the  Texan  army, 
which  was  yet  on  the  sand-hills,  was  to  a  large  extent  destroyed ;  a  herd  of 
cattle  stampeded,  and  driven  off  in  great  numbers,  and  great  numbers  of  their 
mules  captured.  General  Sibley  having  succeeded  in  getting  between  Fort 
Craig  and  its  supplies,  and  having  demanded  the  surrender  of  the  fort,  and  fear 
ing  a  failure  to  take  it  by  siege  or  assault,  proceeded  on  up  the  Rio  Grande,  and 
there  being  no  troops  to  oppose  him  he  marched  through  the  country,  and  took 
possession  of  the  capital  at  Santa  Fe.  In  the  attempt  of  his  forces  to  march 
upon  Fort  Union  from  Sante  Fe  he  was  fought  in  the  canon  Gloriata  by  the 
Colorado  volunteers  and  some  300  or  400  regulars,  with  artillery  and  cavalry, 
and  defeated  on  the  27th  of  March,  and,  according  to  my  recollection  of  the 
dates,  on  the  29th  of  March  his  forces  fell  back  into  Santa  Fe;  and  Colonel 
Slough  fell  back  towards  Fort  Union  on  the  pickets.  On  the  1st  of  April  I 


368  TESTIMONY. 

moved  the  regular  forces,  except  the  wounded,  from  Fort  Craig  to  make  a  junc 
tion  with  the  Colorado  volunteers,  and  the  regulars  serving  with  them,  to  attack 
General  Sibley  wherever  he  could  be  found  in  the  Territory.  I  reached  Al 
buquerque  on  the  evening  of  the  8th  of  April,  and  made  an  immediate  demon 
stration  upon  the  city  to  discover  their  batteries.  I  made  a  feint  of  a  real  at 
tack,  intending  to  pass  by  under  cover  of  the  feint,  reach  the  mountains,  and 
join  the  other  forces,  under  Colonel  Ball.  I  lay  before  Albuquerque  on  the  9th, 
continuing  these  demonstrations,  having  set  large  bodies  of  men  at  work  with 
spade  and  pick,  as  if  throwing  up  intrenchments.  Immediately  after  nightfall 
I  withdrew  all  my  forces,  made  a  night  march,  reached  the  mountains,  and  in 
three  days'  forced  march  succeeded  in  joining  my  command  to  that  of  Colonel 
Ball's.  The  two  columns  on  the  14th,  immediately  upon  making  this  junction 
made  forced  marches,  having  heard  that  General  Sibley  was  in  full  retreat,  and 
fell  upon  his  rear  on  the  morning  of  the  15th  of  April,  at  Peralta,  capturing  a 
large  train  and  a  large  number  of  prisoners,  and  killing  a  large  number  of  his 
escort.  Peralta  was  bombarded  on  the  15th  by  the  combined  batteries  of  our 
two  commands,  and  at  night  the  two  commands  advanced  to  a  close  investment 
of  the  place.  During  the  night,  under  cover  of  the  darkness,  and  during  a 
sand-storm,  which  lasted  all  that  twenty-four  hours,  General  Sibley  succeeded 
in  withdrawing  from  Peralta  and  crossing  the  river.  His  rear  was  attacked,  a 
large  portion  of  his  train  captured,  and  some  of  his  guns  were  taken.  He  con 
tinued  his  retreat,  abandoning  his  guns  and  wagons,  leaving  his  sick  and  wounded 
behind  him,  and  his  dead  to  be  buried  by  us.  After  a  close  pursuit  for  150 
miles,  he  was  obliged  to  break  up  his  forces  into  small  parties,  take  to  the  moun 
tains,  and  reach  Arizona  in  small  parties,  having  left  all  along  the  line  of  his 
retreat  his  ambulances  and  the  private  and  public  stores  of  his  entire  command, 
burning  his  gun  carriages,  and  concealing  his  guns  in  the  changing^sands  of  the 
plains,  so  that  but  few  of  them  were  discovered.  That  closed  operations  in  Ne\r 
Mexico  up  to  the  time  I  left. 

Question.  What  recognition  from  the  government  have  you  had  for  the  ser 
vices  you  have  rendered  in  New  Mexico  ? 

Answer.  My  services  have  been  recognized  by  General  Canby,  commanding 
the  department  of  New  Mexico,  in  several  reports,  an  extract  from  one  of  which 
I  herewith  submit : 

"HEADQUARTERS  DEPARTMENT  OF  NEW  MEXICO, 

"  Fort  Craig,  New  Mexico,  March  1,  1862. 

"SiR:  ******** 

"I  desire  to  bring  to  your  notice  Colonel  Roberts,  3d  cavalry,  for  some  time 
past  the  energetic  and  efficient  commander  of  the  troops  at  Fort  Craig,  and  on 
the  21st  the  immediate  commander  of  the  troops  at  Valverde  until  half-past  two 
o'clock.  He  was  there,  as  he  has  always  been,  distinguished  for  coolness, 
gallantry,  and  efficiency. 

"  I  have  the  honor  to  be,  very  respectfully,  sir,  your  obedient  servant, 

"  E.  R.  S.  CANBY, 
"  Commanding  Department. 
^ADJUTANT  GENERAL  OF  THE  ARMY, 

"  Washington,  D.  6V 

I  anf  informed  by  General  Canby,  in  a  letter  dated  Santa  Fe,  May  13,  1862, 
that,  in  addition  to  that  brief  recognition  of  my  services,  a  special  report  of  my 
services,  and  of  other  officers  of  the  department,  during  the  past  twelve  months, 
has  been  made.  I  also-  brought  here  from  General  Canby  a  letter  to  the  adju 
tant  general,  in  which  he  informed  that  officer  that  he  had  relieved  me  from  duty 
in  New  Mexico,  and  had  sent  me  as  the  bearer  of  triplicates  of  his  reports  and 
the  flags  which  had  been  taken  from  the  enemy  in  the  different  battles;  assigning t 


TESTIMONY.  369 

as  a  special  reason  for  ordering  me  to  report  at  Washington,  that  I  had  been  in  com 
mand  of  the  troops  in  the  field  in  New  Mexico,  and  that,  being  mustered  out  as  a 
volunteer  colonel,  he  did  not  see  fit  to  require  me  to  serve  there  under  those  I 
had  been  commanding,  and  he  recommended  me  in  that  letter  to  the  consider 
ation  of  the  government  for  mv  services  in  that  department.  On  reaching 
Washington,  and  delivering  these  letters  and  these  trophies  to  the  adjutant 
general,  about  the  20th  of  June,  I  was  received  by  that  officer  in  a  very  rude 
and  discourteous  manner.  I  was  told  that  General  Canby  had  no  right  to  order 
me  in  on  such  a  pretence,  and  that  he  should  bring  it  immediately  to  the  notice 
of  the  Secretary  of  War,  and  have  me  returned  to  New  Mexico — or  words  to 
that  effect.  On  the  25th  of  June  General  Thomas  addressed  to  me  the  following 
order  : 

"  WAR  DEPARTMENT, 

"Adjutant  General's  Office,   Washington,  June  25,  1862. 
<:  SIR  :  The  Secretary  of  War  directs  that  you  immediately  join  your  regiment 
in  New  Mexico. 

"I  am.  sir.  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servarft, 

"  L.  THOMAS, 
"Adjutant  General. 
"  Brevet  Lieutenant  Colonel  B.  S.  ROBERTS, 

"Major  3d  United  States  Cavalry,   Washington,  D.  C." 

He  has  in  no  manner  expressed  to  me  any  acknowledgment  of  any  services 
whatever  I  have  rendered  in  New  Mexico,  nor  has  he  spoken  to  me  about  the 
condition  of  the  army  there,  although  in  the  letter  from  General  Canby  it  is 
mentioned  particularly  that  I  have  a  full  knowledge  of  the  condition  of  the 
military  forces  of  New  Mexico,  and  of  all  past  operations,  and  requests  that  I 
may  make  them  known.  I  have  brought  to  the  notice  of  General  Thomas  im 
portant  matters  requiring  his  attention,  and  that  of  the  War  Department,  but  I 
have  not  been  able  in  any  way  or  manner  to  represent  the  condition  of  affairs 
in  New  Mexico,  its  wants,  or  to  get  the  acts  of  General  Canby  in  any  manner 
confirmed — acts  which  of  necessity  General  Canby,  without  authority,  was 
obliged  to  order. 

General  Canby  appointed  non-commissioned  officers  to  act  as  officers,  because 
there  were  companies  there  without  a  single  commissioned  officer  to  a  company. 
They  have  been  acting  for  five  or  six  months  as  such  officers ;  most  of  them 
have  drawn  no  pay  as  soldiers  for  twenty  months  or  two  years.  They  have 
been  at  all  the  expense  of  officers  in  clothing  themselves,  in  living,  and  in  pur 
chasing  horses,  but  they  can  draw  no  pay  as  officers  until  the  action  of  General 
Canby  is  recognized  by  the  War  Department.  I  have  strongly  urged  General 
Thomas  to  have  this  recognition  made,  to  have  their  acts  as  officers  legalized, 
as  some  acknowledgment  of  their  faithful,  gallant,  and  meritorious  services 
since  they  have  been  promoted.  But  he  has  done  nothing  either  in  this  or  in 
any  other  matter  that  I  have  brought  to  his  attention. 

Instead  of  acknowledging  any  of  the  services  I  have  rendered  in  New  Mexico, 
he  has  interfered  with  the  President  to  persuade  him  to  withdraw  an  order  that 
he  had  given  to  promote  me  to  a  brevet  brigadiership  in  the  army,  and  I  am 
undoubting  in  my  belief  that  he  has  never  brought  to  the  notice  of  either  the 
Secretary  of  War  or  the  President  the  names  of  any  of  the  officers  who  have 
been  mentioned  by  General  Canby  for  the  consideration  of  the  government  for 
their  meritorious  services  in  New  Mexico,  and  their  gallant  conduct  in  battles 
there. 

Question.  Can  you  account  for  this  course  of  conduct  towards  you  and  the 
men  who  served  with  you  so  .gallantly  in  the  field? 

Answer.  It  appears  to  me  to  be  the  determination  of  General  Thomas  not  to 
Part  iii 24 


370  TESTIMONY. 

acknowledge  the  services  of  the  officers  who  saved  the  Territory  of  New  Mexico, 
and  the  utter  neglect  of  the  adjutant  general's  department  for  the  last  year  to 
communicate  in  any  manner  with  the  commanding  officer  of  the  department  of 
New  Mexico,  or  to  answer  his  urgent  appeals  for  re- enforcements,  for  money, 
and  other  supplies,  in  connexion  with  his  repudiation  of  the  services  of  all  the 
army  there,  convinces  me  that  he  is  not  gratified  at  their  loyalty  and  their  suc 
cess  in  saving  that  Territory  to  the  Union. 

Question.  Were  those  troops  that  'have  been  so  treated  the  men  who  saved 
that  Territory  to  us? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  and  I  want  to  say,  for  the  credit  of  the  rank  and  file  of 
that  army,  that  but  one  solitary  man  of  them  has  deserted  from  the  regular  army 
in  New  Mexico  during  all  these  hardships  and  troubles,  while  all  the  officers  I 
have  mentioned,  and  many  others,  have  deserted  to  the  enemy. 

Question.  Can  it  be  possible  that  these  men,  the  rank  and  file  as  well  as  the 
officers,  after  rendering  these  important  services,  have  gone  without  pay  for 
nearly  two  years  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  It  is  now  from  twenty  months  to  two  years  that  the  most 
of  these  soldiers  have  been  without  pay. 

Question.  How  did  the  men  live  all  that  time  without  pay  ? 

Answer.  We  had  nothing  for  them  but  their  clothing  and  parts  of  rations,  and 
nothing  else  ;  but  they  served  with  the  utmost  willingness.  Many  of  them  made 
the  campaign  without  drawers  and  some  of  them  without  socks.  We  reduced  the 
rations  at  different  times.  It  was  first  reduced  to  16  ounces  of  flour,  then  to  12 
ounces,  and  at  one  time  there  was  no  flour.  The  saving  of  the  soldiers  gave 
them  about  four  ounces  a  day,  but  this  was  but  a  short  time.  At  one  time  we 
were  reduced  to  one  day's  rations  of  four  ounces  a  day  for  all  the  men  who  were 
left  to  hold  the  post  while  we  were  driving  the  Texans  out  of  the  Territory, 
and  yet  I  have  never  heard  a  complaint  from  a  soldier  there. 

Question.  How  did  it  happen  that  there  were  so  many  disloyal  officers  in  that 
particular  division  of  the  army  ? 

Answer.  By  the  withdrawal  from  the  Territory  of  most  of  the  loyal  officers. 

Question.  How  was  that  1 

Answer.  It  so  happened  that  most  of  the  loyal  officers  belonging  to  the  differ 
ent  commands  in  New  Mexico  were  withdrawn  from  the  Territory,  and  a  large 
majority  of  those  remaining  were  disloyal. 

Question.  If  the  rank  and  file  had  been  as  disloyal  as  the  officers  were,  the 
Territory  would  have  been  lost  ? 

Answer.  Certainly  it  would,  for  there  would  have  been  n5  force  there  to 
have  held  it.  At  Fort  Staunton,  after  the  disloyal  officers  had  all  left,  I  found 
the  men  in  bad  humor,  and  I  did  not  know  what  to  think  of  it.  I  thought  it 
might  be  because  they  had  not  been  paid  for  a  long  time,  and  had  been  ex 
pecting  it.  Every  paymaster  in  that  country  went  off  and  carried  off  the  funds 
with  him.  I  formed  my  command — all  of  them — on  parade.  I  told  them  it 
was  a  time  when  true  and  loyal  men  were  called  upon  to  make  sacrifices;  that 
the  government  was  in  trouble ;  that  the  paymasters  in  the  country  who  had 
had  the  money  to  pay  them  had  all  gone  ove.r  to  the  southern  confederacy;  that 
it  might  be  a  long  time  that  they  would  be  without  pay  before  the  paymasters 
could  get  funds  to  pay  them  in  this  time  of  trouble,  and  come  there  to  pay  them ; 
but  I  told  them  it  would  be  sure  to  come ;  that  the  government  would  be  main 
tained;  and  I  appealed  to  their  manliness  and  gratitude,  as  they  had  been  sus 
tained  by  the  government  in  its  time  of  strength,  to  stand  by  it  in  its  time  of 
need;  that  it  was  the  time  for  men  to  shoAv  their  good  qualities.  After  that 
I  never  heard  a  complaint  of  any  kind  from  them,  or  knew  a  man  to  grumble  or 
decline  to  do  his  duty  because  he  had  not  been  paid,  fed,  or  clothed.  I  requested 
the  non-commissioned  officers,  the  most  intelligent  of  them,  to  state  to  the  men 
that  though  the  officers  of  the  army  had  deserted  in  so  many  instances,  the  ex- 


TESTIMONY.  371 

ample  should  not  be  followed  by  the  men;  that  officers,  although  they  were 
bound  by  a  higher  duty  and  higher  obligations  to  serve  the  government,  yet 
they  had  never  taken  the  oath  to  serve  the  government  for  a  specific  period,  and 
might  have  had  an  idea  that  they  had  a  right  to  go  when  they  pleased.  The 
soldiers  were,  however,  under  an  oath  to  serve  five  years  honestly  and  faithfully, 
and  no  soldier  could  leave  without  violating  his  oath  and  having  the  reproach  of 
deserter  and  perjurer  follow  him  through  life.  The  non-commissioned  officers 
soon  afterwards  all  assured  me  that  the  men  were  perfectly  contented. 

Question.  What  force  is  there  in  New  Mexico  at  this  time,  as  near  as  you  can 
estimate  ? 

Answer.  My  impression  is  that  there  are  about  900  regulars  of  all  arms,  two 
regiments  of  Colorado  volunteers,  and  probably  1,500  volunteers  from  Califor 
nia  have  now  reached  the  Territory,  as  they  were  last  heard  from  at  Tucson. 

Question.  Do  you  know  of  anything  that  would  indicate  any  fault  or  neglect 
on  the  part  of  the  commanding  general  in  New  Mexico  in  representing  to  the 
government  the  state  of  things  there,  or  did  he  report  to  Washington  the  con 
dition  of  affairs  there;  and  if  so,  with  what  success? 

Answer.  I  have,  at  different  times,  received  from  the  commanding  general  of 
that  department  a  great  number  of  letters,  in  which  he  informed  me,  while  I  was 
in  the  southern  district,  of  his  efforts  to'  represent  to  the  government  at  Wash 
ington  the  state  of  things  in  the  Territory,  and  to  get  re-enforcements  and  supplies 
into  the  Territory.  I  had  no-  money  in  the  department,  and  yet  was  expected 
to  fortify  Fort  Craig,  subsist  the  army  there,  enroll  volunteers,  and  defend  the 
country,  all  without  means.  And  in  representing  the  impossibility  of  doing  all 
those  things,  these  communications  with  the  general  commanding  were  had.  He 
has  since  told  me,  and  that,  too,  but  a  very  short  time  before  I  left  New  Mexico, 
that  he  never  yet  had  heard  from  the  War  Department  at  Washington,  or 
received  any  answer  to  the  communications  that  he  had  made  on  these  subjects. 
I  will  make  one  exception :  When  General  McClellan  entered  upon  the  com 
mand  of  all  our  armies,  and  General  Canby  communicated  to  him  the  state  of 
affairs  in  New  Mexico,  General  McClellan,  as  General  Canby  informed  me,  im 
mediately  answered  the  letter,  and  told  him  that  he  was  astonished  to  learn  the 
state  of  things  there,  and  that  it  would  be  repaired  without  any  delay. 

Question.  To  whom  were  the  communications  of  the  commanding  general  in 
New  Mexico  sent  here  ? 

Answer.  His  communications  to  the  government  are  made  through  the  ad 
jutant  general  of  the  army. 

Question.  Have  you  any  means  of  knowing  whether  his  communications  ever 
reached  the  Secretary  of  War  or  the  President? 

Answer.  I  have  no  means  of  knowing;  but  I  have  every  reason  to  believe 
that  they  never  have  been  brought  to  the  attention  of  either  of  those  officers. 

Question.  What  reasons  have  you  for  entertaining  that  opinion  ? 

Answer.  I  know  that  General  Canby,  in  his  reports,  has  recommended  a  large 
number  of  officers  in  New  Mexico  for  meritorious  services  and  gallant  conduct 
to  the  Secretary  of  War  and  to  the  President  for  promotion,  and  not  one  pro 
motion  has  yet  been  made. 

Question.  Were  the  vacancies,  made  by  officers  going  over  to  the  rebels,  ever 
filled  by  appointments  made  here  ? 

Answer.  They  were  filled  by  appointments,  but  the  officers  so  appointed  had 
not  joined  up  to  the  time  I  left.  They  have  been  permitted  to  remain  all  last 
winter  and  last  fall  at  or  near  Fort  Leavenworth.  I  met  them  about  five  hundred 
miles  from  Santa  Fe,  on  their  way  to  New  Mexico,  as  I  was  coming  in  from  that 
Territory  about  six  weeks  ago.  But  at  that  time  the  Texans  had  been  all  driven 
from  New  Mexico,  and  there  was  no  enemy  in  the  countrv. 

Question.  Are  those  officers  who  have  thus  failed  to  reach  that  Territory 
under  the  pay  of  the  government  before  they  reach  there  ? 


372  TESTIMONY. 

Answer.  They  are  all  entitled  to  pay,  and  I  presume  are  under  pay. 

Question.  And  during  all  this  time  are  those  who  rendered  the  service  in  New 
Mexico  not  paid  according  to  the  rank  of  the  service  they  rendered? 

Answer.  No,  sir.  I  was  myself  assigned  to  duty  according  to  my  brevet 
rank  of  lieutenant  colonel.  I  had  all  of  the  time  the  command  of  a  brigadier 
general,  and  exercised  it  in  the  field ;  and  yet  I  have  been  refused  my  lieuten 
ant  colonel's  pay,  and  I  do  not  know  of  any  officer  who  has  been  assigned  to 
duty  there  according  to  his  brevet  rank  who  has  not  been  without  pay,  except 
as  they  would  accept  drafts  upon  the  treasurer  at  New  York  and  other  place* 
east,  there  being  no  money  in  the  Territory. 

Question.  Is  there  anything  else  that  came  under  your  observation  that  it 
would  be  important  and  proper  for  this  committee  to  know  ?  If  so,  please 
state  it. 

Answer.  I  can  see  that  there  has  been  great  culpability  on  the  part  of  some 
officers  in  the  War  Department  in  Washington  in  not  sustaining  General 
Canby  in  his  great  efforts  to  save  New  Mexico.  He  was  forced  to  make  ap 
pointments  from  the  ranks  of  the  best  men,  non-commissioned  officers  to  act  as 
commissioned  officers,  in  consequence  of  the  great  number  of  officers  who  de 
serted  and  went  over  to  the  enemy.  General  Canby  has  made  the  strongest 
representations  of  the  necessity  and  propriety  of  his  action,  and  has  urged,  in 
the  strongest  terms,  upon  the  War  Department,  the  ratification  of  these  acts. 
Yet  they  have  done  nothing ;  and  bince  I  have  been  in  Washington,  although  I 
have  repeatedly  called  at  the  Adjutant  General's  office  for  that  purpose,  I  have 
not  been  able  to  get  the  acts  of  General  Canby  legalized.  I  can  represent  the 
hardships  of  some  of  the  cases  if  the  committee  desire. 

Question.  State  one  or  two  of  the  most  prominent,  if  you  please. 

Answer.  One  young  man  who  had  the  courage  to  stand  up  at  Fort  Bliss  and 
Franklin  against  the  secessionists  was  thrown  into  prison  there,  and  kept  in 
confinement,  and,  I  believe,  in  irons,  for  a  very  long  time,  and  his  life  threatened. 
He  succeeded  in  making  his  escape,  and  in  reaching  Fort  Craig,  having  under 
gone  great  hardships,  having  been  several  days  (three,  I  think)  without  any 
thing  to  eat,  and  without  water.  He  passed  around  the  range  of  mountains 
known  as  the  Sierra  Blanca  and  came  into  Fort  Craig.  He  gave  the  most  im 
portant  military  information,  and  in  consequence  of  his  loyalty,  and  the  servi 
ces  he  had  rendered,  General  Canby  appointed  him  an  acting  lieutenant.  He 
served  in  that  capacity  five  or  six  months  as  I  remember.  He  was  my  aide-de 
camp  at  the  battle  of  Valverde,  and  his  conduct  there  was  not  only  meritorious, 
but  it  was  highly  distinguished  for  zeal,  daring,  and  efficiency.  This  young 
man  came  on  to  Washington  in  the  hope  of  getting  his  appointment  legalized 
by  having  it  acted  upon  by  the  War  Department,  but  he  has  not  succeeded.. 
He  was  in  the  service  for  six  months  and  over  at  great  expense,  and  rendered 
distinguished  service,  and  yet  he  is  on  his  board  here  and  without  pay.  It  is 
the  general  sentiment  of  the  army  in  New  Mexico  that  it  has  been  ignored  by 
the  War  Department  at  Washington.  It  was  a.  common  saying  in  the  army 
there  that  it  had  been  sold. 


ACCOMACK  EXPEDITION. 


WASHINGTON,  January  28,  1862. 
Colonel  HALBERT  E.  PAINE  sworn  and  examined. 
By  Mr.  Chandler : 

Question.  What  is  your  rank  and  position  in  the  army  1 
Answer.  I  am  colonel  commanding  the  4th  Wisconsin  regiment , 


TESTIMONY.  373 

Question.  Where  are  you  stationed  ? 

Answer.  At  Baltimore  now. 

Question.  Did  you  go  down  to  Aceomack  with  the  expedition  under  General 
Lock  wood  ?  , 

Answer.  I  did. 

Question.  With  your  regiment  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  I  did  not  start  with  him,  but  I  was  subsequently  under 
him. 

Question.  Where  did  you  first  come  upon  the  rebel  camp  ? 

Answer.  The  first  rebel  camp  we  got  to,  there  were  no  rebels  in  the  camp. 
The  first  place  we  got  to  occupied  by  the  rebels  that  amounted  to  anything  was 
at  a  place  called  Oak  Hall,  in  Virginia. 

Question.  How  long  after  you  reached  this  deserted  rebel  camp  was  it  before 
you  commenced  the  pursuit  of  the  rebels  ?  Give  us  a  narrative,  as  brief  as 
possible,  of  your  movement. 

Answer.  I  landed  with  the  4th  Wisconsin,  Nimm's  battery,  and  Richards's 
cavalry,  opposite  White  Haven,  Maryland,  on  the  forenoon  of  the  5th  of  No 
vember,  which  was  Tuesday.  I  marched  that  day  to  Princess  Anne,  a  distance 
of  about  eight  miles.  The  next  day  I  marched  to  Snow  Hill,  where  we  re 
mained  one  week,  and  then  marched  to  Newtown.  We  reached  Newtown,  I 
think,  on  Wednesday  evening.  On  Sunday,  the  17th,  we  marched  from  New- 
town  to  Oak  Hall,  and  arrived  there  the  same  day.  On  the  20th  we  left  Oak 
Hall  and  marched  to  Drummondtown,  reaching  there  the  next  day.  We  left 
Drummondtown  on  the  26th,  and  camped  the  first  night  at  Pungoteague,  the 
next  night  at  Franktown,  and  the  third  day  we  arrived  at  Eastville. 

Question.  What  was  the  distance  between  Drummoudtown  and  Eastville  ? 

Answer.  I  think  it  was  not  far  from  thirty-six  miles,  so  that  our  average 
day's  inarch  was  only  about  twelve  miles.  But  I  will  not  be  absolutely  sure 
about  that. 

Question.  Did  you  capture  the  arms  of  the  rebels  ?  Did  they  give  them  up 
to  you,  or  did  they  simply  disperse  with  their  arms  ? 

Answer.  I  will  tell  all  I  know  about  that.  When  we  were  at  Oak  Hall,  one 
day,  with  General  Lockwood's  permission,  I  took  a  detachment  from  my  regiment 
and  Richarcts's  cavalry  and  went  down  to  what  is  called  Chingoteague  inlet; 
and  during  my  absence  a  detachment  of  the  5th  New  York  regiment,  the  21st 
Indiana,  with  a  section  of  Nimm's  battery,  were  sent  forward  by  General  Lock- 
wood  to  a  lower  point  of  the  peninsula,  and  I  saw  no  more  of  them  until  I 
reached  Eastville  some  time  after.  It  was  in  the  lower  country,  not  very  far 
from  the  extreme  point  of  the  peninsula.  They  probably  had  more  to  do  with 
this  business  of  taking  arms,  capturing  cannon  and  muskets,  than  we  had. 

Question.  What  do  you  know  about  the  capturing  of  cannon  and  muskets, 
from  what  you  heard  among  the  officers  ? 

Answer.  I  saw  in  the  court-house  yard  at  Drummondtown  six  or  seven  can 
non,  with  caissons,  that  had  been  taken  from  the  rebels ;  I  think  taken  at 
Pungoteague  Landing,  from  a  fortification  I  afterwards  saw  there,  and  brought 
up  to  Drummondtown.  I  heard  that  there  were  some  muskets  in  a  jail  at 
Drummondtown,  but  I  never  saw  them,  and  was  never  able  to  learn  the  history 
of  those  muskets,  whether  they  were  captured,  or  whether  they  were  found 
there  in  the  jail. 

Question.  What  was  done  with  these  cannon  that  were  captured  ] 

Answer.  They  were  there  the  last  I  saw  of  them. 

Question.  Did  you  capture  any  shot  or  shell,  any  munitions  of  war,  or  any 
provisions  ? 

Answer.  We  found  at  Oak  Hall  a  small  quantity  of  sweet  potatoes  and  a 
email  quantity  of  oats,  which  I  think  belonged  to  the  rebel  army  encamped 
Acre  before  we  arrived.  "But  of  that  I  am  not  certain. 


374  TESTIMONY. 

Question.  What  was  done  with  them  ? 

Answer.  We  consumed  the  most  of  them.  We  took  them  from  those  who 
had  them.  I  told  them  that  if  they  were  private  property  they  would  be  paid 
for ;  but  if  not,  they  would  be  used  as  captured  property  belonging  to  our  gov 
ernment.  I  think  the  conclusion  of  it  was  that  they  gave  up  any  claim  to  the 
property.  It  did  not  amount  to  much. 

Question.  Do  you  know  anything  about  the  capture  of  fugitive  slaves  upon 
that  expedition,  and  their  being  returned  to  rebel  masters  1 

Answer.  Not  of  my  own  knowledge.     I  have  heard  a  great  deal  said  about  it. 

Question.  State  what  you  heard  among  officers  there. 

Answer.  We  marched  to  Eastville,  the  southern  limit  of  our  march.  We 
then  returned,  by  slow  marches,  to  Pungoteague  Lauding,  to  embark  from  that 
point  to  Baltimore.  While  we  were  lying  there  at  Pungoteague,  I  went  one 
day  with  Major  Van  Norstrand,  the  surgeon  of  our  regiment,  to  call  upon  General 
Lockwood,  who  was  quartered  in  a  private  house  pretty  near  the  landing. 
While  the  surgeon  and  I  were  there,  he  remarked  to  us  that  a  fugitive  slave  had 
been  found  by  his  owner,  somewhere  in  the  neighborhood  of  that  camp,  who 
had  come  up  from  a  town  lower  down,  and  I  think  he  said  he  had  caused  him 
to  be  taken  out  and  flogged. 

Question.  Who  caused  it  to  be  done  ? 

Answer.  General  Lockwood.  Neither  Major  Van  Norstrand  nor  myself  made 
any  response  to  that  remark.  I  think  we  did  not  either  of  us  look  at  him. 
After  a  moment's  silence  he  remarked  that  "  he  only  had  the  slave  slightly 
tickled."  I  think  he  used  the  word  "  slightly  ;"  I  know  he  used  the  word 
11  tickled."  He  said  something  more  upon  the  subject ;  I  said  nothing.  I  know 
nothing  else  about  that  except  what  I  heard  from  the  officers  of  the  regiment. 

Question.  Do  you  know  whether  any  cavalry  horses  were  given  back  to  their 
owners  after  having  been  captured  by  our  soldiers  ? 

Answer.  The  officers  of  our  regiment  took  a  large  number  of  horses  which 
they  supposed  to  belong  to  rebel  cavalry  officers,  and  I  believe  all  of  them 
were  given  up  except  one. 

Question.  By  order  of  the  general  1 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  1  do  not  know  but  they  all  went  into  the  hands  of  the 
rebel  officers  finally.  They  were  taken  from  our  possession. 

Question.  Can  you  tell  whether  any  attempt  was  made  to  administer  the  oath 
of  allegiance  to  these  pretended  owners  before  these  horses  were  given  up  to 
them,  or  whether  they  took  the  oath  1 

Answer.  I  never  heard  of  any  attempt  being  made  to  administer  the  oath  to 
them ;  it  may  be  that  that  attempt  was  made,  and  it  may  be  that  the  oath  was 
administered.  But  I  never  heard  of  any  such  thing. 

By  the  chairman  : 

Question.  You  said  that  all  but  one  horse  was  given  up.  What  was  done 
with  that  ? 

Answer.  I  do  not  know  that  all  were  given  to  the  rebels,  but  they  were 
taken  from  us.  There  was  one  very  fine  horse  taken  by  the  adjutant  of 
our  regiment.  He  made  application  to  the  government,  through  General 
Dix,  for  leave  to  purchase  that  horse  at  its  valuation,  and  finally  consent  was 
given  by  the  government.  He  did  intend  to  buy  the  horse,  but  finding  it  was 
foundered  he  would  not  take  it. 

By  Mr.  Chandler  : 

Question.  Do  you  know  what  was  done  with  those  horses  ?  Whether  some 
of  them  went  across  the  bay  or  not  ? 

Answer.  I  do  not.  I  know  that  some  of  them  were  taken  home  by  their 
owners. 


TESTIMONY.  375 

Question  Do  you  know  anything  about  the  return  of  arms  and  ammunition 
to  the  rebels  after  they  had  been  captured  1 

Answer.  The  arms  that  my  soldiers  took  we  took  in  small  numbers,  generally 
one  or  two  from  a  house.  They  would  go  into  a  house  sometimes  with  permis 
sion  and  sometimes  without  permission,  I  think — not  to  my  knowledge,  however; 
without  permission — and  take  them  in  small  numbers,  one  or  two  in  a  place. 
I  do  not  know  that  I  recollect  of  any  muskets  being  returned  ;  I  recollect  that 
some  small  weapons,  a  pistol  for  example,  was  restored  by  order  of  General 
Lockwood. 

By  Mr.  Julian : 

Question.  What  do  you  know  about  the  return  of  provisions  captured  from 
the  rebels,  returned  under  order  of  General  Lockwood? 

Answer.  I  think  I  never  heard  of  any  such  thing ;  I  do  not  now  remember  of 
having  heard  of  it. 

Question.  About  the  flogging  of  slaves  that  came  to  your  camps :  what  do 
you  know,  on  the  information  of  other  officers  besides  General  Lockwood,  as  to 
his  ordering  slaves  to  be  flogged? 

Answer.  The  rumor  of  that  circumstance  of  which  I  have  spoken  ran  through 
the  camps.  I  heard  of  it  from  different  sources. 

Question.  Were  any  arms  laid  down  by  the  rebels  ? 

Answer.  I  never  knew  anything  about  anything  being  laid  down.  But,  as  I 
said  before,  a  part  of  the  21st  Indiana  and  the  5th  New  York,  with  a  section  of 
Nimm's  battery,  went  ahead  of  us.  And  what  may  have  been  done  by  them  I 
do  not  know.  There  were  some  arms  in  the  jail  at  Drummondtown,  as  I  was 
told,  which  may  have  been  surrendered  by  the  rebels. 

Question.  Did  any  of  the  rebels  in  Northampton  county  return  to  their 
allegiance  ? 

Answer.  Not  to  my  knowledge. 

Question.  Do  you  know  anything  about  General  Lockwood  sending  outside 
of  Northampton  county  to  get  a  loyal  man  to  take  the  post  office  in  that  county? 

Answer.  One  day  while  at  headquarters,  at  the  lowest  point  on  the  peninsula 
to  which  we  marched,  I  heard  one  of  his  staff — I  do  not  now  recollect  who — say 
that  no  man  had  yet  taken  the  oath  of  allegiance.  And  I  was  then  informed 
who  had  been  appointed  postmaster;  but  I  cannot  now  recollect  his  name. 

Question.  There  were  very  few  loyal  men,  if  any,  in  that  region,  then? 

Answer.  I  do  not  know  of  more  than  two ;  I  never  heard  of  more  than  two 
men  about  Eastville  that  I  thought  were  loyal  men. 

Question.  Did  the  rebels  in  that  county  disperse  by  reasorijof  General  Dix's 
proclamation,  or  by  reason  of  the  military  force  brought  against  them  ? 

Answer.  I  will  tell  the  facts,  and  then  you  can  judge  for  yourselves.  I  did 
not  know  what  the  object  of  the  expedition  was  at  all.  I  was  ordered  to  White 
Haven,  and  to  march  to  Snow  Hill,  and  to  be  there  with  my  force  on  a  certain 
day  and  await  orders.  I  was  there  awhile,  and  there  received  orders  to  report 
myself  to  General  Lockwood,  who  would  take  command  of  the  force  which  up 
to  that  time  were  with  me.  I  did  report  myself  to  General  Lockwood  when  he 
arrived,  and  he  took  command  of  the  force.  We  marched,  as  I  have  already 
stated,  to  Newtown  At  Newtown  was  a  detachment  of  the  21st  Indiana,  and 
during  the  day  upon  which  we  arrived  there  a  part  of  the  5th  New  York — about 
.500  men — arrived  there.  Subsequently  portions  of  the  17th  Massachusetts, 
6th  Michigan,  2d  Delaware,  and  Purnell's  (Maryland)  Legion,  arrived;  I  think 
about  half  of  each  regiment.  I  did  not  know  up  to  that  time  what  the  object 
of  that  expedition  was ;  I  do  not  know  now.  I  do  not  know  who  planned  it ; 
whether  by  the  President,  the  commander-in-chief,  General  Dix,  or  who  it  was. 

General  Lockwood  sent  me  from  Newtown  to  Oak  Hall,  on  the  17th,  with 
my  own  regiment,  Nimm's  battery,  Richards's  cavalry,  and  detachments  of  the 


376  TESTIMONY. 

21st  Indiana,  the  5th  New  York,  and  the  6th  Michigan,  under  my  command. 
And  it  was  on  that  day,  on  that  march,  that  we  expected  to  meet  the  rebels  be 
tween  Newtown  and  Oak  Hall.  We  crossed  the  boundary  line  between  Mary 
land  and  Virginia  that  day.  We  expected  to  meet  the  enemy  during  the  day, 
and  marched  in  such  shape  as  to  be  ready  for  them.  But  we  did  not  meet  them. 
We  found  the  roads  obstructed  near  the  boundary  line  by  fallen  trews  ;  we  found 
some  intrenchments  thrown  up,  but  the  enemy  had  fled,  and  AVC  came  to  their 
camp  which  they  had  left.  We  were  informed  that  they  had  left  on  Friday 
night.  I  was  informed  by  a  Dr.  Watson,  who  was  a  Union  man,  that  he  had 
been  forced  into  their  service  as  one  of  their  soldiers  —  impressed  into  their 
service;  that  he  retreated  with  them;  that  they  went  down  very  rapidly  from 
Oak  Hall  on  Friday  night  to  Drummondtown,  and  there  dispersed. 

Question.  How  long  was  that  after  the  proclamation  ? 

Answer.  The  proclamation  was  issued  from  Newtown,  I  think,  some  time  be 
tween  the  13th  and  the  17th.  It  might  have  been  issued  before  the  13th. 

Question.  What  was  the  date  of  this  dispersion  1 

Answer.  The  Friday  they  dispersed  was  the  15th,  I  think. 

Question.  Did  General  Lockwood  tell  you,  or  state  in  your  presence,  that  the 
line  of  policy  under  which  the  campaign  was  conducted  was  in  accordance  with 
orders  from  headquarters  of  the  department,  or  headquarters  of  the  army  ? 

Answer.  I  cannot  say  that  he  ever  in  my  presence  made  any  discrimination 
as  to  the  source  of  the  authority  or  policy  he  was  acting  under,  whether  ivoin. 
the  headquarters  of  the  army  or  the  headquarters  of  the  department.  I  have  an 
order  which  may  throw  some  light  on  the  subject. 

Question.  What  is  that  order? 

Answer.  It  is  as  follows  • 

"HEADQUARTERS  PENINSULA  BRIGADE, 

"Newtown,  Md,  November  15,  1861. 
"General  Orders,  No.  11.] 

"  In  consideration  of  the  importance  attached  to  the  present  expedition  by  the 
commander  of  the  army  and  the  general  commanding  the  department,  and  the 
proximity  of  the  enemy,  no  officer  or  soldier  will  be  allowed  to  remain  out  of 
camp  at  night,  unless  by  the  special  permission  of  the  general  commanding  this 
brigade  ;  and  any  violation  of  this  order  will  occasion  the  necessity  of  placing 
every  one  so  violating  it  under  arrest. 

"  By  command  : 

"  Briadier  General  LOCKWOOD." 


I  was  in  General  Lockwood's  office  at  Eastville,  and  we  fell  into  conversation 
respecting  the  policy  of  the  expedition,  its  objects,  &c.,  and  his  mode  of  con 
ducting  it. 

Question.*  Will  you  state  what  General  Lockwood  said  about  it  ? 

Answer.  From  what  >  General  Lockwood  said  to  me,  I  inferred  that  it  had 
come  to  his  knowledge  that  criticisms  had  been  made  by  some  persons  on  his 
course  there.  He  showed  me  his  instructions  from  General  Dix,  and  requested 
me  to  read  them,  and  assured  me  that  it  had  been  his  honest  purpose  to  conform 
his  duty  there  strictly  in  accordance  with  the  instructions  of  the  major  general. 
I  read  the  instructions,  and  I  was  satisfied  from  what  I  had  observed  of  General 
Lockwood's  conduct,  and  from  the  tenor  of  those  instructions,  that  it  was  Gen 
eral  Lockwood's  honest  purpose  to  execute  the  orders  which  he  had  received 
directly  and  literally. 

Question.  Have  you  a  copy  of  the  instructions  under  which  General  Lock- 
wood  acted  ? 

Answer.  I  have  not.  When  I  started  on  that  expedition  I  did  not  know  what 
I  was  going  for,  or  what  superior  officers  were  to  go  with  me.  I  followed  in- 


TESTIMONY.  377 

structions  in  writing  that  General  Dix  gave  me.  General  Lockwood  informed 
me  that  he  did  not  know  he  was  to  command  that  expedition  until  he  left  Balti 
more,  though  he  had  thought  for  some  time  that  he  should  command  an  expedi 
tion  to  the  Eastern  Shore  of  Maryland. 

Question.  I  think  that  you  have  stated  that  on  the  march  from  Drummond- 
town  to  Eastville  you  averaged  about  12  miles  a  day  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  How  did  it  happen  that  you  marched  only  that  far  in  a  day  ? 
What  was  the  cause  of  your  detention? 

Answer.  I  do  not  know.  The  orders  from  General  Lockwood  were  to  con 
sume  three  days  in  the  march  from  Drummondtown  to  Eastville.  The  march 
from  Oak  Hall  to  Drummondtown  was  a  longer  march  than  12  miles  a  day ;  but 
I  cannot  give  the  exact  distance. 

Question.  Were  the  rebels  in  advance  of  you  in  making  the  march  from  Oak 
Hall  to  Drummondtown  1 

Answer.  We  arrived  in  their  camp  at  Oak  Hall  on  Sunday  afternoon ;  they 
had  left  it  the  Friday  evening  before. 

Question.  How  far  in  advance  of  you  were  they  then  ? 

Answer.  When  we  reached  Drummondtown  I  do  not  know  where  they  were. 
I  never  heard  where  they  were. 

Question.  I  have  been  informed  that  the  enemy  were  immediately  before  you, 
and  that  by  a  rapid  march  you  could  have  captured  them,  with  their  baggage 
and  ammunition. 

Answer.  We  lay  at  Newtown  from  the  13th  to  the  17th.  That  was  not  very 
far  from  their  camp  at  Oak  Hall.  They  left  Oak  Hall  before  we  left  Newtown. 
I  never  heard  of  our  being  nearer  to  the  rebels  than  the  distance  from  Newtown 
to  Oak  Hall,  which  was  not  far  from  20  miles. 

Question.  You  do  not  know  how  far  they  may  have  been  in  advance  of  you  1 

Answer.  I  was  told  by  Dr.  Watson,  a  man  in  whose  statements  I  place  im 
plicit  confidence,  that  they  went,  and  he  went  with  them,  from  Oak  Hall  to 
Drummondtown,  and  that  that  was  the  last  place  they  were  together;  there  they 
scattered  and  dispersed. 


WASHINGTON,  January  28,  1862. 
Captain  W.  P.  MOORE  sworn  and  examined. 

By  Mr.  Julian  : 

Question.  What  is  your  rank  and  position  in  the%rmy  ? 

Answer.  I  am  captain  of  company  E,  4th  Wisconsin  regiment. 

Question.  Were  you  on  the  Accomack  expedition,  under  General  Lockwood  ? 

Answer.  I  was. 

Question.  Will  you  state  what  you  know  about  the  flogging  or  returning  of 
fugitive  slaves,  under  the  direction  of  General  Lockwood,  during  that  expedition? 

Answer.  I  did  not  see  anything  of  the  sort  myself;  1  only  heard  reports. 

Question.  Reports  from  whom? 

Answer.  From  some  officers  of  our  regiment. 

Question.  What  did  they  report  to  you  ? 

Answer.  They  reported  that  while  we  were  at  Pungoteague,  on  our  return 
from  Eastville,  General  Lockwood  had  had  some  one  of  the  Purnell  Legion,  or  of 
the  Delaware  regiment — the  Purnell  Legion,  I  think — flog  a  slave  for  running 
away,  and  had  him  returned  to  his  master. 

Question.  Flog  a  slave  and  return  him  ? 


378  TESTIMONY. 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Is  that  all  that  was  reported  to  you  on  that  matter  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir ;   I  think  so. 

Question.  What  do  you  know  about  the  return  of  cavalry  horses  to  rebels 
after  they  had  been  captured  ? 

Answer.  I  know  there  were  a  number  of  horses,  from  six  to  twelve,  that  I 
saw.  The  most  of  them  were  taken  by  our  regiment.  I  did  not  see  any  orders 
for  delivering  them  up ;  but  I  know  they  were  delivered  over  to  General  Lock- 
wood.  What  became  of  them  after  that  I  do  not  know,  except  by  report. 

Question.  What  was  reported  to  have  been  done  with  them  by  General  Lock- 
wood  ? 

Answer.  The  report  was  that  some  citizen  was  there  and  swore  the  horses 
were  his,  and  that  they  were  returned. 

Question.  Do  you  know  whether  they  were  returned  ? 

Answer.  I  do  not.  I  did  see  one  little  black  mare  that  we  had  had  in  our 
regiment.  I  saw  some  citizen  have  it  afterwards ;  who  he  was  I  do  not  know. 
It  was  said  that  she  had  been  returned  to  him. 

Question.  Do  you  know  anything  about  the  capture  of  arms  and  ammunition 
that  was  returned  afterwards  to  the  rebels  by  order  of  General  Lockwood  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir ;  I  do  not. 

Question.  Were  you  at  Drummondtown  when  General  Lockwood  arrived 
there  ] 

Answer.  I  was. 

Question.  Did  he  make  a  speech  there  to  the  rebels  1 

Answer.  He  was  reported  to  have  so  done.  I  did  not  hear  the  speech.  I  was 
down  town  that  afternoon  that  he  made  the  speech. 

Question.  You  do  not  know  what  he  said  1 

Answer.  I  do  not,  except  by  report. 

Question.  Did  you  hear  General  Lockwood  say  anything  about  his  policy 
about  the  returning  or  flogging  of  fugitive  slaves  1 

Answer.  No,  sir ;  I  did  not.  I  had  no  personal  intercourse  with  him.  All 
that  I  know  about  that  came  through  orders — through  our  colonel. 

Question.  Do  you  know  what  those  orders  were  ? 

Answer.  They  were  orders  to  allow  no  negro  to  come  within  our  lines;  that 
was  when  I  was  officer  of  the  day.  I  believe  I  was  not  ordered  to  catch  them. 
I  do  not  think  I  received  any  such  orders  as  that.  I  know  there  were  a  number 
of  persons  in  search  of  fugitives,  who  came  into  our  camp  to  search  for  them. 

Question.  Do  you  know  anything  about  the  return  of  a  number  of  fugitive 
slaves  from  Baltimore  to  Pungoteague,  Virginia,  or  whether  they  were  simply 
lauded  at  the  wharf,  or  whether  their  masters  were  sought  after  ? 

Answer.  I  do  not.  I  know  that  a  steamer  came  down,  and  it  was  reported 
to  me  that  some  slaves  can^e  in  at  the  time. 

Question.  How  many  1 

Answer.  I  do  not  know;  I  think  four  or  five. 

Question.  Do  you  know  what  became  of  those  slaves  that  came  on  that 
steamer  ? 

Answer.  I  do  not. 

Question.  Do  you  know  anything  about  the  laying  down  of  arms  by  the 
rebels  ? 

Answer.  I  never  saw  any  that  were  laid  down  by  the  rebels  that  I  know  of. 
I  saw  a  great  many  arras  that  were  reported  by  different  parties  to  have  been 
found  at  different  places. 

Question.  Did  any  of  the  rebels  of  Northampton  county  return  to  their  alle 
giance  after  you  went  down  there  ? 

Answer.  I  think  they  did,  some  of  theln.  I  do  not  know  that  they  took  the 
oath.  There  was  one  man  who  reported  himself  to  me  as  having  been  in  the 


TESTIMONY  379 

rebel  army.  He  said  be  had  been  drafted  in,  and  was  glad  of  an  opportunity  to 
get  out. 

Question.  Were  there  any  loyal  men  at  all  in  that  region  1 

Answer.  I  talked  with  half  a  dozen  men,  I  think,  who  talked  as  if  they  were 
loyal  to  some  extent.  They  did  not  seem  to  be  very  enthusiastic  in  the  matter. 

Question.  Did  not  the  general  have  to  look  to  the  country  outside  of  that 
county  to  find  a  postmaster  ? 

Answer.  There  was  a  postmaster  at  Drummondtown  at  that  time  who  was 
looked  after.  I  do  not  know  whether  he  found  him  or  not. 

Question.  Do  you  know  whether  the  line  of  policy  under  which  General 
Lockwood  acted  was  in  accordance  with  orders  from  the  headquarters  of  the 
department,  or  the  headquarters  of  the  army  ? 

Answer.  I  think  they  were  from  the  headquarter?,  of  the  department — from 
G-eruTal  Dix ;  at  least  I  saw  the  proclamation  that  General  Dix  issued,  and 
•heard  the  instructions  that  were  given  to  Colonel  Paine. 

Question.  What  were  the  instructions  to  Colonel  Paine  ? 

Answer.  They  were  that  we  were  to  be  very  careful  in  our  intercourse  with 
the  citizens,  and  allow  no  slaves  to  come  within  our  lines ;  they  were  very  par 
ticular  on  that  point,  and  to  keep  the  soldiers  very  strictly  within  the  lines,  so 
as  not  to  have  them  meddle  with  the  citizens  at  all,  as  we  were  going  there  for 
a  very  particular  purpose.  We  went  down,  in  the  first  place,  to  protect  the 
polls,  to  protect  the  loyal  citizens  in  Somerset  county,  Maryland,  from  those  in 
Virginia,  who  it  was  supposed  would  come  over.  Afterwards  these  same  in 
structions,  that  we  had  applied  down  in  Virginia,  were  read  over  to  us  again  ;  I 
cannot  remember  the  full  particulars.  I  will  state  that  I  was  informed  by  a 
man  that  I  met  there  in  Virginia — he  reported  himself-  as  a  citizen — that  the 
rebel  forces  did  not  have  much  to  fear  from  General  Lockwood,  because  an 
agent  of  Smith  had  seen  General  Lockwood  while  he  was  at  Newtown,  and 
there  was  some  kind  of  agreement  or  understanding  between  them  that  he  would 
not  harm  the  rebels. 

Question.  Smith  was  the  rebel  general  1 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  I  think  they  called  him  Colonel  Smith.  He  was  com 
manding  the  force.  This  report  I  also  got  from  some  of  the  men  who  talked 
with  the  slaves  there. 

Question.  What  was  the  distance  between  Oak  Hall  and  Drummondtown  ? 

Answer.  I  think  the  distance  by  the  most  direct  route  was  twenty  miles ; 
but  one  road  was  blocked  up,  and  the  way  we  marched  made  it  about  twenty- 
four  miles. 

Question.  What  was  the  distance  between  Drummondtown  to  Eastville  1 

Answer.  We  made  three  marches  to  get  there;  one,  I 'think,  of  15  or  18 
miles,  and  two  of  12  miles  each.  I  think  it  is  36  or  38  miles. 

Question.  What  time  w?s  consumed  in  the  march  from  Oak  Hall  to  Eastville  1 

Answer.  We  left  Oak  Hall,  I  think,  on  Thursday  morning — the  fifth  New 
York  went  the  night  before — and  marched  that  day  to  Drummondtown.  We 
remained  there  until  after  the  next  Sunday.  I  think  it  was  Monday  or  Tuesday 
that  we  started  from  Drummondtown  to  Eastville,  and  got  to  Eastville  on  the 
2Sth  of  November. 

Question.  What  I  want  to  know  is  why  you  were  so  slow  in  passing  between 
those  points,  being  in  pursuit  of  the  rebels  ? 

Answer.  There  was  no  reason  for  it  at  all,  that  I  know. 

Question.  Could  you  not,  in  your  opinion,  have  captured  the  rebels,  with  their 
ammunition  and  provisions,  if  you  had  made  a  quick  march,  such  as  was  pos 
sible  ? 

Answer.  I  think  if  we  had  started  out  from  Snow  Hill  as  soon  as  we  could, 
we  could  have  taken  them  without  any  doubt.  But  after  we  got  to  Newtown, 


380  TESTIMONY. 

on  Friday  night,  the  rebels  left.  I  think  they  left  the  night  after  we  got  into 
Newtown,  or  the  night  after  that. 

Question.  The  rebels  dispersed  ? 

Answer.  I  do  not  know  whether  they  dispersed  or  not ;  they  left  their  fortifi 
cations — that  was  the  rumor  we  got  at  the  time.  I  think  if  we  had  marched  on 
vigorously,  we  should  have  marched  right  upon  them  in  their  fortifications,  and 
I  have  no  doubt  we  would  have  taken  them. 


WASHINGTON,  January  28,  1862. 
Colonel  GOVERNEUR  K.  WARREN  sworn  and  examined. 

By  Mr.  Julian : 

Question.  What  is  your  rank  and  position  in  the  army? 

Answer.  I  am  a  captain  of  topographical  engineers,  and  colonel  of  the  fifth 
regiment  New  York  volunteers. 

Question.  Were  you  in  the  Accomack  expedition  under  General  Lockwood? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  After  you  left  Baltimore  and  reached  Accomack  county,  where  did 
you  first  come  011  a  rebel  camp  ? 

Answer.  We  found  no  rebel  camp. 

Question.  Found  none? 

Answer.  No,  sir ;  we  found  where  a  camp  had  been. 

Question.  Where  was  that  ? 

Answer.  I  have  not  got  my  journal  with  me,  and  I  do  not  recollect.  We 
passed  it  the  first  day's  march,  before  we  arrived  at  Oak  Hall. 

Question.  It  was  near  Oak  Hall  1 

Answer.  It  was  nearly  to  Oak  Hill — about  two  or  three  miles  from  there. 
We  found  an  earthwork  thrown  up. 

Question.  How  long  were  you  occupied  in  pursuit  of  the  retreating  forces  ? 

Answer.  I  do  not  think  we  made  any  march  that  might  be  considered  a  pur 
suit  of  the  retreating  forces.  We  got  orders  to  march.  The  rumor  had  come 
that  the  rebels  had  disbanded,  and  we  never  saw  anything  more  of  them,  ex 
cept  the  ruins  of  camps,  old  field-works,  and  occasionally  arms  thrown  away. 

Question.  You  knew  they  were  in  advance  of  you? 

Answer.  We  went  prepared  to  clear  the  road  of  anything.  We  had  informa 
tion  of  the  fact  that  they  had  all  disbanded,  and  they  must  have  preceded  us 
three  or  four  days. 

Question.  What  is  the  distance  between  Oak  Hall  and  Drummondtown  ? 

Answer.  I  cannot  give  the  exact  distance.  The  whole  thing  consisted  in  a 
direct  march,  the  same  as  I  have  made  on  the  plains  a  hundred  times. 

Question.  What  is  the  distance  between  Oak  Hall  and  Eastville,  and  how 
long  were  you  on  the  march  ? 

Answer.  We  left  Newtown  on  Sunday  morning,  and  I  believe  the  whole  com 
mand  followed.  We  got  to  Oak  Hall  that  Sunday  evening.  We  remained 
there  until  Wednesday  noon.  On  Wednesday  noon  Colonel  McMillan,  with 
his  500  men,  and  myself  having  500  men  and  two  field-pieces,  left  and  arrived 
at  the  same  place  on  Wednesday  evening.  The  next  day  we  marched  24  miles, 
to  Drummodtown,  and  encamped  at  a  mill.  The  next  day  we  passed  Puugo- 
teague,  and  another  earth-work  at  a  place  called  Dr.  Henderson's,  about  16 
miles  from  there,  and  remained  and  rested  until  the  next  day  at  10  o'clock. 
Colonel  McMillan  went  on,  and  I  remained  there.  I  got  to  Eastville  on  Sunday. 

Question.  Just  a  week  from  the  time  you  started  from  Newtown  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir ;  a  week  and  12  hours. 


TESTIMONY.  381 

Question.  Why  did  you  stop  at  Oak  Hall  from  Sunday  evening  until  Wed 
nesday  1 

Answer.  I  do  not  know  all  the  reasons,  but  I  suppose  it  was  on  account  of 
the  want  of  transportation  and  the  want  of  provisions.  We  did  not  have  trans 
portation  enough,  when  we  started  from  Newtown,  to  take  all  our  tents.  We 
started  with  half  our  tents  and  a  limited  amount  of  provisions. 

Question.  You  were  in  pursuit  of  the  rebels  during  this  time,  or  on  an  expe 
dition  for  that  purpose  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  If  you  had  had  the  transportation  you  ought  to  have  had,  and  had 
m.uie  a  vigorous  march,  could  you  have  captured  them  with  their  ammunition 
a\ui  provisions'? 

Answer.  I  think  it  is  very  doubtful  if  we  could  by  going  to  Newtown  first.  It 
i.j.  my  opinion  that  if  we  had  landed  at  Pungoteague — however,  I  never  thought 
'much  about  that ;  I  know  that  at  the  rate  they  fell  back  there  was  very  little 
chance  of  our  catching  them. 

Question.  What  do  yon  know  about  General  Lockwood  flogging  fugitive 
slaves  and  returning  them  to  their  claimants '? 

Answer.  I  do  not  know  that  he  ever  flogged  any. 

Question.  Did  any  slaves  come  to  your  camp  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir  ;  not  that  I  know  of.  The  orders  were  strictly  to  keep  them 
out  of  the  camps,  and  there  were  none  of  them  harbored  there  or  lingering 
around  the  cauip,  to  my  knowledge.  My  camp  was  always  separate  from,  the 
rc;:t  after  we  left  Eastville.  It  was  not  generally  near  the  others.  The  only 
thing  that  might  seem  to  have  a  bearing  upon  that  subject  was  this:  General 
Lockwood  sent  a  Mr.  Clark,  of  Northampton,  one  day  to  my  camp  with  this 
order  : 

"DECEMBER  1,   1861. 

"  COLONEL  :  Mr.  Clark,  the  bearer,  informs  me  that  a  servant  of  his  is  in  the 
zouave  camp.  Please  give  him  every  facility  to  recover  him  ;  and  if  found, 
send  him  to  me  with  a  file  of  troops.  He  has  broken  the  law,  and  I  will  pun 
ish  him. 

"  Very  respectfully, 

"H.  H.  LOCKWOOD, 

"  Brigadier  General  Commanding. 
"  To  COLONEL  of  5th  N.  Y.  Regiment" 

There  was  no  man  that  Mr.  Clark  could  point  out  as  his  servant  in  the  camp, 
although  every  facility  was  given  him  to  look  around.  This  is,  if  it  could  be 
called  a  search,  the  only  one  I  have  any  knowledge  of. 

Question.  Do  you  know  anything  about  cavalry  horses  being  captured  and 
delivered  back  to  the  rebels  by  General  Lockwood  ? 

Answer.  I  do  not  know  of  any  such  thing.  I  have  heard  ef  such  things, 
but  I  do  not  know  anything  about  the  merits  of  it. 

Question.  Did  you  hear  of  it  from  officers  of  your  regiment  1 

Answer.  No,  sir. 

Question.  Do  you  know  anything  about  the  rebels  themselves  being  captured 
and  turned  loose  on  taking  the  oath  of  allegiance  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir.  * 

Question.  Were  you  at  Drummondtown  when  General  Lockwood  arrived 
there  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir ;  I  do  not  know  exactly  where  we  were.  1  suppose  we  were 
at  Eastville  when  he  got  to  Drummondtown. 

Question.  Do  you  know  anything  about  restoring  arms  and  ammunition  to 
the  rebels  after  they  had  been  captured  ? 


382  TESTIMONY. 

Answer.  No,  sir. 

Question.  Do  you  know  anything  about  contrabands  that  came  on  board  a 
vessel  from  Virginia  to  Baltimore  that  were  said  to  have  been  delivered  up  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Were  they  landed  at  the  wharf? 

Answer.  I  will  tell  you  what  I  know  about  that.  I  was  ordered  to  return  to 
Baltimore  with  the  17th  Massachusetts  regiment  when  it  got  orders  to  return 
home.  I  was  not  very  well  at  the  time,  and  General  Lockwood  ordered  me 
home  on  that  steamer,  arid  my  regiment  returned  afterwards  under  command  of 
the  lieutenant  colonel.  I  know  what  he  told  me — that  some  three  or  four  col 
ored  men  secreted  themselves  on  board  when  he  lay  at  Pungoteague,  and  came 
to  Baltimore,  and  he  gave  them  up  to  the  civil  authorities. 

Question,  Who  gave  them  up  ? 

Answer.  Lieutenant  Colonel  Duryea,  of  the  -5th  New  York  regiment. 

Question.  Were  the  claimants  of  those  fugitives  there  demanding  them  ? 

Answer.  Not  that  I  know  of;  I  presume  they  were  not. 

Question.  Did  General  Lockwood  cause  inquiries  to  be  made  at  Baltimore  for 
the  claimants  ? 

Answer.  General  Lockwood  has  not  been  at  Baltimore  at  all  since  then.  He 
remained  at  Eastville,  or  at  Pungoteague,  or  Drummondtown,  somewhere  there. 
He  did  not  come  up  with  any  troops,  and  I  do  not  know  that  he  has  ever  bee»n 
to  Baltimore  since. 

Question.  Were  there  any  loya.1  people  in  Northampton  county  ? 

Answer.  I  should  say  that  strictly  there  were  none — none  that  I  saw.  They 
were  of  this  class  of  people,  opposed  to  taking  up  arms.  All  that  I  saw  claimed 
to  be  opposed  to  taking  up  arms  against  the  government ;  considered  that  the 
vote  of  Maryland  had  settled  their  policy,  that  their  interests  were  one  ;  but 
their  sympathies  and  feelings  in  the  rebellion  were  with  the  south. 

Question.  Did  any  of  them  return  to  their  allegiance  ? 

Answer.  I  think  they  did. 

Question.  Did  they  all  take  the  oath  ? 

Answer.  It  was  not  done  when  I  was  there.  I  saw  a  great  deal  of  them. 
The  citizens  of  Northampton  county  came  very  freely  into  the  camp,  and  we 
had  very  free  and  frequent  conversations  with  them. 

Question.  Can  you  tell  whether  the  rebels  dispersed  on  account  of  General 
Dix's  proclamation,  or  on  account  of  the  military  force  you  brought  against 
them? 

Answer.  I  think  it  was  both  combined — the  proclamation  backed  by  the  mil 
itary  force. 

Question.  Was  the  line  of  policy  that  General  Lockwood  adopted  in  accord 
ance  with  orders  from  the  headquarters  of  the  department,  or  the  headquarters 
of  the  army? 

Answer.  That  I  do  not  know.  I  supposed  he  acted  under  instructions  from 
General  Dix;  they  were  authorized,  I  believe,  at  the  headquarters  of  the  army. 
That,  of  course,  is  entirely  outside  of  my  knowledge. 

Question.  Did  you  ever  see  General  Lockwood's  instructions,  under  which  he 
acted? 

Answer.  No,  sir. 

Question.  You  do  not  know  what  they  were  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir. 


TESTIMONY. 


WASHINGTON,  January  28,  1862. 
Colonel  G.  K.  WARREN  sworn  and  examined. 
By  Mr.  Chandler  : 

Question.  Were  you  in  the  affair  at  Big  Bethel,  Virginia  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  What  was  your  rank  then  ? 

Answer.  I  was  lieutenant  colonel  of  the  5th  New  York  regiment  —  zouaves. 

Question.  Will  you  give  us  a  brief  account  of  what  you  know  of  that  affair  ? 

Answer.  I  was  officer  of  the  day  the  day  before,  and  joined  my  regiment  at 
9  o'clock  in  the  morning.  I  had  been  on  the  ground  six  days  previously,  and 
had  reconnoitred  it,  though  nobody  there  present  knew  that  I  had  done  so. 
When  I  arrived  on  the  ground  two  companies  of  our  regiment  were  deployed 
as  skirmishers  in  advance,  skirmishing  along  at  least  half  a  mile  in  front  of  the 
whole  command.  The  rest  of  the  regiment  were  drawn  up  in  line  of  battle,  and 
two  other  regiments  were  in  the  road  just  to  the  rear.  Everything  was  halted 
then.  I  asked  and  obtained  permission  to  join  the  reconnoitring  party.  This 
advanced  party  had  discovered  that  there  was  an  enemy  there  in  position.  I 
went  forward  with  the  two  companies  of  skirmishers  and  ordered  an  advance. 
We  advanced  pretty  close  up  to  the  swamp  or  creek  in  front  of  the  position,  and 
as  we  did  so  the  enemy  opened  on  us  with  artillery  down  the  road,  the  balls 
going  over  our  heads.  We  pushed  up  as  rapidly  as  we  could,  until  we  got 
within  200  or  300  yards.  When  they  saw  us  their  fire  was  directed  in  the 
woods  where  we  were,  and  it  was  pretty  heavy.  I  ordered  a  halt,  and  went  back 
to  report.  Our  regiment  was  ordered  up  to  support,  and  took  position  in  front 
of  the  battery,  but  sheltered  by  the  woods.  Lieutenant  Greble  came  up  with 
guns  and  drove  away  the  .enemy's  guns,  which  commanded  the  road  ;  they  were 
not  protected.  I  stayed  in  front  long  enough  to  see  that  they  had  guns  under 
cover  of  some  work.  I  then  went  back  and  reported,  or  suggested,  to  Colonel 
Duryea  that  we  better  hold  on  to  the  position  we  had. 

I  went  back  and  informed  General  Pierce  of  the  state  of  things,  and  told  him 
that  he  better  send  one  regiment  around  on  each  flank  to  get  across  the  creek, 
and  as  soon  as  they  commenced  firing  on  the  flank  we  could  go  in  on  the  front. 
H«  told  me  to  convey  that  order  to  the  colonels.  The  order  was  given  and 
the  movement  was  commenced.  The  3d  regiment  had  a  chance  to  go  under 
cover,  by  going  off  to  the  left  about  half  a  mile,  and  could  have  gone  down 
across  the  swamp  and  got  behind  the  battery,  all  the  time  being  under  cover  of 
the  woods.  But  the  direction  to  do  so  was  not  specific.  I  supposed  at  the  time 
that  they  had  all  the  information  they  might  have  had,  and  I  did  not  give 
specific  instructions.  I  only  told  them  to  go.  They  went  right  across  the  field, 
and  when  they  got  pretty  close  up  they  had  a  pretty  heavy  fire  from  the  battery. 
They  fell  back  to  a  position  towards  where  we  were. 

Question.  Then  if  they  had  gone  around  they  would  have  flanked  the  battery? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  That  was  the  intended  order? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  If  Colonel  Townsend  had  gone  into  the  woods  the  enemy 
would  have  been  compelled,  judging  from  what  I  have  since  learned,  to  have 
left  the  ground  at  once,  or  run  the  risk  of  having  everything  captured.  He 
would  have  been  masked,  and  they  would  not  know  where  he  was  until  he  had 
taken  the  battery  in  the  rear.  A  portion  of  the  regiment  on  the  other  flank  did 
cross  the  creek,  so  I  am  informed,  but  they  were  not  in  a  good  position,  but 
were  brought  pretty  near  as  much  in  front  of  the  battery  as  we  were.  After 
that  I  did  not  hear  any  further  commands  given.  We  remained  in  position 
under  fire  for  two  hours,  pretty  well  sheltered  by  the  woods. 

Question.  Your  men  firing  during  the  time  ? 


384  TESTIMONY. 

Answer.  Some  of  the  time,  but  not  much.  We  remained  there  waiting  orders. 
I  was  with  my  regiment,  nud  did  not  see  General  Pierce.  I  supposed  he  was 
waiting  for  re-enforcements,  as  we  had  two  regiments  on  the  road  coming  up. 
They  did  come  up,  and  finally  took  position  in  front,  where  they  were  directed, 
I  believe.  Then  General  Pierce  called  a  meeting  of  the  colonels  ahout  what 
should  be  done,  and  news  of  some  sort  came  from  General  Butler  by  his  aid. 
I  am  sorry  to  say  they  all  determined  that  we  had  better  retire.  1  opposed  it 
myself. 

Question.  You  think  the  battery  might  have  been  easily  carried? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  I  am  certain  of  it.  Then  they  went  off  the  ground.  1 
told  General  Pierce  that  if  he  was  going  to  retire  that  he  ought  to  make  the 
same  disposition  as  if  he  was  going  to  advance.  He  detailed  a  regiment,  as  he 
says,  to  cover  a  retreat.  From  what  I  knew  of  the  troops  there,  I  urged  him 
to  stay  himself  in  the  rear.  My  own  regiment  was  the  first  that  was  ordered 
off.  He  did  not  remain,  and  the  regiment  he  ordered  did  not  remain.  They 
all  went  right  off,  one  after  the  other — marched  off  as  they  did  off  parade.  The 
men  were  as  well  under  command  as  at  any  time.  The  2d  New  York  regiment 
"brought  off  a  gun. 

While  this  charge  was  going  on  Lieutenant  Greble  was  killed  away  up  in  front 
at  his  gun.  His  cannon  was  spiked  by  his  men,  as  they  could  not  draw  it  off, 
and  the  second  New  York  drew  it  off,  and  ten  men  of  the  first  New  York  regi 
ment  brought  away  his  limber  and  the  body  after  all  that.  And  then  Dr.  Wins- 
low  and  myself  remained  on  the  ground,  1  think,  an  hour  and  a  half,  and  brought 
off  the  wounded  we  thought  could  live,  every  one  of  them;  we  had  to  draw 
them  off  in  hand-carts.  I  thought  at  the  time  they  abandoned  the  battery, 
about  the  time  these  re-enforcements  came  up,  was  a  good  time  to  have  taken 
possession  there.  I  think  they  left  the  works  while  we  were  on  the  ground. 
We  saw  no  one.  We  went  up  all  through  the  woods  and  were  not  fired  at.  I 
was  dressed  in  this  red  zouave  uniform.  I  went  down  with  six  or  seven  men 
about  one  o'clock  in  the  day,  and  put  Lieutenant  Greble  on  the  limber  and  went 
right  down  the  road  in  plain  sight.  There  was  no  general  there  at  the  fight  at 
all. 

Question.  And  the  men  were  not  well  handled  I  suppose? 

Answer.  General  Pierce,  as  I  have  learned  since  from  the  proceedings  of  the 
court-martial,  was  never  mustered  into  the  service  of  the  United  States,  and 
really  had  no  right  to  command  the  colonels  there,  and  I  think  he  felt  it,  though 
they  did  not  know  it. 

Question.  Are  there  any  other  material  points  that  you  think  of? 

Answer.  I  think  the  plan  of  the  fight,  which  was  got  up  beforehand,  from  the 
very  beginning  involved  a  failure,  &o  much  so  that  I  was  ready  to  state  that  it 
was  planned  for  a  failure,  and  must  have  been  one  except  by  great  good  luck. 

Question.  What  were  the  particulars  of  the  plan,  as  briefly  as  you  can  state1 
them  ? 

Answer.  It  was  planned  for  a  night  attack  with  very  new  troops,  some  of 
them  had  never  been  taught  even  to  load  and  fire.  It  was  planned  to  proceed 
from  two  different  points,  distant  from  each  other  six  or  seven  miles.  The 
ground  between  was  unknown,  and  then  the  map  which  General  Butler  furnished 
was  a  wrong  map,  made  in  1819,  and  the  roads  were  all  laid  down  wrong.  The 
specific  points  of  instructions  were  that  the  troops  at  Newport  News  being  some 
three  miles  nearer  should  start  about  an  hour  after  the  others.  The  true  state 
of  the  case  was  that  they  were  about  four  miles  nearer,  and  that  brought  on  the 
collision  which  took  place,  and  which  was  inevitable.  I  think  the  two  regi 
ments,  when  they  arrived  on  the  ground  in  the  early  morning,  finding  things 
not  at  all  as  they  had  been  instructed,  were  justified  in  firing  on  each  other.  I 
am  satisfied  of  that. 


TESTIMONY.  385 

WASHINGTON,  January  28,  1S62. 
Colonel  S.  A.  BEAN  sworn  and  examined. 

By  Mr.  Julian : 

Question.  What  is  your  rank  and  position  in  the  army  ? 
Answer.  I  am  lieutenant  colonel  of  the  4th  Wisconsin  regiment. 
Question.  Were  you  in  this  Accomac  expedition,  under  General  Lockwood  ? 
Answer.  I  was. 

Question.  Whereabouts  did  you  first  come  upon  the  camp  of  the  rebels  after 
reaching  that  county,  or  a  camp  that  had  been  occupied  by  the  rebels  1 

Answer.  We  came  on  their  camping  ground  at  Oak  Hall,  about  twelve  miles 
south  of  the  Maryland  and  Virginia  line. 

Question.  How  long  were  you  in  pursuit  of  the  enemy  1 
,     Answer.  I  do  not  know  that  we  were  properly  in  pursuit  of  them  at  all. 
Question.  You  thought  you  were,  I  presume  ? 
Answer.  No,  sir  ;  I  do  not  know  that  we  thought  we  were. 
Question.  You  went  down  there  after  them,  did  you  not  ? 
Answer.  Yes,  sir ;  we  went  after  them.    We  thought  we  were  to  have  a  battle  ; 
thought  we  would  meet  them  when  we  were  at  Newtown,  that  is,  near  the  bor 
der  ;  but  after  we  got  to  Oak  Hall  we  knew  they  were  all  dispersed.     But  be 
yond  that,  we  did  not  know  what  was  the  reason  of  our  action  at  all. 
Question.  What  did  yon  do  when  you  found  their  camp  evacuated  ? 
Answer.  We  were  marched  to  their  camp,  and  camped  upon  the  same  ground 
that  they  had,  and  waited  there  three  or  four  days,  and  then  went  to  Drum- 
mondtown. 

Question.  Were  you  at  Drummondtown  when  General  Lockwood  arrived 
there  1 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Did  he  make  a  speech  to  the  people  there  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir ;  he  accompanied  the  army  previous  to  that.  He  took 
command  of  the  army  at  Newtown.  He  made  a  speech  to  the  people  at  Drum 
mondtown. 

Question.  Did  you  hear  the  speech  ? 
Answ^er.  I  did  not.     I  heard  numerous  accounts  of  it. 
Question.  You  do  not  know  what  he  did  say  1 
Answer.  Not  positively  ;  I  only  know  from  hearsay. 

Question.  What  was  the  purport  of  the  speech  as  you  learned  from  others  ? 
Answer.  I  learned  from  others  that  the  purport  of  the  speech  was  to  assure 
the  people  of  the  security  of  their  slave  property,  and  of  his  sympathy  with 
them  in  holding  slaves  ;  that  he  was  a  slaveholder  himself,  and  his  father  had 
been  before  him ;  and  he  advised  them  to  punish  their  slaves  very  severely  if 
they  attempted  to  run  away.  That,  I  think,  was  the  general  purport  of  the 
speech  as  I  heard  from  others. 

Question.  Did  you  learn  that  he  avowed  any  policy  in  regard  to  returning 
fugitives  ?  Was  there  anything  said  about  that  in  that  speech  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir ;  I  do  not  recollect  that  there  was  anything  said  about  that. 
Question.  What  was  the  distance  between  Oak  Hall  and  Drummondtown  ? 
Answer.  About  twenty  or  twenty-one  miles. 
Question.  How  far  from  :Drunimondtown  to  Eastville  ? 
Answer.  About  thirty-five  miles, 

Question.  How  much  time  did  you  consume  between  Oak  Hall  and  Eastville  ? 
Answer.  We  were  twelve  days  from  the  time  we  started  to  the  end  of  our 
journey. 

Question.  Where  did  you  tarry  ] 
Answer.  We  tarried  at  Oak  Hall  four  days. 
Part  in— 25 


386  TESTIMONY. 

Question.  Why  did  you  tarry  there  so  long ;  and  why  did  you  consume  so 
much  time  in  marching  between  those  places  ? 

Answer.  I  do  not  know. 

Question.  Was  there  any  military  necessity  that  you  know  of  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir  ;  I  do  not  think  there  was. 

Question.  Do  you  know  where  the  rebels  were  that  you  were  hunting  1  How 
near  them  were  you  at  any  time  in  that  march  1 

Answer.  We  arrived  at  Oak  Hall  on  Sunday.  They  broke  up  their  camp 
the  Friday  night  before,  as  I  understood  from  parties  on  the  ground,  and  we 
supposed  that  they  were  just  south  of  us  trying  to  escape.  We  did  not  know 
positively  that  they  were. 

Question.  Your  march  was  in  the  direction  of  the  rebels,  as  you  supposed  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  What  is  your  opinion  about  whether  you  could  have  overtaken 
them  or  not  if  you  had  made  a  quick,  rapid  movement,  as  you  might  have  done, 
instead  of  occupying  twelve  days  ? 

Answer.  It  was  said  that  the  rebels  had  dispersed ;  that  they  had  gone  to 
their  several  homes.  We  could  never  have  overtaken  them  that  way ;  but  we 
understood,  from  popular  rumor  and  reports  of  responsible  persons,  that  there 
was  a  large  body  of  troops  there  who  had  been  in  the  regular  service  w^ho  had 
fled  south,  gone  beyond  Eastville,  and  were  trying  to  escape  over  to  the  main 
land.  I  suppose  if  we  had  made  a  rapid  march,  we  might  have  overtaken  them. 

By  Mr.  Chandler : 

Question.  What  was  the  number  of  that  body  of  rebels  ? 

Answer.  About  six  hundred,  according  to  our  information. 

Question.  What  do  you  know  about  General  Lockwood's  flogging  slaves  ? 

Answer.  Nothing  positively  ;  nothing  except  what  I  have  heard  said. 

Question.  Did  you  hear  it  from  officers  1 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Julian  : 

Question.  From  officers  who  professed  to  know  1 

Answer.  Who  professed  that  General  Lockwood  told  them  he  had  done  it. 

Question.  Did  they  mention  any  particular  cases  he  had  mentioned  ? 

Answer.  There  were  two  officers  who  told  me  that  General  Lockwood  told 
them  that  he  had  caused  runaways  to  be  flogged. 

Question.  Do  you  know  anything  about  the  capture  of  some  cavalry  horses 
from  the  enemy  1 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  How  many  were  there,  and  wrhat  was  done  with  them  1 

Answer.  There  were  a  good  number  of  horses  taken.  I  took  some  myself — 
three  horses — in  connexion  with  other  officers  under  my  direction.  They  were 
all  returned  but  one. 

Question.  To  their  owners  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Under  whose  orders  ? 

Answer.  The  general's. 

By  Mr.  Chandler : 

Question.  Had  you  satisfactory  evidence  that  they  had  been  used  by  the 
rebels  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  And  their  owners  were  rebels  ? 

Answer.  Well,  sir,  that  point  was  the  point  of  dispute.  I  took  one  horse  which 
was  reported  to  me  as  belonging  to  Captain  Henderson,  at  Druinmondtowu,  who 


TESTIMONY.  387 

was  captain  of  a  cavalry  company  there.  Afterwards  his  brother,  a  Dr.  Hen 
derson,  appeared  and  claimed  him.  He  brought  before  me  a  certificate  from  the 
general,  guaranteeing  the  possession  of  the  horse  to  him,  and  I  refused  to  deliver 
the  horse  iipon  the  certificate  without  further  explanation.  So  I  took  Dr. 
Henderson  and  his  certificate  to  the  general,  and  asked  him  about  it.  The  gen 
eral  told  me  that  the  doctor  claimed  the  horse  as  his.  I  told  the  general  I  knew 
the  doctor  claimed  the  horse,  but  I  also  knew  the  horse  had  been  used  by  his 
brother,  a  captain  in  the  rebel  service,  and  with  the  doctor's  consent.  The 
doctor  said  it  was  not  with  his  consent.  I  asked  him  if  he  did  not  know  that 
his  brother  took  the  horse.  He  said  "Yes."  I  asked  him  if  he  ever  demanded 
the  horse  of  his  brother,  and  he  said  "  No."  I  asked  if  his  brother  and  his  horse 
had  not  been  frequently  at  his  house.  He  acknowledged  that  he  could  have 
taken  him  at  any  time.  I  then  asked  him  if  it  was  not  with  his  consent  that 
his  brother  had  taken  his  horse.  He  said  he  supposed  it  was.  But  the  general 
afterwards  gave  him  up. 

Question.  How  many  horses,  in  all,  were  captured  ? 

Answer.  I  could  not  say  exactly ;  quite  a  number. 

Question.  Did  you  understand,  from  information  from  others,  that  they  were  all 
delivered  back  ? 

Answer.  Not  absolutely  all.  There  were  some  of  the  horses  for  whom  no 
claimants  appeared.  I  took  no  horses  for  whom  claimants  appeared. 

Question.  Most  of  them  were  delivered  up  1 

Answer.  Yes,  sir ;  all  but  a  very  few. 

Question.  Were  there  any  loyal  people  down  there? 

Answer.  In  Accoinac  county  there  were.  In  Northampton  county  there  were 
none  that  1  found.  My  sources  of  information  were  quite  numerous. 

Question.  Did  any  people  take  the  oath  of  allegiance  to  the  government? 

Answer.  None  that  I  heard  of. 

Question.  Do  you  know  whether  any  of  these  horses  were  taken  over  the 
bay  to  the  Virginia  side  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir;  I  do  not  know  that,  of  course.  I  should  have  stated,  per 
haps,  in  connexion  with  that  affair  about  Henderson,  that  I  was  informed  by  his 
own  slaves  that  his  brother  was  in  a  regiment  in  the  rebel  service. 

Question.  Did  you  capture  any  arms  and  ammunition  ? 

Answer.  Personally,  I  did  not  take  any  arms.     My  soldiers  did. 

Question.  That  is  what  I  mean.     What  was  done  Avith  them? 

Answer.  There  were  a  few  muskets  taken  •  that  is  all.  A  few  were  found  in  the 
woods.  I  sent  out  a  company  one  time,  having  received  some  information,  and 
they  found  a  few  muskets — five  muskets — and  some  ammunition  buried  in  the 
woods. 

Question.  What  was  done  with  them  ? 

Answer.  They  were  handed  over  to  the  general. 

Question.  What  did  he  do  with  them  ? 

Answer.  I  do  not  know.  I  presume,  of  course,  he  kept  them.  They  were 
army  muskets. 

Question.  Were  you  at  Baltimore  when  some  contrabands  were  brought  on  a 
steamboat  there  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir.  There  were  some  contrabands  brought  to  Pungoteague 
while  I  was  there.  They  did  not  come  from  Baltimore. 

Question.  How  many  were  there  ? 

Answer.  There  were  five,  I  believe. 

Question.  Do  you  know  what  became  of  them  ? 

Answer.  Returned  to  their  owners,  I  think. 

Question.  Rebel  owners  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  These  went  to  Baltimore,  and  came  back.  I  did  not  see 
them  until  they  came  back. 


388  TESTIMONY. 

By  Mr.  Julian : 

Question.  Do  you  know  anything  about  General  Lockwood,  hunting  for  a 
postmaster,  having  to  go  outside  of  Northampton  county  to  find  a  postmaster 
who  was  loyal  ? 

Answer.  Nothing  except  rumor ;  that  was  the  rumor. 

Question.  Do  you  know  whether  the  rebels  dispersed  by  reason  of  General 
Dix's  proclamation,  or  of  your  presence  there  with  a  military  force  ? 

Answer.  It  is  a  difficult  thing  to  tell  the  motives  in  their  minds  for  dispersing. 
I  know  they  dispersed  at  the  time  they  received  the  proclamation.  I  know  that 
soldiers  who  were  in  the  army  there  say  that  they  dispersed  on  account  of  ex 
aggerated  reports  that  they  received  of  our  forces. 

Question.  Do  you  know  what  General  Lockwood's  instructions  were  ? 

Answer.  I  heard  of  them,  but  I  did  not  see  them. 

Question.  Do  you  remember  the  substance  of  them  ] 

Answer.  I  do  not ;  I  cannot  tell. 

By  Mr.  Chandler : 

Question.  Did  you  capture  an  amount  of  provisions,  (bacon,  &c.,)  at  any 
point  where  you  were,  that  was  supposed  to  have  belonged  to  the  rebel  army  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir ;  we  took  nothing  of  that  kind.  We  made  no  captures  of 
that  sort. 

Question.  Do  you  know  anything  about  compensating  the  rebel  owners  of 
property  for  what  was  taken  by  our  army  ? 

Answer.  Property  that  was  reported  to  have  been  stolen.  I  know  that  sol 
diers  took  things,  and  the  most  abundant  compensation  was  made  for  everything 
that  was  taken,  or  claimed  to  have  been  taken. 

Question.  Large  compensation  1 

Answer.  Yes,  sir ;  according  to  the  general's  order. 

Question.  In  every  instance  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Even  where  they  were  known  to  be  rebels  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  I  did  not  learn  that  any  distinction  at  all  was  made  be 
tween  rebels  and  others. 

Question.  As  a  rule,  the  property  of  rebels  was  always  given  up,  or  paid  for 
by  the  commanding  general  of  your  division  ] 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 


WASHINGTON,  January  2S,  1862. 

Major  EDWARD  BACON  sworn  and  examined. 
By  Mr.  Chandler : 

Question.  What  is  your  rank  and  position  in  the  army  ? 

Answer.  Major  of  the  6th  Michigan. 

Question.  Were  you  connected  with  the  expedition  to  Accomac  county,  Vir 
ginia,  under  General  Lockwood  1 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  When  did  you  first  come  to  where  a  rebel  camp  had  been  ? 

Answer.  On  Sunday,  November  17 ;  at  least,  I  think  that  is  the  time. 

Question.  After  finding  this  camp  that  the  enemy  had  left,  how  long  did  you 
wait  before  you  went  in  pursuit  of  the  enemy  ? 

Answer.  Until  November  21. 

Question.  Four  days  ? 
Yes,  sir. 


TESTIMONY.  389 

Question.  Do   you  know  of  any  reason  for  tliat  long  delay  ? 

Answer.  I  am  not  familiar  with  the  nice  points  of  the  quartermaster's  depart 
ment  ;  but  I  know  of  no  reason.  I  know  it  was  unnecessary. 

Question.  Had  you  pressed  on  with  the  expedition,  is  it  your  opinion  that 
you  might  have  overtaken  and  captured  the  enemy  ] 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  I  could  have  killed  enough  of  them  to  have  given  every 
one  of  my  men  a  scalp,  if  they  had  let  me. 

Question.  You  know  of  no  reason  for  the  delay  1 

Answer.  Nothing  but  mercy  and  leniency. 

Question.  It  was  a  peace-principle  expedition1? 

Answer.  That  is  it. 

Question.  Can  you  tell  me  the  distance  between  Oak  Hall  and  Drummond- 
town  ? 

Answer.  It  was  variously  stated  at  twenty-one  or  twenty-two  miles. 

Question.  Do  ymi  know  the  distance  from  Drummondtown  to  Eastville  ? 

Answer.  It  is  thirty-five  miles. 

Question.  Then  the  distance  from  Oak  Hall  to  Eastville  is  fifty-six  or  fifty- 
seven  miles  ? 

Answer.  Just  about  that. 

Question.  What  time  did  you  occupy  in  making  the  march  from  Oak  Hall  to 
Eastville? 

Answer.  We  left  Oak  Hall  November  21,  and  reached  Eastville  November 
.28.  We  arrived  at  Oak  Hall,  from  Newtown,  on  the  17th. 

Question.  So  that,  in  point  of  fact,  you  were  some  twelve  days  in  getting 
from  Newtown  to  Eastville  1 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Do  you  know  anything  about  the  rendition  of  fugitive  slaves,  or  the 
flogging  of  any  fugitives  by  order  of  General  Lockwood  ? 

Answer.  I  know  it  circumstantially,  but  not  from  my  own  sight. 

Question.  State  what  you  know. 

Answer.  At  Drummondtown  one  slave  having  attempted  to  escape,  or  having 
escaped,  I  could  not  state  which,  the  sentence  against  him  was,  to  be  whipped 
with  fifteen  lashes.  The  blows  were  inflicted  by  one  Massey,  or  Macy,  who 
was  put  in  jailer  as  a  Union  man,  the  old  jailer  being  supposed  to  be  a  seces 
sionist.  One  or  two  of  my  men  boarded  there. 

Question.  That  was  done  by  order  of  the  commanding  general  1 

Answer.  That  was  the  statement. 

Question.  Was  the  owner  of  this  slave  reputed  to  be  a  secessionist  ? 

Answer.  On  that  point  I  could  not  state.  He  seemed  to  be  possessed  of  the 
same  idea  that  all  seemed  to  have,  that  their  bondage  was  at  an  end  when  the 
northern  army  came  near  them. 

By  Mr.  Gooch : 

Question.  He  ran  away  and  came  to  your  lines  ? 

Answer.  That  was  the  substance  of  the  report,  as  stated.  I  know  that  is  what 
the  negroes  believed  all  about  us,  and  supposed  so  at  first. 

By  Mr.  Chandler : 

.Question.  Supposed  they  would  be  protected  when  they  came  within  our 
lines  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Do  you  know  anything  about  any  cavalry  horses  being  taken  and 
given  back? 

Answer.  I  know  quite'  a  number  of  horses  were  captured  that  had  been  used 
by  the  enemy,  and  those  horses  were  given  back  to  the  people  on  various  grounds. 
There  was  some  sort  of  investigation.  'Men  came  and  claimed  their  horses,  and 


390  TESTIMONY. 

the  general  heard  their  statements,  and  they  usually  received  back  their  horses. 
Many  of  the  horses,  however,  were  not  given  back,  but  were  kept  by  the  gen 
eral,  or  under  his  control  in  some  way. 

Question.  As  a  rule,  were  they  given  up  or  retained  ? 

Answer.  They  were  taken  away  from  their  captors,  but  what  disposition  was 
made  of  them,  after  they  left  our  possession,  I  could  not  tell.  But  I  have  no 
doubt,  from  statements  made  to  me,  that  the  most  of  them  were  given  back  to 
citizens.  Those  persons  to  whom  they  were  given  back  generally  represented 
themselves  to  be  Union  men,  or  the  horses  were  claimed  by  Union  men,  or 
some  claimed  a  share  or  interest,  or  that  the  secessionist  who  had  used  him  did 
not  really  own  him,  or  that  the  Union  men  had  been  compelled  to  let  them  be 
used.  There  was  every  possible  dodge  resorted  to  to  get  back  their  horses. 

Question.  Horses  that  were  known  to  have  been  in  the  service  of  the  enemy  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Do  you  know  of  any  of  these  horses  having  been  sent  across  the 
Chesapeake  to  the  other  side,  after  having  been  given  up  1 

Answer.  No,  sir. 

Question.  Do  you  know  whether  any  of  these  rebels  who  professed  to  lay 
down  their  arms  were  required  to  take  the  oath  of  allegiance  ? 

Answer.  I  do  not  know  that  any  of  them  were.  There  was  an  offer — as  I 
understood  it,  being  frequently  in  the  general's  quarters,  and  hearing  the  state 
ment — that  they  might  take  the  oath  of  allegiance ;  and  some  few  did  volunta 
rily  take  it. 

Question.  Do  you  know  whether  any  of  those  men  to  whom  horses  were 
given  back  took  the -oath  of  allegiance  before  they  received  back  their  horses  1 

Answer.  It  was  not  required.  Whether  they  did  take  it  or  not  I  do  not  know. 
When  I  say  it  was  not  required,  I  mean  that  that  was  the  universal  understand 
ing  of  the  matter;  inasmuch  as,  by  the  proclamation  under  which  we  went  out, 
if  they  laid  down  their  arms,  they  were  to  be  protected  in  their  property. 

Question.  They  were  not  required  to  take  any  oath  of  allegiance  ? 

Answer.  Nothing  was  stated  about  the  oath  there.  It  was  the  common  un 
derstanding  that  no  oath  was  required. 

Question.  Do  you  know  anything  about  the  capture  of  arms  or  ammunition  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir ;  we  captured  both  anus  and  ammunition  in  considerable 
quantities,  but  a  very  inferior  quality  of  arms,  (flint-lock  muskets,  old  swords, 
and  the  like,)  the  better  quality  having  disappeared.  These  arms  were  univer 
sally  found  concealed.  There  may  have  been  some  exceptions  that  I  do  not 
know  of.  Most  all  were  concealed,  either  in  houses  or  buried  in  the  ground  or 
in  the  woods.  We  found  scarcely  any  arms  that  would  be  really  dangerous, 
except  some  cannon. 

Question.  The  cannon  you  took  possession  of  and  kept,  I  suppose  1 

Answer.  They  were  at  Drummondtown  when  I  last  saw  them. 

Question.  Do  you  know  anything  about  the  capture  of  ammunition  in  any 
considerable  quantities  1 

Answer.  No,  sir;  nor  of  arms  in  any  considerable  quantity.  We  brought  in 
a  small  number  of  arms  at  a  time,  which  were  found  concealed. 

Question.  Did  you  capture  any  considerable  amount  of  forage  or  provisions 
that  belonged  to  the  rebels  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir;  not  that  I  know  of. 

Question.  How  were  the  people  in  that  region  ]  Were  there  many  Union 
people  there? 

Answer.  No,  sir. 

^Question.  Mostly  secessionists  1 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  When  forage,  or  property  of  any  sort,  kind,  or  description,  was 
taken  from  these  rebels,  were  they  remunerated  for  it  ? 


TESTIMONY.  391 

Answer.  I  know  that  we  usually  took  fodder  to  sleep  on  rather  than  sleep 
on  the  ground ;  and  if  we  had  horses  to  feed,  and  there  was  no  feed  provided  by 
the  quartermaster,  we  usually  took  fodder.  It  was  cornstalks  and  corn  leaves. 
They  did  not  have  hay  in  that  country.  Sometimes  we  found  straw,  and  took 
a  sufficient  quantity  for  our  use.  That  was  strictly  forbidden ;  but  the  orders 
became  a  dead  letter. 

By  Mr.  Julian : 

Question.  Did  you  pay  for  it? 

Answer.  I  understood  that  they  were  well  paid  for  it  every  time. 

Question.  Do  you  know  anything  about  any  slaves  having  been  returned  from 
Baltimore  to  Pungoteague,  Virginia  1 

Answer.  I  saw  a  small  steamboat  arrive,  and  it  was  generally  understood  that 
there  were  four  or  five  runaway  slaves  on  the  boat,  who  had  gone  up  with  the 
5th  (Zouave)  New  York  regiment,  and  were  brought  back. 

Question.  Do  you  know  anything  about  a  speech  that  General  Lockwood 
made  on  that  expedition  to  the  people  at  Drummondtown  I 

Answer.  I  heard  a  portion  of  it. 

Question.  What  was  the  character  of  that  speech? 

Answer.  I  viewed  it  something  in  this  form:  "Will  your  negroes  be  taken 
away  from  you?  No.  If  any  slaves  come  inside  of  the  lines,  you  may  search 
for  them.  I  am  not  a  slave-catcher;  but  you  shall  have  every  opportunity  to 
get  your  negroes  back.  If  necessary,  I  will  have  the  men  brought  out  of  the 
tents,  the  tents  struck,  and  the  men  formed  in  a  hollow  square,  and  you  may 
then  go  through  and  search  for  your  slaves."  He  proceeded  further  in  review 
ing  General  Dix's  proclamation ;  said  that  every  word  of  General  Dix's  procla 
mation  should  be  carried  out ;  that  they  should  be  protected  in  their  property. 
He  advised  them  to  meet  on  a  certain  day  in  the  magisterial  districts,  and  vote 
to  annex  themselves  to  Maryland;  follow  Western  Virginia  as  an  example. 
Speaking  of  himself,  he  said  he  was  a  slaveholder,  and  that  they  should  be  pro 
tected  in  their  right  to  their  slaves. 

Question.  Can  you  tell  whether  any  arms  were  laid  by  down  by  bodies  of 
rebels? 

Answer.  I  know  of  none. 

Question.  They  dispersed  without  their  arms  ? 

Answer.  They  concealed  their  arms  systematically. 

Question.  Do  you  know  whether  any  returned  .to  their  allegiance,  or  took  the 
oath  of  allegiance  ? 

Answer.  I  do  not  know  of  anything  of  the  kind.  I  heard  that  a  few  did 
take  the  oath  of  allegiance. 

Question.  None,  of  your  own  personal  knowledge  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir ;  it  was  the  general  understanding  that  a  few  took  it. 

Question.  Do  you  know  whether  the  general  went  out  of  Northampton 
county  to  find  a  loyal  man  to  keep  the  post  office  in  Northampton  county  1 

Answer.  I  do  not  know.  I  heard  such  a  report,  but  I  do  not  know  any 
thing  on  that  point. 

Question.  Do  you  know  whether  the  rebels  dispersed  on  account  of  General 
Dix's  proclamation,  or  on  account  of  your  force  ? 

Answer.  On  account  of  our  force,  and  the  proclamation  assuring  them  pro 
tection  in  their  property. 

Question.  What  was  their  manner  towards  you  when  you  were  among  them  ? 
Did  they  act  like  loyal  citizens  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir ;  only  waiting  a  chance  to  rise  again. 

Question.  Then,  in  your  opinion,  the  pacification  was  not  a  very  important 
matter,  so  far  as  this  government  was  concerned? 

Answer.  Worth  nothing  except  while  one  or  two  small  garrisons  are  there. 


392  TESTIMONY. 

Tlie  people  arc  weak  and  cowardly ;  inferior  to  their  own  slaves,  the  majority 
of  them,  and  may  be  held  down  by  a  small  number  of  troops. 

Question.  Did  General  Lockwood  state  that  his  line  of  conduct  was  in  accord 
ance  with  instructions  had  from  headquarters  1 

Answer.  He  referred  to  some  instructions  for  his  conduct. 

Question.  Did  you  ever  see  those  instructions  ] 

Answer.  I  saw  a  lengthy  paper  in  his  hands,  but  did  not  read  it. 

By  Mr.  Gooch  : 

Question.  Did  you  hear  it  read  1 

Answer.  I  heard  a  few  lines  read,  that  was  all. 

By  Mr.  Chandler : 

Question.  You  took  no  prisoners  of  war  1 

Answer.  One  of  my  captains  took  a  rebel  ceptain,  (Captain  Fletcher,)  who 
was  a  prisoner  when  I  came  away.  There  were  two  or  three  other  rebel  officers 
that  my  men  captured,  who  were  handed  over  to  General  Lockwood.  Others 
were  let  go.  The  general  made  this  distinction :  that  those  who  had  been 
made  to  serve  by  compulsion  he  would  let  go,  but  the  volunteers — the  regulars, 
as  they,  were  called  by  the  secessionists — ought  to  be  arrested  if  the  officers 
could  oe  found. 

By  Mr.  Gooch  : 

Question.  Do  you  know  whether  this  Captain  Fletcher  was  subsequently 
released  ? 

Answer.  I  do  not  know  what  became  of  him.  There  were  two  or  three 
others  brought  in  by  this  same  captain  of  mine.  He  seemed  to  have  a  peculiar 
faculty  for  hunting  them  up. 

By  Mr.  Chandler  : 

Question.  On  the  whole,,  you  had  rather  a  peaceable  expedition  ] 

Answer.  We  did  not  see  any  blood  let,  or  a  blow  struck.  The  object  was  to 
bring  about  a  good  feeling  towards  our  government  by  an  exhibition  of  good 
will  towards  them. 

Question.  Did  you  see  any  exhibition  of  good  feeling  towards  our  govern 
ment  ? 

Answer.  Not  the  least  of  it, 

Question.  What  was  your  opinion  about  the  sympathies  of  General  Lock- 
wood — that  they  were  with  our  troops  or  with  the  rebels  ? 

Answer.  He  is  just  as  good  a  Union  man  as  a  man  who  has  been  brought  up 
a  slaveholder  can  possibly  be. 


WASHL\GTON,  February  12,  1862. 

Captain  JOHX  H.  KNIGHT  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  chairman : 

Question.  What  is  your  position  in  the  army  ? 

Answer.  I  am  assistant  adjutant  general  of  General  Lockwood's  brigade, 
with  the  rank  of  captain. 

Question.  You  accompanied  him  to  Accornac,  through  the  campaign  there? 

Answer.  I  did. 

Question.  Will  you  tell  us  what  you  think  material  to  be  stated  in  regard  to 
that  campaign  1 

Answer.  We  went  into  Accomac  county,  Virginia,  and  found  that  the  forces 


TESTIMONY  393 

which  Lad  been  in  arms  tliere  against  the  government  had  dispersed,  and  gone 
we  did  not  know  where;  to  their  homes  we  supposed.  We  proceeded  to  take 
military  occupation  of  the  two  counties,  and  General  Lockwood  administered 
the  affairs  down  there. 

Question.  Did  he  take  any  military  stores  1 

Answer.  He  took  all  the  military  stores  that  he  heard  of. 

Question.  What  amount  of  arms  did  he  get  down  there? 

Answer.  I  think  there  were  some  600  or  700  old  muskets. 

Question.  Did  he  take  any  cannon  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  he  took  some  eight  or  nine  pieces  of  artillery ;  took  several 
pieces  of  cannon  that  had  no  carriages — old  iron  pieces ;  found  some  of  them  buried. 

Question.  What  kind  of  muskets  did  he  take? 

Answer.  They  were  common  muskets.  Some  of  them  were  Springfield  mus 
kets  altered  to  flint-lock.  They  were  all  either  flint-locks,  or  altered  from 
flint-locks. 

Question.  What  did  he  do  with  the  arms  he  took  \ 

Answer.  He  has  them  in  store  yet,  under  guard ;  the  artillery  he  uses  down 
at  the  inlets.  He  has  guards  at  every  inlet  along  the  coast,  and  uses  these 
pieces  of  artillery  there ;  has  them  on  board  of  some  vessels  he  took,  wrhich  be 
longed  to  persons  some  of  whom  had  run  off. 

Question.  The  papers  have  accused  him  of  dealing  a  little  too  fairly  with  the 
secessionists  there ;  I  do  not  know  upon  what  authority. 

Answer.  I  do  not  think  there  is  any  foundation  at  all  for  that.  Now,  in 
regard  to  horses  and  negroes,  (and  I  suppose  when  that  is  explained  all  is  ex 
plained  :)  When  we  went  down  there  we  found  three  kinds  of  horses,  which 
had  been  used  in  the  rebel  service.  One  kind  was  those  which  had  been  bought 
by  the  rebel  government;  another  kind  was  those  which  had  been  used  by  the 
officers ;  and  the  third  kind  was  those  which  had  been  used  by  the  privates  who 
had  gone  into  the  ranks  and  taken  their  own  horsey  from  the  plough,  and  were  to  be 
paid  for  their  use.  He  wrote  to  General  Dix,  asking  him  what  he  should  do  in 
regard  to  these  horses.  Before  he  received  an  answer  he  seized  the  horses  be 
longing  to  the  rebel  government  and  those  owned  by  the  rebel  officers,  and  kept 
them;  those  belonging  to  privates  he  seized,  but  let  the  owners  have  them  upon 
giving  a  written  pledge  that  they  would  return  the  horses  when  called  for. 
Those  persons  came  to  him  and  claimed  that  they  had  submitted  to  the  govern 
ment,  had  laid  down  their  arms,  and  intended  to  be  obedient,  &c.,  and  wanted 
their  horses.  The  general  allowed  them  to  take  them  upon  giving  written 
pledges  for  all  the  horses,  which  pledges  he  now  has  on  file. 

By  Mr.  Odell : 

Question.  Let  them  have  their  horses  on  parole  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir ;  the  privates.  Those  belonging  to  the  rebel  government, 
and  the  horses  of  the  officers  he  has  now.  General  Dix  wrote  to  him,  approv 
ing  what  he  had  done. 

By  the  chairman : 

Question.  General  Dix  approved  upon  being  informed  that  he  had  allowed 
the  privates'  horses  to  be  taken  on  parole  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  The  officers'  horses  he  confiscated  ] 

Answer.  Yes,  sir ;  he  has  them  yet.  I  will  say  that  a  great  many  of  these 
men,  as  we  found  afterwards,  had  been  pressed  into  the  rebel  service ;  some  of 
them  who  are  known  to  have  been  loyal  all  the  time.  When  they  were  pressed 
into  the  rebel  service  they  refused  to  take  the  oath  of  allegiance  to  the  rebel 
government,  and  had  made  arrangements  to  desert  as  soon  as  we  had  advanced 
into  that  county. 


394  TESTIMONY. 

Question.  Did  General  Lockwood  require  them  to  take  the  oath  ? 

Answer.  I  do  not  think  he  did.  Some  of  them  he  made  take  the  oath, 
whore  he  had  evidence  of  their  disloyalty.  I  know  I  have  great  packages  of 
the  forms  of  the  oath  of  allegiance  in  my  office — thousands  of  them.  But  he 
did  not,  as  a  general  rule,  require  the  oath  of  allegiance  of  those  persons  who 
came  and  got  their  property.  It  did  not  occur  to  him,  I  suppose.  Now,  in 
regard  to  the  negroes :  When  he  learned  that  the  negroes  had  worked  on  the 
rebel  embankments  there,  he  wrote  to  General  Dix  to  know  what  he  should  do 
about  them.  General  Dix  wrote  back  to  him,  sending  him  a  copy  of  the  con 
fiscation  act  of  Congress,  passed  at  the  last  session.  General  Dix  told  him  he 
could  do  nothing  with  this  property ;  that  it  had  to  be  condemned  by  a  court ; 
but,  still,  that  General  Lockwood  had  done  right  in  holding  on  to  the  other 
property.  In  regard  to  the  negroes,  General  Dix  did  not  know  what  to  advise 
him ;  to  take  his  own  course.  Now,  General  Lockwood,  for  fear  that  he  would 
some  day  be  called  upon  to  produce  these  negroes,  had  inventories  made — one 
for  Accomac  and  one  for  Northampton  county — of  all  the  negroes  who  had 
worked  on  the  embankments,  so  that  he  should  know  where  to  put  his  hand  on 
them  if  called  upon  for  them.  It  is  impossible  for  the  negroes  to  get  away,  for 
he  has  guards  there,  so  that  they  cannot  be  run  off.  He  obtained  from  the  ne 
groes  a  knowledge  of  a  great  many  facts  connected  with  that  matter,  the  tools 
they  worked  with,  and  all  that.  A  great  many  of  these  negroes  were  used  by 
persons  who  had  hired  them  of  their  masters  and  mistresses.  We  took  from 
the  .slaves  themselves  their  own  statements.  A  knowledge  of  the  matter  got  cir 
culated  around  among  the  slaves,  and  they  would  come  in  and  inform  us  of  what 
they  had  done,  and  we  took  notes  of  it,  under  General  Lockwood's  order. 

Question.  Did  he  p,unish  any  of  them  because  of  their  leaving  their  masters 
and  coming  into  the  lines  2 

Answer.  I  never  heard  of  such  a  thing.  The  only  case  of  the  kind  I  know 
of  was  one  that  the  general  told  me  about  just  as  I  left  there.  It  had  occurred 
at  Pungoteague.  In  accordance  with  instructions  from  General  Dix,  General 
Lockwood  had  issued  an  order  strictly  forbidding  the  negroes  coming  within  the 
lines  of  his  -camp.  When  we  went  down  there  the  negroes  flocked  to  the  camp 
by  hundreds.  They  were  a  great  nuisance  there.  Their  masters  were  coming 
to  the  camps,  complaining  that  their  elaves  had  been  secreted  there.  The  colo 
nels  of  the  regiments  said  they  had  earned  out  their  orders.  But  there  was  one 
negro  man  who  had  troubled  him  both  at  Drumniondtown  and  at  Eastville — all 
the  way  down.  He  had  driven  him  away  three  or  four  times,  and  told  him  he 
could  not  do  anything  for  him.  When  he  got  to  Pungoteague  he  found  him 
there,  on  board  one  of  the  boats,  where  he  had  secreted  himself,  trying  to  get 
off.  The  general  told  Lieutenant  Lammot  to  take  the  boy  out  and  whip  him  in 
the  presence  of  the  negroes  there.  General  Lockwood  told  me,  just  before  I 
left,  about  it,  and  said  that  he  was  sorry  he  had  done  it,  for  he  expected  it 
would  be  misrepresented,  and  he  would  have  difficulty  about  it.  When  I  heard 
of  it  I  addressed  Lieutenant  Lammot  a  letter,  and  received  this  one  in  reply  : 

"HEADQUARTERS, 

"  Drummondtoum,  Va.,  February  6,  1862. 

"CAPTAIN  :  In  reply  to  your  letter  of  the  5th  instant,  in  reference  to  the  whip 
ping  of  a  fugitive  slave  by  order  of  General  Lockwood,  I  will  state  the  facts  as 
they  came  under  my  own  observation : 

"  General  Loekwood  had  frequently  forbidden  slaves  from  coining  within  the 
lines,  and,  I  believe,  this  one  in  particular  had  been  repeatedly  driven  off.  But 
on  the  arrrival  of  the  general  at  Pungoteague,  the  owner  of  this  slave  came  to 
him  and  complained  that  our  troops  had  secreted,  within  their  lines,  a  negro 
boy  .belonging  to  him,  and  upon  search  this  one  was  discovered.  Whereupon 
General  Lockwood  directed  him  to  be  whipped,  and  desired  me  to  see  it  done, 


TESTIMONY.  395 

not  only  as  a  punishment  to  the  negro  for  his  persistent  disobedience  of  orders, 
but  to  deter,  by  this  example,  other  negroes  from  doing  the  same  thing,  and  thus 
bring  upon  our  troops  the  undeserved  name  of  'negro  stealers.' 

"I  saw  the  boy  taken  out  and  twenty-one  lashes  administered  with  a  small 
apple  switch  over  his  waistcoat,  his  coat  having  been  removed  for  the  purpose. 
The  punishment  was  anything  but  severe,  and  such  as  might  be  taken  by  any 
school-boy  without  a  whimper.  But  it  had  the  desired  effect  of  relieving  Gen 
eral  Lockwood  from  the  annoyance  to  which  he  had  been  subjected  on  this 
account. 

"  This,  I  believe,  is  the  full  statement  of  the  facts  as  they  occurred  and  came 
to  my  own  knowledge. 

"  I  am,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

"  C.  E,  LAMMOT, 
"  1st  Lieutenant  and  Aide-de-  Camp. 
"Captain  JOHX  H.  KNIGHT, 

"  Assistant  Adjutant  General,  Peninsula  Brigade.1' 

This  is  the  only  instance,  and  I  never  heard  of  this  before  General  Lockwood 
told  me  about  it. 

Question.  This  was  done  at  General  Lockwood's  instance  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  General  Lockwood  issued  strict  orders  forbidding  the 
slaves  coming  into  camp.  He  issued  orders  for  the  capture  of  rebel  property. 
I  have  one  here  in  which  he  orders  the  taking  of  a  carriage  and  horses,  some 
ladies  having  waved  a  rebel  flag  from  the  carriage  and  hurrahed  for  Jeff.  Davis 
He  would  allow  no  one  to  hurrah  for  Jeff.  Davis  in  the  presence  of  his  troops. 
There  was  one  man,  a  very  respectable  person,  who  was  shot  by  one  of  the 
guards  in  the  hips  for  persisting  in  shouting  for  Jeff.  Davis.  He  stated  to  Gen 
eral  Dix  that  he  had  taken  inventories  of  the  property  of  .persons  who  had  gone 
off  to  the  other  side,  (many  of  them  are  not  in  arms  and  some  are,)  for  the  pur 
pose  of  being  able  to  obtain  it  in  case  a  general  confiscation  act  is,  passed.  He 
has  taken  inventories,  I  suppose,  of  more  than  $50,000  worth  of  property. 

By  Mr.  Odell : 

Question.  That  is,  in  view  of  a  confiscation  act  being  passed  by  Congress,  so 
that  he  can  put  his  hand  on  the  property  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  In  reference  to  the  whipping  of  this  negro,  he  did  it  in  a 
moment  of  passion,  when  he  was  annoyed  almost  to  death  by  these  negroes 
coming  into  his  lines,  when  he  had  positive  instructions  from  General  Dix  for 
bidding  their  being  allowed  to  come  within  our  lines.  I  never  heard  of  it  until 
the  morning  before  I  left,  except  from  the  papers,  and  I  had  treated  it  as  an  idle 
rumor.  I  did  so  because  there  is  no  more  loyal  man  living  than  General  Lockwood. 
Since  he  has  been  there  it  has  been  his  constant  effort  to  crush  out  all  disloyalty. 

By  the  chairman : 

Question.  What  is  the  condition  of  things  there  now  among  the  people  in 
regard  to  their  loyalty  ? 

Answer.  I  think  it  is  a  very  happy  condition.  At  the  election  which  took 
place  there  on  the  25th  of  January,  the  Union  triumph  was  so  complete  that  it 
shows  a  healthy  tone  of  sentiment  existing  there.  At  the  election  held  for  a 
rebel  congressman  some  time  before  we  went  down  there,  there  were  but  about 
600  votes  cast  in  the  two  counties;  while  at  the  election  on  the  25th  of  January 
there  were  over  1,200  votes  cast,  being  more  than  two-thirds  of  all  the  voters 
in  the  counties. 

Question.  Was  that  in  Wise's  old  district  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  Our  troops  are  now  quartered  on  Wise's  property  there. 
The  men  who  have  been  elected  there  now  are  men  who  have  been  Unkm  men 


396  TESTIMONY. 

all  through  the  troubles  there ;    who  had  been  persecuted,  threatened  at  the 
polls,  their  lives  threatened,  and  public  meetings  held  in  regard  to  them. 

Question.  You  observed  that  many  of  these  men  were  coerced  into  the  rebel 
service  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  How  was  that  done  when  a  majority  were  Union  men  1 
Answer.  The  majority  were  not  Union  men  formerly,  nor  one-third  of  them. 
In  Northampton  county  I  believe  the  vote  originally  was  every  man  for  seces 
sion  ;  not  a  vote  for  the  Union  cause.     In  Accomac  county  the  majority  voted 
against  secession. 

Question.  Is  there  anything  else  that  you  deem  material  to  be  stated  1 
Answer.  I  do  not  know  that  I  could  state  anything  else  in  this  connexion.  I 
simply  wanted  to  let  you  know  how  matters  have  been  conducted  down  there. 
'General  Dix  announced  to  me  that  his  plan  was  one  of  conciliation,  to  win  these 
people  back  to  their  allegiance;  and  General  Lock  wood  has  endeavored  to  con 
ciliate  them  in  every  manner  that  he  could  and  not  violate  the  laws,  and  so  far 
as  his  duty  to  the  government  would  permit  him  to  do  so  1 

By  Mr.  Odcll1: 

Question.  Do  you  think  the  people  there  would  remain  loyal  if  our  troops 
should  be  taken  away? 

Answer.  'General  Lockwood  has  written  to  General  Dtx  and  General  Mc- 
Clellan  that  he  has  more  troops  there  than  is  necessary,  and  that  he  can  be 
spared  for  a  more  active  field.  He  says  that  Colonel  Wallace,  with  two  regi 
ments  of  home  guards,  can  protect  the  telegraph  lines  there,  and  asks  that  he 
may  be  assigned  to  a  more  active  field.  I  think  that  General  Lockwood  is  a 
man  that  should  be  placed  in  a  more  active  field.  He  is  a  graduate  of  West 
Point,  and  has  been  in  the  military  all  his  life,  and  has  shown  considerable 
ability  in  his  writings  upon  the  subject.  About  the  telegraph  :  He  was  about 
issuing  an  order  when  I  left,  making  the  offence  subject  to  the  penalty  of  death 
for  cutting  the  wire — proceeding  upon  Halleck's  plan  with  bridge-burners  in 
the  west.  He  has  so  posted  the  troops  to  protect  the  line  so  that  there  will  be 
a  soldier  at  every  three  hundred  yards  ;  and  the  troops  for  that  purpose,  and  to 
guard  the  inlets,  are  all  that  are  needed  there  now. 


WASHINGTON,  February  13,  1862. 
Colonel  JAMES  W.  McMiLLAN  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  chairman : 

Question.  What  is  your  rank  and  position  in  the  army,  and  where  are  you 
stationed  ? 

Answer.  I  am  colonel  of  the  21st  Indiana  volunteers,  and  am  stationed  at 
Baltimore,  under  command  of  General  Dix. 

Question.  What  do  you  know  in  regard  to  the  campaign  into  Accomac 
county,  Virginia,  under  General  Lockwood  ? 

Answer.  I  know  that  in  the  forepart  of  November — about  the  13th — we  started. 
I  had  been  told  by  General  Dix  that  there  would  be  a  campaign  set  on  foot.  I 
was  the  ranking  officer,  and  had  orders  to  proceed  to  Newtown  and  report  to 
General  Lockwood. 

Question.  You  were  there  under  General  Lockwood? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir ;  I  reported  to  him  there  on  his  arrival. 

Question.  General  Lockwood  has  been  accused  of  some  unmilitary  conduct — 
something  in  regard  to  his  dealings  with  secessionists  and  appropriating  public 


TESTIMONY.  397 

property  lie  had  taken,  &c.     These  accusations  have  gone  forth.     I  want  yon 
to  state  what  you  know  about  his  administration  as  regards  those  matters. 

Answer.  I  know  of  nothing  he  has  done  in  conflict  with  the  rules  and  regu 
lations  governing  the  army  of  the  United  States ;  and  having  been  in  command 
of  the  advance  after  we  left  Newtown,  or  rather  Drummondtown,  I  took  pos 
session  of  a  great  deal  of  property. 

Question.  What  kind  of  property  ? 

Answeri  I  took  cannon,  muskets,  swords,  horses,  &c. — property  that  belonged 
-to  the  confederates.     The  horses  that  had  been  sold  to  the  confederate  govern 
ment  were  turned  over  to  the  quartermaster,  and  I  understood  were  held  as 
confiscated  to  the  government  of  the  United  States.     The  horses  that  had  been 
in  the  service  of  the  southern  confederacy,  that  had  been  owned  by  the  persons 
claiming  them,  or  having  them  in  possession  at  the  time,  and  who  were  to  have 
been  compensated  for  the  use  of  them,  were  not  confiscated,  but  were  returned 
"to  their  owners.     But  all  the  horses  we  could  find  that  had  been  sold  to  the 
southern  confederacy,  whether  paid  for  or  not,  were  held  as  confiscated  to  the 
United  States,  and  were  turned  over  to  the  quartermaster. 

Question.  What  was  done  with  the  cannon  and  the  muskets  you  took  ? 

Answer.  The  cannon  I  sent  to  Drummondtown  from  Pungoteague.  I  cap 
tured  seven  there  and  sent  them  up  to  Drummondtown.  The  muskets  were  of 
a  very  worthless  character,  but  they  were  put  in  the  jail  at  Drummondtown, 
and  the.  keys  delivered  to  the  quartermaster.  When  I  left  there  they  were  still 
in  the  jail,  in  the  possession  of  the  quartermaster  of  the  brigade. 

Question.  How  long  were  you  there  ? 

Answer.  I  was  there  until  the  4th  or  5th  of  December.  I  was  in  advance, 
and  went  down  as  far  as  I  could  go — down  to  Cape  Charles  light-house,  or  as 
near  to  it  as  we  could  get. 

Question.  Do  you  know  anything  in  the  administration  of  that  department 
inconsistent  with  an  officerlike  course  on  the  part  of  General  Lock  wood  1 

Answer.  Nothing,  except  his  making  a  speech.  I  do  not  think  that  is  ex 
actly  consistent  with  the  duty  of  an  officer.  The  making  a  speech  is  about  the 
only  thing  I  know  of  that  I  consider  inconsistent  with  the  duty  of  an  officer. 

Question.  What  portion  of  the  people  there  seem  to  be  loyal,  and  what  por 
tion  opposed  to  us? 

Answer.  When  I  came  away  it  was  with  the  impression  that  they  would  all 
become  loyal,  and  I  so  reported  to  General  Dix.  They  are  clannish  there. 
They  are  not  very  well  informed,  and  they  go  in  clans  upon  any  subject.  I 
found  there,  I  think,  a  very  strong  disposition,  upon  the  part  of  quite  a  number 
of  the  citizens,  to  become  loyal  to  the  government,  and  they  all  told  me  so.  If 
they  could  be  assured  and  satisfied  that  they  would  be  protected,  they  would 
submit  to  the  Constitution  and  laws  of  the  United  States.  They  believed  that 
that  portion  of  Virginia  would,  in  any  event,  be  attached  to  Maryland,  and 
wherever  Maryland  went  they  must  go.  The  probability  was,  they  argued,  that 
even  if  the  rebellion  was  successful,  the  Potomac  river  and  the  Chesapeake  bay 
would  be  the  dividing  line,  and  they  would  be  under  the  northern  government. 

Question.  Do  you  know  of  General  Lockwood  holding  any  improper  inter 
course  with  the  rebek,  or  with  persons  who  were  secessionists  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir ;  and  I  do  not  think,  from  his  conversation  with  me,  that  he 
would  have  done  any  such  thing.  I  believe  he  is  as  strictly  loyal  as  any  per 
son  can  be,  and  he  manifested  a  desire  to  be  a  little  more  harsh  with  those  peo 
ple  than  his  instructions  would  warrant. 

Question.  How  about  the  slaves  of  secessionists  coming  into  your  camps  1 
What  was  done  with  them? 

Answer.  We  were  ordered  to  prohibit  slaves  from  coming  about  our  camps. 
That  order  was  given  by  General  Lockwood,  and  I  understood  that  it  was  in 
accordance  with  his  instructions  from  General  Dix.  When  I  went  on  in  ad- 


398  TESTIMONY. 

vance,  lie  furnished  me  a  copy  of  General  Dix's  instructions  to  be  governed  by. 
I  did  not  have  any  particular  instructions  from  General  Lockwood.  The  orders 
were  to  prohibit  the  slaves  coming  about  our  camps. 

Question.  You  do  not  know  of  his  returning  any  of  them  to  secessionists  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir.  I  heard  a  report  that  he  had  one  whipped  a'nd  driven  out 
of  the  camp. 

Question.  What  do  you  know  about  that  1 

.  Answer.  Personally  I  do  not  know  anything  about  it.  I  was  in  the  advance, 
and  it  was  done  by  some  troops  in  rear  of  me. 

By  Mr.  Julian : 

Question.  What  kind  of  a  speech  was  that  that  General  Lockwood  made  ? 
Answer.  I  did  not  hear  the  speech ;  I  was  not  there.     I  only  spoke  in  dis 
approval  of  it,  because  I  think  speech-making  is  not  the  duty  of  an  officer. 

By  Mr.  Odell : 

Question.  In  speaking  of  the  unofficerlike  conduct  of  making  that  speech,  you 
merely  referred  to  the  fact  of  making  the  speech,  and  not  to  the  character  of 
the  speech? 

Answer.  That  was  all. 

By  the  chairman : 

Question.  Is  there  anything  more  you  desire  to  state  as  illustrating  or  throw 
ing  light  upon  that  campaign  ? 

Answer.  Nothing  more  than  I  think  the  campaign  was  as  successful  as  it 
was  possible  for  it  to  have  been  under  the  circumstances.  And  I  believe  any 
expression  or  charge  against  General  Lockwood's  loyalty  is  unjust.  I  may 
have  an  opinion  as  to  his  capacity  as  an  officer,  but  I  think  it  is  unjust  to  make 
any  charge  against  his  loyalty.  Being  intrusted  with  the  advance,  I  probably 
became  more  fully  acquainted  with  his  opinions  than  any  other  officer  in  his 
command. 


WASHINGTON,  February  13,  1862. 
Captain  HOBART  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  chairman: 

Question.  What  is  your  rank  and  position  in  the  army  ? 

Answer.  I  am  captain  of  company  K,  of  the  4th  regiment  of  Wisconsin 
volunteers. 

Question.  Were  you  under  General  Lockwood  in  the  Accomac  expedition  ? 

Answer.  I  was.  I  went  down  there,  and  proceeded  to  Princess  Anne  and 
Snow  Hill,  and  to  Newtown,  where  General  Lockwood  joined  us.  I  was  there 
and  around  about  him  during  the  entire  campaign,  until  I  returned  to  Balti 
more.  I  was  present  at  the  time  he  delivered  his  speech  that  has  been  referred 
to.  It  was  delivered  on  the  court-house  steps  at  Druminondtown. 

Question.  What  was  the  occasion  of  his  making  that  speech  ? 

Answer.  It  was  in  consequence  of  the  desire  of  the  people  of  Accomac 
county  to  know  what  they  should  do  in  the  interim,  having  no  local  govern 
ment  of  their  own.  It  was  made  on  the  day  the  county  court  was  to  have  sat. 
General  Lockwood  had  forbidden  any  court  to  be  held,  as  its  organization  was 
responsive  to  the  confederate  government.  There  was  a  very  large  turnout  by 
the  people  of  the  county  there,  and  they  desired  to  hear  from  General  Lock- 
wood  what  was  to  be  their  destiny — what  was  to  be  their  government  during 


TESTIMONY.  399 

tliis  interim.  I  was  near  him  and  heard  his  speech,  which  was  very  short,  and 
m  substance  very  similar  to  a  speech  made  by  the  colonel  of  my  regiment  at 
Snow  Hill,  in  response  to  the  desire  of  the  people  there  to  be  informed  upon 
the  same  subject. 

Question.  That  speech  of  General  Lockwood  has  been  violently  criticised. 
Can  you  give  us  an  idea  of  it  1 

Answer.  The  speech  was  very  short ;  the  whole  of  it  was  merely  an  elabora 
tion  of  General  Dix's  proclamation  that  he  held  in  hand  and  commented  upon. 
,  I  judged  from  his  manner  that  he  was  not  much  given  to  speech-making.  He 
took  up  the  several  points  in  General  Dix's  proclamation,  and  elaborated  upon 
them  very  briefly.  He  stated  to  the  people  that,  in  the  absence  of  any  govern 
ment  in  Accomac,  he  felt  it  his  duty  to  protect  them  in  their  persons  and  in 
their  rights  until  they  could  take  the  initiative  and  form  some  government  for 
their  own  protection.  There  was  a  sensitive  fueling  among  the  planters  there 
>as  to  what  should  become  of  their  slaves  in  the  absence  of  all  law  officers.  He 
told  them  that,  until  they  could  form  a  government  under  and  responsive  to  the 
government  and  Constitution  of  the  United  States,  he  felt  bound,  with  his  mili 
tary  power,  to  protect  them  in  their  persons  and  property.  He  recommended 
an  immediate  movement  on  their  part — I  think  the  next  Saturday,  for  notice 
could  not  be  given  to  the  people  before — to  take  steps  at  once  to  reform  their 
government,  to  take  the  oath  of  allegiance,  and  proceed  to  construct  a  local  gov 
ernment.  Until  that  tune,  he  said  he  should  feel  it  to  be  his  duty  to  protect 
them  in  their  persons  and  property.  He  made  use  of  one  or  two  expressions 
which  probably  have  given  rise  to  much  that  has  been  said.  I  heard  those  ex 
pressions.  There  were  very  few  soldiers  present,  but  a  large  number  of  the 
citizens  of  the  county.  He  assured  them  that  he  did  not  come  among  them  as 
an  enemy  to  their  institutions  ;  he  came  there  to  represent  the  Constitution  and 
government  of  the  United  States.  Said  he,  "  It  must  be  obeyed,  and  it  shall 
be  obeyed.  I  will  march  those  troops  I  have  here  from  one  end  to  the  other  of  the 
peninsula,  and  I  shall  command  obedience,  and  you  must  yield.  But  I  do  not 
come  here  as  an  enemy  to  your  institutions ;  I  have  no  cause  to  be  an  enemy  to 
them.  I  am  myself  a  slaveholder,  and  my  father  before  me  held  slaves."  That 
was  about  the  substance  of  his  speech.  But  from  that  there  was  a  feeling  ex 
cited  in  the  camp  that  they  were  under  a  slaveholder,  and  they  did  not  want  to 
be  under  a  slaveholder,  &c.  That  was  really  the  only  point  in  the  speech  to 
which  there  was  any  exception  taken.  It  was  very  brief;  not  more  than  twice 
as  long  as  what  I  have  said  here  about  it. 

Question.  What  was  his  treatment  of  the  soldiers  ? 

Answer.  Well,  sir,  I  know  considerable  about  that.  When  he  arrived  at 
Newtown,  and  took  charge  of  the  army,  he  enforced  strict  military  discipline. 
Our  officers  had  gone  off  to  hotels,  some  to  boarding-houses.  He  ordered  them 
all  to  camp,  to  remain  with  Aeir  soldiers.  He  issued  an  order  prohibiting  the 
sale  of  liquor  to  officers  or  soldiers.  He  went  around  and  saw  that  his  orders 
were  enforced.  He  was  very  strict  and  somewhat  severe  in  carrying  out  these 
orders ;  and  in  passing  over  the  peninsula  he  took  great  pains  to  prevent  the 
soldiers  from  preying  upon  the  farmers,  seizing  their  chickens,  &c.  He  was  so 
severe  that  it  created  some  dissatisfaction.  But  I  do  not  hesitate  to  state,  under 
oath,  before  this  committee,  that  the  severity  of  his  discipline  was  one  of  the 
chief  causes  of  our  gaining  the  affection  of  the  people  of  that  country.  They 
had  expected,  as  I  know  from  intercourse  with  them,  that  we  were  come  down 
there  to  lay  their  country  desolate,  and  to  rob  them  of  all  they  possessed.  That 
.was  what  they  had  been  told.  And  I  think  the  course  of  the  general  had  much 
to  do  with  winning  back  the  feelings  of  this  people.  As  to  their  loyalty,  I  had 
occasion  to  see  many  of  the  people  of  Northampton  and  Accomac,  and  I  am 
satisfied  that,  setting  aside  a  few  of  the  leading  men,  the  middle  classes  of  the 
people  there  are  now  loyal,  and  desire  to  remain  so. 


400  TESTIMONY. 

By  Mr.  Odcll : 

Question.  Did  your  officers  and  men  come  to  appreciate  the  rigor  of  General 
Lockwood,  with  reference  to  forbidding  the  sale  of  liquor  and  prohibiting  ab 
sence  from  camp,  as  being  what  was  proper  and  right  ? 

Answer.  I  think  they  did.  I  think  they  became  satisfied  that  was  the  way 
to  keep  the  regiments  under  good  discipline ;  that  the  officers  should  be  with 
them  constantly,  sharing  with  the  men  all  their  privations  and  perils.  There  is 
one  point  that  has  been  mooted  in  this  matter  in  reference  to  the  taking  of 
horses.  I  know  all  about  that  matter.  I  saw  it  all,  and  was  in  among  it  all, 
and  although  I  took  no  horses  whatever,  I  will  give  my  impression  about  it.  In 
going  through  the  peninsula  a  disposition  sprang  up  among  some  of  our  officers 
to  possess  themselves  of  fine  horses.  I  think,  in  many  instances,  it  proceeded 
from  a  desire  simply  to  get  hold  of  contraband  property — of  property  that  be 
longed  to  the  confederates.  I  have  good  reason  to  believe  that  negroes 


were 


employed  and  sent  out  over  the  country  to  find  out  where  there  were  fine  horses 
that  had  been  impressed  into  the  confederate  service.  And  when  such  horses 
were  discovered  they  were  taken  and  brought  into  our  camps.  In  nearly  every 
instance  they  were  brought  in  by  the  staff  officers  of  the  regiments  ;  and  at  one 
time  it  created  quite  a  feeling'  on  the  part  of  captains  as  to  whether  they  had 
not  the  same  right  to  forage  the  country  to  find  blooded  horses  as  the  staff 
officers  of  their  regiments.  General  Lockwood  adopted  the  rule  which  has  been 
referred  to  by  Colonel  McMillan  in  his  testimony  here.  In  all  instances  where 
he  found  that  these  horses  had  not  been  actually  transferred  to  the  confederate 
government,  he  permitted  them  to  be  taken  by  their  owners;  and  I  know  that 
the  order  of  General  Lockwood,  as  carried  out  in  these  two  counties,  making 
that  distinction  clearly,  and  returning  to  the  owners  who  were  loyal,  who  had 
not  contributed  to  the  confederate  army,  these  horses,  had  a  very  salutary  effect 
upon  the  people  there. 

Question.  As  far  as  you  know,  did  he  return  any  horses  to  disloyal  citizens  1 

Answer.  Not  that  I  know  of.  I  will  say  one  thing  in  relation  to  those  horses. 
The  horses  of  A'ccomac  and  Northampton  counties,  when  Smith,  the  rebel  com 
mander,  organized  his  force  there,  were  all  pressed  into  his  service. 

Colonel  McMillan,  (previously  examined:)  As  I  myself  took  all  the  horses 
that  were  taken  by  authority,  I  will  state  that  I  took  possession  of  all  that  I 
could  find  that  had  been  in  the  confederate  service,  except  those  that  had  been 
pressed  into  service.  There  were  two  classes  of  horses  in  the  confederate  ser 
vice  besides  those  that  had  been  pressed  into  the  service  :  One  class  was  those 
that  had  been  bought  by  the  confederate  authorities.  The  other  class  was  those 
that  had  been  taken  by  their  owners  when  they  went,  and  for  the  services  of 
which  they  were  to  be  paid.  General  Lockwood  allowed  the  owners  of  the 
second  class  to  take  their  horses.  But  those  that  had  been  sold  to  the  confede 
rate  government,  whether  paid  for  or  not,  were  not  returned.  Many  of  them 
had  been  sold,  not  paid  for,  and  then  returned  by  the  confederates  to  their  own 
ers  to  reimburse  them  to  that  extent.  But  in  every  case  of  that  kind  fliey  were 
taken  and  turned  over  to  the  quartermaster,  and  held  as  confiscated  to  the  gov 
ernment.  And  I  think  that  General  Lockwood,  under  his  instructions,  could 
not  have  done  otherwise  than  he  did  in  regard  to  that  class  of  property. 

The  chairman :  Do  you  know  whether  any  horses  were  returned  to  disloyal 
men? 

Colonel  McMillan :  That  is  a  question  of  considerable  nicety.  I  think  they 
were  all  disloyal  when  we  arrived  there ;  but  they  laid  down  their  amis  in  obe 
dience  to  the  proclamation,  with  a  determination  to  be  loyal.  When  I  say  all 
were  disloyal,  of  course  there  were  d,  few  exceptions.  But  the  most  of  them 
were  disloyal;  that  is,  they  had  become  identified  with  the  southern  confede 
racy  ;  they  supposed  it  was  a  reality,  and  was  likely  to  succeed.  General  Lock- 


TESTIMONY  401 

% 

wood  delivered  horses  to  them,  to  some  even  who  had  been  in  the  militia  of 
the  confederacy,  not  in  the  regular  army.  But  those  persons  had  expressed 
their  determination  to  be  loyal  to  the  government  of  the  United  States. 

Mr.  Odell :  Have  they  kept  faith  ? 

Colonel  McMillan  :  Yes,  sir. 

Mr.  Odell:  And  are  now  loyal? 

Colonel  McMillan:  That  is  my  opinion.  They  have  since  voted  almost 
unanimously  for  officers  holding  authority  under  the  government  of  the  United 
States. 

Mr.  Julian :  -Do  you  think  they  would  continue  loyal  if  our  army  should  be 
taken  away  ? 

Colonel  McMillan :  Yes,  sir ;  I  think  if  the  southern  confederacy  should  be 
a  success,  there  would  be  little  disposition  to  go  with  it,  if  it  was  practicable. 
If  it  should  be  a  failure,  there  would  never  be  any  uneasiness  or  dissatisfaction 
•among  them.  That  is  the  conviction  I  had  when  I  came  away  from  there. 
When  I  left  I  think  they  were  convinced  that  under  no  circumstances  could 
they  be  a  portion  of  the  southern  confederacy ;  that  they  were  geographically 
a  portion  of  Maryland,  and  Maryland  would  be  held  at  all  events. 

The  witness,  (Captain  Hobart:)  I  will  simply  make  one  remark.  I  have  the 
same  opinion  the  colonel  has  expressed  in  reference  to  a  large  portion-  of  North 
ampton  county,  where  all,  or  nearly  all,  the  horses  were  taken.  I  think  that  in 
their  feelings  and  prejudices  they  are  with  the  main  State  across  the  bay.  But 
still  I  think  they  did  not  wait  until  we  arrived  with  our  forces  before  they  aban 
doned  that  idea,  The  means  of  communication  had  been  cut  off  for  a  long  time, 
and  they  knew  hardly  anything  until  we  arrived  there  as  to  what  was  going  on. 
They  all  yielded,  laid  down  their  arms,  and  professed  to  be  willing  to  be  obe 
dient  to  the  government  of  the  United  States. 

Mr.  Odell :  Did  not  these  horses  that  were  returned  belong  to  farmers  who 
had  left  their  farms  when  they  were  pressed  into  the  rebel  service,  as  a  general 
thing  ? 

Witness :  Yes,  sir. 

Mr.  Odell,  (to  Colonel  McMillan:)  Do  you  not  know  that  those  horses  were 
delivered  on  parole,  on  written  pledge  or  receipt  that  they  should  be  returned 
when  called  for. 

Colonel  McMillan :  Certainly.  At  the  time  they  were  delivered  up  by  Gen 
eral  Lockwood  it  was  with  the  understanding  that  if  the  government  should 
claim  them  as  confiscated  they  should  be  returned. 

Mr.  Odell :  And  the  horses  are  now  under  parole  in  that  way  ? 

Colonel  McMillan  :  Unless  the  thing  has  been  decided,  they  are. 

Mr.  Odell :  So  far  as  General  Lockwood  is  concerned,  the  horses  are  under 
parole,  are  they  not? 

Colonel  McMillan:   So  I  understand. 


^  WASHINGTON  February  13,  1862. 

Major  F.  A.  BOARDIV^AN  sworn  and  examined. 
By  Mr.  Odell: 

Question.  What  is  your  rank  and  position  in  the  army  ? 
Answer.  I  am  major  of  the  4th  Wisconsin  regiment. 

Question.  Were  you  under  General  Lockwood  on  his  Accomack  expedition  ? 
Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Do  you  know  anything  about  the  delivery  of  horses  back  to  parties 
claiming  to  own  them? 

Part  iii 26 


402  TESTIMONY. 

Answer.   Ye&,  sir. 

Question.  State  what  you  know  about  that. 

Answer.  The  horses  were  at  General  Lockwood's  headquarters.  The  owners 
came  after  them,  and  the  general  allowed  them  to  take  them  conditionally — that 
is,  subject  to  the  order  of  the  government  in  case  they  were  confiscated;  then 
they  were  to  be  restored  to  him. 

Question.  On  his  demand? 

Answer. -Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Were  all  the  horses,  so  far  as  you  know,  delivered  up  in  this  way  { 

Answer.  I  believe  so,  with  the  exception  of  those  belonging  to  men  who  have 
escaped  and  crossed  over  into  Virginia. 

Question.  And  those  he  confiscated  I 

Answer.  Those  were  confiscated,  I  understood. 

Question.  As  a  general  thing,  did  the  horses  thus  delivered  belong  to  farmers  ? 

Answer.  They  were  generally  hired — that  is,  they  took  them  whether  the 
owners  were  willing  or  not,  and  agreed  to  pay  for  their  services  so  much  a  week. 
I  concur  with  what  Captain  Hobart  has  testified  to  in  every  respect,  As  to  the 
flogging  the  negro,  General  Lockwood  told  me  about  that.  There  was  but  one 
negro  flogged.  The  general  told  me  the  negro  had  been  hanging  about  the 
camp  for  some  time;  our  regiment  was  about  embarking  for  Baltimore,  and  the 
negro  would  not  be  driven  away.  Therefore  the  general  had  one  of  the  Delaware 
or  Maryland  soldiers  take  him  out  and  give  him  a  brushing,  some  fifteen  or 
twenty  blow^s  with  a  switch — nothing  to  hurt  him  at  all.  He  said  he  did  it  for 
the  purpose  of  having  the  negro  go  among  the  others  and  tell  them  he  had  been 
flogged,  and  that  would  prevent  them  coining  around  our  camps,  and  among  us. 
We  had  strict  orders  to  prevent  them  coming  about  the  camp.  General  Lock- 
wood  desired  me  to  make  this  explanation  in  case  I  heard  anybody  refer  to  the 
matter.  He  said  he  had  heard  that  it  had  been  reported  about  the  camp,  and 
had  created  some  feeling  against  him  among  the  officers  and  men.  He  said  it 
was  entirely  from  a  misunderstanding  of  the  case. 

By  Mr.  Julian : 

Question.  Was  the  owner  a  loyal  man  1 

Answer.  I  do  not  know  anything  about  the  owner  of  the  slave.  I  know  there 
was  a  man  came  to  the  camp  who  had  lost  a  negro.  He  was  a  loyal  man  by  the 
name  of  Dr.  Irby.  He  finally  found  his  negro  before  we  left. 

Question.  Did  he  get  him  by  the  help  of  the  army  ? 

Answer.  I  think  not.  I  think  that  he  was  found  by  some  men  he  had  out 
after  him. 

Colonel  McMillan,  (previously  examined :)  There  is  one  other  thing  I  may 
state  in  regard  to  catching  negroes.  I  refused  to  have  anything  to  do  with  it  in 
any  way,  shape,  or  form.  The  owners  requested  me  to  arrest  them  and  put 
them  in  jail.  I  told  them  they  had  taken  their  negroes  to  build  fortifications, 
and  had  then  got  scared  and  run  off  home  faster  than  the  negroes  could ;  they 
had  taken  part  against  the  United  States,  and  I  would  not  condescend  to  arrest 
their  negroes  under  any  circumstances.  I  spoke  rather  sharp  to  them  some 
times.  On  one  or  two  occasions  I  was  told  they  reported  the  matter  to  General 
Lockwood ;  but  he  never  referred  to  it  at  all  in  any  conversation  with  me.  I 
refused  to  send  an  escort  with  men  who  came  to  my  camp  while  I  was  at  Pun- 
goteague  to  search  it.  I  refused  either  to  go  myself  or  send  an  officer  to  hunt 
for  negroes  in  the  camp.  I  told  them  they  could  go  and  look,  and  the  men 
would  not  disturb  them.  But  they  refused  to  go  to  the  camp  and  reported  the 
matter  to  General  Lockwood,  who.  however,  paid  no  attention  to  it. 


TESTIMONY.  403 

By  Mr.  Odcll  : 

Question.  (To  Major  Boardman.)  Have  you  anything  else  to  state  about  the 
matter  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir ;  there  is  nothing  I  think  of. 

Question.  What  is  your  opinion  of  the  loyalty  of  the  people  there,  and  the 
influence  of  our  army  among  them  ? 

Answer.  I  think  it  was  very  beneficial.  I  think  the  expedition  was  entirely 
successful  in  every  way. 

Question.  Is  that  indicated  by  the  result  of  the  election  last  month  ? 

Answer.  I  think  so. 
By  Mr.  Julian : 

Question.  How  long  were  you  in  making  your  march  during  that  expedition  '{ 

Answer.  The  4th  Wisconsin  left  Baltimore  the  first  Monday  of  November, 
and  returned  to  Baltimore  the  first  Sunday  in  December. 

Question.  I  mean  how  long  was  it  from  the  time  you  landed  down  there  until 
you  finished  your  expedition  ? 

Answer.  About  a  month. 

Question.  What  was  the  distance  you  marched  ? 

Answer.  I  cannot  tell. 

Colonel  McMillan  :  It  was  about  seventy  miles  from  Newtown  to  Eastville  ; 
and  I  went  some  eighteen  or  twenty  miles  further. 

By  Mr.  Julian  : 

Question.  (To  Major  Boardman.)  Why  were  you  so  long  in  making  that 
march,  being  after  the  rebels  ? 

Answer.  The  first  portion  of  the  expedition  sent  down  was  not  sufficient  for 
the  purpose.  The  rebels  would  have  fought  us  with  that  small  force  ;  and 
General  Dix  sent  force  enough  to  make  them  lay  down  their  axms"  without  hav 
ing  any  fight,  and  to  accomplish  his  ends  peaceably.  It  was  the  other  portions 
of  the  regiments  coming  down  that  detained  us  longer  than  we  would  have  been 
detained  otherwise. 

Question.  You  waited  for  them  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  It  has  been  reported  that  General  Lockwood  paid  exorbitant 
prices  for  everything  he  got  from  the  rebels. 

Answer.  Not  to  my  knowledge ;  I  do  not  know  anything  about  that. 

Colonel  McMillan :  All  that  I  got  was  about  130  bushels  of  sweet  potatoes, 
for  part  of  which  I  paid  thirty  cents  a  bushel,  and  for  the  rest  twenty-five  cents 
a  bushel ;  and  we  got  some  beef  at  six  cents  a  pound. 


BATTLE  OF  WINCHESTER. 


WASHINGTON,  May  22,  1862. 
Colonel  JOHN  S.  MASON  sworn  and  examined. 

By  Mr.  Gooch: 

Question.  What  is  your  rank  and  position  in  the  army  ? 
Answer.  I  am  a  captain  in  the  regular  army,  and  colonel  of  the  4th  regi 
ment  of  Ohio  volunteers. 

Question.  Were  you  at  the  battle  of  Winchester,  in  March  last  ? 


404  TESTIMONY. 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Will  you  give  us  a  concise  account  of  that  battle  ? 
Answer.  To  do  so,  it  may  be  well  for  me  to  state  some  matters  that  pre 
ceded  the  battle  itself. 

Question.  Please  do  so,  in  your  own  way. 

Answer.  On  the  morning  of  the  Monday  preceding  the  battle,  March  17, 
I  was  directed  by  General  Shields  to  make  a  reconnoissance  in  the  direction 
of  Strasburg.  He  placed  at  my  disposal  a  squadron  of  cavalry  and  two 
companies  of  my  own  regiment,  the  4th  Ohio,  with  instructions  to  examine 
the  by-roads,  and  to  ascertain  what  force  the  enemy  had  in  front  of  us,  and 
look  at  the  enemy  in  front.  I  went  out  the  main  road,  examining  those  to 
the  right  and  left.  When  we  arrived  at  the  town  of  Newtown,  a  distance 
probably  of  six  or  seven  miles,  we  encountered  the  pickets  of  the  enemy 
and  drove  them  through  the  town.  That  was  about  2  o'clock  in  the  after 
noon.  I  then  turned  off  to  the  left,  on  to  the  Front  Royal  road,  and  exam 
ined  that  from  there  back  to  Winchester.  I  reported  to  General  Shields  the 
result  of  the  reconnoissance. 

General  Williams  was  present  at  the  time  I  made  my  report,  and  sug 
gested  that  it  would  be  well  to  make  a  reconnoissance  in  the  direction  of 
Strasburg,  and  see  what  there  was  then  in  our  front,  before  General  Banks's 
column  should  leave  us.  He  said  that  he  could  support  me  with  about  6,000 
men.  Arrangements  were  immediately  made  to  carry  that  suggestion  into 
effect.  I  was  ordered  to  be  in  readiness  to  march  the  next  morning  at  4 
o'clock,  on  the  Front  Royal  road.  My  instructions  were  to  proceed  down 
the  Front  Royal  road,  taking  some  cavalry  with  me,  and  leaving  some  men 
on  the  way  to  communicate  with  General  Shields's  column,  and  to  try  to  get 
in  the  rear  of  the  enemy,  whilst  General  Shields,  with  the  main  division, 
moved  down  the  regular  Strasburg  route.  He  furnished  me  with  a  squadron 
of  cavalry,  two  sections  of  artillery,  two  regiments  of  infantry,  and  my  own 
two  companies  of  infantry  I  had  had  the  day  before.  We  moved  down  until 
we  carne  to  the  last  road  turning  to  the  right  before  reaching  Front  Royal. 
I  turned  to  the  right,  and  in  going  into  the  town  of  Middletown — about  13 
miles  from  Winchester,  on  the  main  road,  though  I  had  come  by  a  somewhat 
circuitous  route — we  encountered  the  enemy's  pickets,  and  drove  them  be 
fore  us  until  they  arrived  at  Cedar  Creek  bridge,  which  they  had  covered 
with  combustibles,  ready  for  burning.  They  burned  the  bridge  before  we 
could  approach  them.  They  then  opened  upon  us  with  a  battery  of  artillery 
from  the  opposite  bank  of  the  creek,  to  which  we  replied  for  some  little  time. 
There  was  very  little  effect  on  either  side,  the  distance  was  so  great, 

As  one  of  my  regiments  had  by  that  time  marched  some  27  or  28  miles, 
and  was  a  great  deal  fatigued,  and  as  it  was  near  sunset,  within  a  few 
minutes  of  it,  I  concluded  to  wait  until  morning,  and  then  cross  the  creek 
under  cover  of  our  batteries.  Shortly  afterwards,  probably  within  three- 
quarters  of  an  hour,  General  Shields  arrived  with  his  whole  division.  After 
examining  the  ground,  he  concluded  to  wait  until  morning  before  going 
forward. 

The  next  morning  we  moved  forward  without  opposition,  the  small  force 
in  our  front  having  left,  until  we  arrived  at  Strasburg.  At  Strasburg  the 
enemy  opened  upon,  us  from  a  battery  which  they  had  planted  upon  a  hill  in 
front  of  us.  General  Shields  sent  for  Colonel  Kimball,  Colonel  Tyler, 
Colonel  Sullivan,  and  rdyself  to  come  forward.  He  stated  that  he  was  under 
•  the  impression  that  Jackson's  whole  force  was  in  front  of  UK,  and  he  should 
make  his  dispositions  for  battle  immediately.  He  placed  his  batteries  on  a 
hill  on  our  right,  supported  by  the  three  brigades  of  infantry  in  the  rear, 
leaving  me  on  the  extreme  left,  and  near  the  turnpike,  with  his  cavalry 
force,  (I  suppose  the  cavalry  numbered  from  300  to  350,)  and  the  same  in- 


TESTIMONY.  405 

fantry  force  I  had  the  day  before — two  regiments    and  my  own  two  com 
panies. 

I  was  ordered,  as  soon  ns  our  artillery  opened,  to  move  forward  on  the 
main  road  with  the  cavalry,  supported  by  a  regiment  of  infantry.  We 
moved  forward  about  a  mile  and  a  quarter,  when,  upon  arriving  on  the  crest 
of  a  hill,  we  were  fired  upon  by  our  own  batteries.  Fortunately,  the  fire, 
though  well  directed,  caused  only  the  .loss  of  a  few  horses.  The  force  of  the 
enemy  in  my  front  was  principally  cavalry.  They  had,  I  thought  at  that 
time,  two  guns;  they  may  have  had  three.  As  we  approached  them  on  one 
hill  they  would  fall  back  to  the  next  and  open  fire  on  iis  again.  General 
Shields  came  up  in  person,  bringing  up  his  division,  and  pursued  the  enemy 
a  distance  of  perhaps  five  miles,  throwing  out  a  regiment  of  infantry  as 
skirmishers  in  front,  followed  by  a  section  of  artillery.  He  continued  the 
pursuit  until  about  5  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  of  Wednesday.  He  then  re 
turned  to  Strasburg  with  his  whole  force,  leaving  a  strong  picket  on  the 
hills  towards  the  enemy. 

On  Thursday  morning  General  Shields  ordered  the  whole  command  to 
return  to  Winchester,  giving  me,  with  the  same  force  I  had  taken  out,  the 
rear  guard.  We  arrived  in  Winchester  about  dark  on  Thursday  evening 
without  seeing  any  of  the  enemy.  It  was  reported  to  me  that  there  were  a 
few  of  the" enemy's  cavalry  on  the  route,  but  I  did  not  see  them;  they  did 
not  annoy  us  at  all;  there  was  not  a  gun  fired. 

The  general  had  had  his  headquarters  in  the  town  of  Winchester;  but 
when  he  returned  from  Strasburg  he  moved  back  about  two  miles  beyond 
the  town,  a  little  to  the  left  of  the  Martinsburg  road.  His  whole  command 
was  encamped  in  that  vicinity — from  there  to  about  four  miles  out.  His 
nearest  camp  was  probably  about  two  miles  from  town,  except  the  two 
companies  I  had  had  near  his  headquarters  when  in  town. 
•  All  was  quiet  on  Friday.  In  conversation  with  General  Shields  and 
others  on  Friday  we  all  came  to  the  conclusion  that  our  reconnoissance 
had  been  successful;  that  there  was  no  enemy  on  that  front;  that  Jackson 
was  off  a  long  distance,  and  that  all  we  would  have  to  do,  until  we  had  got 
things  in  readiness  for  an  advance,  would  be  to  picket  well  in  front. 

On  Saturday  there  was  considerable  firing  during  the  early  part  of  the  day ; 
but  for  a  good  while  I  do  not  think  anybody  but  those  engaged  really  knew 
what  it  was.  Some  thought  it  was  some  of  General  Williams's  men  who  were 
discharging  their  guns,  firing  at  targets,  or  something  of  the  kind.  About 
four  o'clock  in  the  evening,  however,  General  Shields  passed  through  the 
town  with  his  whole  division,  and  I  joined  him  as  he  passed  through  town. 
He  moved  out  to  the  front.  When  he  got  out  about  a  mile  and  a  half  the 
enemy  opened  upon  us  with  artillery.  I  was  not  close  up  at  the  time,  and 
therefore  cannot  give  an  accurate  account  of  what  transpired.  When, I 
arrived  on  the  ground  General  Shields  had  just  been  wounded,  and  was  be 
ing  taken  into  a  house  on  the  side  road.  Dr.  McAbee,  who  was  with  me, 
dismounted,  and  went  into  the  house  with  him. 

I  asked  who  was  in  command,  arid  found  that  for  the  time  being  I  was  the 
senior  officer  present.  One  of  our  batteries  had  gone  into  position  on  a  side 
hill,  and  was  firing.  I  ordered  it  to  cease  firing,  as  any  further  firing  was 
useless.  Before  I  had  made  any  further  dispositions,  the  general's  aids  came 
forward,  and  gave  some  orders  in  reference  to  the  batteries  ceasing  firing 
and  the  encamping  the  first  brigade  on  the  ground  for  the  night,  throwing 
out  a  strong  picket  to  the  front.  That  was  Colonel  KirnbalPs  brigade.  The 
brigades  of  Colonels  Sullivan,  Tyler,  and  my  own,  with  the  two  companies 
of  my  regiment,  were  ordered.  I  do  not  think  Colonel  Tyler  had  got  up 
through  town  at  all.  He  had  been  ordered  out,  but  had  not  got  forward. 
Colonel  Sullivan's  brigade,  I  think,  had  just  got  through  town.  Colonel  Tyler 


406  TESTIMONY 


went  back  to  his  old  camp,  \nd  Colonel  Sullivan's  force  encamped  on  the 
outskirts  of  the  town.     General  Shields  was  carried  into  town  in  a  carriage. 

On  Sunday  morning,  just  about  eight  o'clock,  after  breakfast,  I  called  on 
General  Shields,  and  he  directed  me  to  go  to  the  front,  and  take  my  adjutant 
and  orderly  with  me,  and  make  a  reconrioissance  from  different  points  of  the 
field,  with  reference  to  the  force  and  disposition  of  the  enemy,  &c.,  and  to 
report  to  him.  When  I  got  out  I  found  that  Colonel  Kimball  had  thrown 
forward  the  8th  Ohio,  deploying  them  as  skirmishers  in  front,  and  that  he 
had  two  of  his  regiments,  with  a  battery  of  artillery,  posted  near  him,  and 
about  a  mile  and  a  half  from  town.  We  examined  the  ground  to  the  front 
for  some  distance,  and  became  satisfied  that  there  was  no  force  there  greater 
than  the  force  that  had  made  the  attack  the  night  before,  which  we  all  sup 
posed  was  Jackson's  rear  guard,  under  Ashby,  which  we  had  pursued  to 
wards  Strasburg.  Colonel  Carroll  had  deployed  six  of  his  companies,  of  the 
8th  Ohio,  on  the  left,  near  the  wood,  where  he  encountered  quite  a  force  of 
infantry  and  cavalry,  and,  I  believe,  two  pieces  of  artillery.  I  was  not  close 
enough  to  perceive  the  full  effect  of  the  fire.  They  had  quite  a  heavy  little 
skirmish  there,  which  lasted  probably  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes.  Colonel 
Carroll  sent  back  for  re-enforcements,  and  Colonel  Kimball  ordered  up  the 
14th  Indiana,  under  Colonel  Harrow,  to  support  him. 

About  this  time,  which  was  about  ten  o'clock  —  a  little  after,  perhaps  — 
Colonel  Sullivan's  brigade  appeared  on  the  field,  and  was  thrown  to  the  left 
of  the  road,  in  support  of  Colonel  Carroll.  The  apparent  intention  of  the 
enemy  at  that  time  was  to  turn  our  left,  and  Colonel  Kimball  threw  the  most 
of  the  force  he  had  on  the  left. 

In  the  mean  time  Colonel  Kimball  and  myself  rode  forward  and  examined 
the  ground  to  his  right  and  left.  He  remarked  that  he  would  hold  the  hills 
on  the  right  and  in  advance.  General  Shields  had  directed  him  to  press  the 
enemy  in  front  and  pursue  them.  But  Colonel  Kimball  concluded  that  if 
they  were  in  any  force  in  front  we  better  hold  on  any  good  ground  we  had. 
There  was  a  succession  of  rolling  ground,  high  points  and  knobs,  one  of 
them  very  high,  but  all  commanding  positions,  overlooking  the  valley,  to 
our  front  and  left.  We  threw  forward  a  battery  on  one  of  the  advanced 
hills,  and  kept  up  an  artillery  fire  from  that  position  nearly  the  whole 
morning  up  till  two*  o'clock. 

About  twelve  o'clock  I  went  into  town  and  reported  to  General  Shields 
that  we  could  discover  nothing  more  than  we  had  seen  during  the  day  pre 
vious;  that  up  to  that  time  the  enemy  certainly  were  not  in  any  force,  and 
that  we  thought  it  was  nothing  but  Ashby.  And  it  afterwards  turned  out 
that  up  to"  that  hour  there  was  no  other  force  there. 

General  Shields  directed  me  to  return  to  the  field  and  continue  my  obser 
vations.  I  immediately  went  back,  and  found  that  during  my  absence  the 
enemy  had  been  very  heavily  re-enforced,  and  that  there  was  an  evident  in 
tention  on  their  part  to  endeavor  to  turn  our  right.  I  rode  up  to  Colonel 
Kimball,  who  was  then  on  the  advanced  hill  to  the  right  that  I  have  spoken 
of,  and  had  been  playing  a  battery  of  artillery  for  some  time,  to  which  the 
enemy  were  replying.  The  battery  was  supported  by  the  fourteenth  In 
diana,  four  companies  of  the  eighth  Ohio,  and,  if  I  mistake  not,  the  sixty- 
seventh  Ohio.  I  omitted  to  state  that  early  in  the  morning  I  remarked 
that  it  would  be  well  to  1?hrow  some  troops  over  to  our  right.  There  was 
a  wood  there,  near  where  the  main  fight  afterwards  occurred.  Colonel 
Kimball  replied  that  he  had  already  sent  the  eighty-fourth  Pennsylvania 
over  there,  and  they  were  holding  the  wood.  That  was  early  in  the  morn 
ing,  probably  between  nine  and  teu  o'clock.  He  also  remarked,  when  I 
asked  him  to  ride  forward  and  look  at  the  ground  to  the  front,  that  now  he 
had  his  flanks  sufficiently  protected  he  could  look  well  to  the  front.  About 


TESTIMONY.  407 

four  o'clock,  I  should  think  it  was,  Major  Armstrong,  of  General  Shields's 
staff,  came  laughingly  up  to  me,  and  said:  "Perhaps  Colonel  Kimball  will 
say  to  me,  as  McClellan  did  to  Lander,  that  I  am  too  suggestive.  I  re 
marked  to  him,"  said  he,  "  that  he  better  occupy  that  hill  on  our  right." 
Said  I,  "  he  better  occupy  it,  or  they  will  open  a  battery  upon  us."  Even 
while  I  was  speaking,  the  enemy  did  open  a  battery  upon  us  from  that  hill. 
I  understood  that  Colonel  Kimball  was  at  that  time  making  dispositions  to 
occupy  the  hill.  The  enemy  came  up  to  that  position  in  eonsiderable  force, 
and  planted  a  battery  there  to  reply  to  the  one  we  had  on  this  advanced 
hill.  Colonel  Kimball  remarked  at  once  that  he  must  take  that  battery. 
He  sent  myself,  my  adjutant,  Lieutenant  Greene,  and  Lieutenant  Blinn,  of 
the  fourteenth  Indiana,  I  think,  to  bring  up  Tyler's  brigade.  Tyler's  brigade, 
in  the  mean  time,  had  advanced  along  the  road,  and  was  held  in  reserve. 
When  Tyler  arrived  he  was  thrown  immediately  over  to  the  right,  behind 
a  skirt  of  woods,  passing  through  a  little  valley  up  on  the  hill,  being 
ordered  to  move  forward  and  take  the  position  the  enemy  occupied.  As 
soon  as  Tyler  became  engaged,  Colonel  Kimball  at  once  sent  forward  the 
fourteenth  Indiana,  which  was  supporting  our  battery  on  the  hill  in  front, 
the  eighth  Ohio,  and  the  sixty-seventh  Ohio.  In  the  mean  time  he  had  sig 
nalled  to  Colonel  Sullivan,  who  was  on  the  field  to  the  left,  to  send  over 
some  regiments.  The  next  regiment  that  arrived  was  the  thirteenth  In 
diana,  which  was  thrown  right  in  on  the  left  to  support  Colonel  Tyler.  That 
was  followed  by  the  sixty-seventh  Ohio  and  a  portion  of  the  fifth  Ohio. 
The  eighty-fourth  Pennsylvania  had  come  up  early  in  the  engagement  from 
the  rear,  and  was  still  on  that  flank.  The  sixty-seventh  Ohio  scarcely  got 
'iinder  fire.  The  others  came  up  in  the  order  named,  if  I  remember  rightly. 
The  musketry  fire  lasted  about  two  hours. 

During  that  time  I  was  by  the  side  of  Colonel  Kimball  on  horseback,  and 
I  think  that  he  made  every  direction  with  reference  to  the  dispositions  of 
troops  that  was  made.  Of  course  he  did  not  give  any  instructions  to  the 
troops  after  they  had  passed  into  the  wood  on  the  hill  towards  the  stone 
wall,  for  then  each  commanding  officer  manosuvred  his  own  troops.  The 
re-enfor^cements  of  Tyler  were  led  into  the  field  by  my  adjutant,  Lieutenant 
Greene  ;  that  is,  they  were  led  by  him  to  their  position.  It  happened  in 
this  way  :  After  the  fight  became  pretty  heavy,  quite  a  number  of  men  at 
tempted  to  leave  the  field,  stragglers  running  back,  Colonel  Kimball  asked 
me  and  my  adjutant,  Lieutenant  Greene,  to  ride  forward  and  try  to  turn  these 
men  back.  My  adjutant  went  off  in  one  direction,  and  I  went  in  another. 
The  direction  I  took  brought  me  up  among  the  wounded  and  the  surgeons. 
I  turned  back  quite  a  number  of  stragglers,  and  forced  quite  a  number  of 
men  who  were  able  to  walk.  Lieutenant  Greene  went  off  a  little  further  to 
my  left,  and  came  across  quite  a  number  who  had  taken  advantage  of  the 
confusion  to  go  to  the  rear.  After  he  had  got  back  into  the  woods,  he  found 
a  regiment  coming  in,  and  showed  them  the  road  into  the  woods.  He  con 
tinued  showing  the  other  regiments  to  their  position  as  they  came  up.*  Tke 
firing  ceased  about  dark,  after  it  had  become  so  dark  that  we  could  not  dis 
tinguish  friend  from  foe.  I  then  left  the  field,  and  rode  into  town  and  re 
ported  to  General  Shields  the  result  of  the  fight.  Shortly  afterwards  Colonel 
Kimball  came  in  and  reported  to  the  general.  General  Shields  directed  me 
to  picket  strongly  in  front,  and  to  pursue  at  daylight. 

By  Mr.  Gooch  : 

Question.  Did  you  hear  the  report  from  Colonel  Kimball  to  General 
.Shields  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 


408  TESTIMONY. 

Question.  Can  yon  tell  us  whether  Colonel  Kiraball  acted  that  day  on  his 
own  responsibilit3r,  or  in  pursuance  of  orders  received  from  General  Shields  ? 

Answer.  1  was  satisfied  at  the  time  that  he  acted  on  his  own  responsi 
bility  ;  and  I  have  always  held  that  opinion. 

Question.  How  far  distant  from  the  field  of  battle  was  the  house  in  which 
General  Shields  lay  wounded  ? 

Answer.  It  was  fully  four  miles. 

Question.  At  what  time  did  you  leave  General  Shields  in  the  afternoon  ? 

Answer.  I  think  it  was  between  one  and  two  o'clock. 

Question.  Were  you  and  he  then  both  of  the  opinion  that  it"  was  only 
Ashby's  force  that  was  in  front  of  you  ? 

Answer.  I  was  of  that  opinion;  and  the  general  remarked  at  the 
time  that  he  thought  there  was  only  Ashby's  force  there.  He  also  said  that 
Kimball  wanted  re-enforcements,  but  Kimball  wanted  more  troops  than  were 
necessary  for  the  force  opposed  to  him. 

Question.  When  you  then  left  General  Shields  did  you  immediately  return 
to  the  field  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  And  you  found  that  the  battle  had  already  commenced  with  this 
superior  force  of  the  enemy  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  that  is,  we  were  then  making  dispositions  for  the  bat 
tle.  The  firing  of  the  artillery  had  become  heavier,  but  no  infantry  had  then 
become  engaged,  though  they  had  been  sent  forward  to  the  woods. 

Question.  Do  you  know  at  what  time  the  first  news  reached  General- 
Shields  that  there  was  a  greater  force  of  the  enemy  there  than  Ashby's  ? 

Answer.  He  did  not  know  it  at  the  time  I  left  him  in  the  afternoon,  be 
tween  one  and  two  o'clock  ;  I  can  say  that.  But  I  cannot  say  when  he 
received  positive  information  upon  that  point.  Colonel  Kimball  had  reported 
to  him  that  he  thought  the  force  in  front  of  him  was  stronger  than  Ashby's 
force.  But  when  I  left  General  Shields  I  certainly  was  under  the  impression, 
and  I  know  General  Shields  was  also,  that  the  force  there  was  nothing  but 
Ashby's. 

Question.  The  forces  on  the  field  during  the  day  were  directed. by  Colonel 
Kimball  ? 

Answer.  That  is  my  belief. 

Question.  And  the  next  morning  the  pursuit  of  the  enemy  was  commenced  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  By  order  of  General  Shields  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir  ;  General  Shields  directed  the  pursuit.  He  directed  me 
during  the  night  to  collect  the  re-ehforcernents  that  were  coming  in,  and 
have  them  rendezvous  at  a  certain  point,  at  the  edge  of  town,  to  wait  his 
orders,  and  just  after  daylight  he  gave  me  an  order  to  move  forward  and 
report  to  Colonel  Kimball,  who  was  in  pursuit. 

Question.  Do  you  know  at  what  time  General  Banks  left  Winchester  ? 

Answer.  I  know  from  hearsay  that  it  was  between  twelve  and  one  o'clock 
on  Sunday,  the  day  of  the  battle. 

Question.  •  And  at  that  time  it  was  believed  that  there  was  only  Ashby's 
force  opposed  to  you  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Do  you  know  when  General  Banks  refurned  ? 

Answer.  I  think  it  was  about  daylight  on  Monday  morning 

Question.  Do  you  kno*w  how  far  he  had  gone  ? 

Answer.  I  understood  that  he  went  as  far  as  Harper's  Ferry. 

Question.  And  there  heard  of  your  engagement  at  Winchester  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir,  and  that  caused  his  return  ;  and  his  troops  were  ordered 
back  in  consequence  of  that  attack. 


TESTIMONY.  409 

Question.  He  then  assumed  command  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir,  on  his  return.  He  made  his  appearance  on  the  field 
between  nine  and  ten  o'clock  on  Monday,  I  think.  The  first  intimation  I  had 
that  General  Banks  had  returned  was  just  after  daylight  on  Monday  morn 
ing  ;  I  had  ridden  down  towards  the  depot,  as  I  was  expecting  Donelly's 
brigade,  of  Williams's  division.  4  met  Colonel  Donelly  coming  in,  and  asked 
him  where  his  brigade  was.  And  as  I  rode  back  to  report  to  General 
Shields,  I  saw  General  Banks  and  his  staff  at  his  own  quarters,  apparently 
just  arrived.  I  rode  on  up  to  where  General  Shields  was,  and  a  moment  or 
two  afterwards  General  Banks  came  in — just  about  daylight  on  Monday 
morning. 

Question.  Then,  if  I  understand  you,  you  are  satisfied  that  General  Shields 
did  not  suppose  that  Jackson  was  present  with  his  force  until  after  you 
left  him  on  Sunday,  at  about  two  o'clock  ? 

Answer.  I  am  satisfied  that  was  his  impression.  It  was  my  impression. 
We  were  talking  freely  about  the  matter.  I  do  not  think  he  thought  there 
was  any  other  force  there  than  Ashby's.  I  know  General  Banks  had  that 
impression,  and  that  was  the  reason  he  left  Winchester  on  Sunday. 

Question.  Then  the  truth  about  that  battle  is,  that  it  was  not  the  result  of 
any  strategy  or  skill  on  the  part  of  General  Shields,  by  which  he  succeeded 
in  getting  the  enemy  into  a  position  where  he  could  successfully  give  him 
battle;  but  the  good  planning,  if  there  was  any,  was  on  the  part  of  the 
enemy,  and  the  victory  to  our  troops  was  the  result  solely  of  the  good  fight 
ing  on  the  part  of  our  men  ? 

Answer.  I  am  of  the  opinion  that  the  strategy  was  on  the  part  of  the 
enemy,  and  that  the  victory  was  due  solely  to  the  good  fighting  of  our  men. 
I  do  not  believe  that  very  many  of  our  command  expected  a  fight  with  Jack 
son  within  two  weeks  at  any  rate. 


WASHINGTON,  May  22,  1862. 
Dr.  H.  M.  McABEE  sworn  and  examined. 

By  Mr.  Gooch: 

Question.  What  is  your  rank  and  position  in  the  army  ? 

Answer.  I  am  surgeon  of  the  4th  Ohio  volunteers,  with  the  rank  of  major. 

Question.  Were  you  present  at  the  battle  of  Winchester  ? 

Answer.  I  was  with  General  Shields  during  the  battle.  I  was  not  present 
on  the  battle-field. 

Question.  Will  you  state  to  the  committee  what  you  know  in  relation  to 
that  battle — what  came  under  your  own  observation  ? 

Answer.  My  relation  to  General  Shields  aad  the  command  at  the  time 
was  simply  this:  On  the  evening  of  Saturday,  when  General  Shields  was 
wounded,  I  was  called  to  dress  his  wound,  and  found  him  prostrated  with 
the  shock  to  his  nervous  system.  He  said  his  arm  would  be  dressed  soon, 
and  he  would  then  take  his  horse.  We  attempted  to  put  him  in  an  upright 
posture  to  dress  his.  arm,  and  he  fainted.  He  then  said  he  would  have  an 
open  carriage  brought,  which  was  ordered.  But  upon  attempting  to  sit  up 
again  to  have  his  arm  dressed,  he  again  fainted.  We  abandoned  that,  and 
proposed  to  send  for  an  ambulance  in  which  to  take  him  to  town.  At  first 
he  declined  to  be  taken  in  the  ambulance,  but  finally  consented,  and  was 
thus  taken  to  town. 

I  remained  with  him  all  that  night.  The  next  morning  all  his  staff  went- 
to  the  field,, and  he  asked  me  to  act  as  an  aid  to  him  that  day.  He  and 


410  TESTIMONY. 

I  were  alone  in  his  room  nearly  all  day  of  Sunday,  except  occasionally  when 
for  a  few  minutes  some  of  the  messengers  would  be  there.  I  received  the 
messages  from  the  field,  and  opened  them  and  read  them  for  him.  And  I 
wrote  almost  all  the  messages  he  dictated  during  that  day  and  the  night 
following.  I  think  he  regarded  himself  to  be  in  command  of  his  division, 
but  not  in  active  command  on  the  field.  And  I  think  that  is  the  light  he 
intended  his  orders  or  messages  to  be  taken.  That  is,  he  did  not  propose 
to  make  the  dispositions  of  the  forces  in  the  field.  His  messages  were 
mainly  addressed  to  Colonel  Kimball,  in  the  shape  of  suggestions  or  gen 
eral  instructions  as  to  how  this  or  that  should  be  done;  not  as  orders  for 
the  specific  movements  of  this  or  that  body  of  troops. 

He  was  under  the  impression  until  a  late  hour  of  the  afternoon,  until  three 
o'clock,  I  think,  that  he  was  being  trifled  with  by  Ashby's  command.  He 
issued  a  great  many  messages  to  Colonel  Kimball,  but  none  of  them  in  the 
shape  of  specific  orders;  rather  as  suggestions,  he  relying  on  Colonel  Kiin- 
balPs  discretion  as  to  whether  it  was  advisable  to  adopt  them  or  not,  when 
they  should  be  received  upon  the  field. 

Question.  How  long  did  you  remain  with  General  Shields  at  that  time? 

Answer.  I  remained  with  him  from  the  time  he  was  wounded,  on  Satur 
day  afternoon,  until  about  10  o'clock  on  Monday  morning. 

Question.  There  have  been  statements  that  there  was  a  great  scarcity  of 
surgeons  and  medical  ^attendants  at  that  time,  and  that  there  was  great  suf 
fering  on  the  part  of  our  wounded  for  that  reason.  What  was  the  fact  in 
relation  to  that  ? 

Answer.  I  know  something  about  that.  About  noon,  or  a  little  after  noon, 
on  Sunday,  when  our  wounded  were  beginning  to  be  brought  in,  applica 
tion  was  made  to  General  Shields  to  have  me  detailed  in  charge  of  the  hos 
pitals  in  Winchester.  He  had  asked  me  in  the  morning  to  remain  and  act 
as  his  aid  during  the  day.  He  declined  to  release  me,  detaining  me  with 
him  for  his  own  purposes.  Another  detail  was  therefore  made.  Messages 
were  received  at  his  rooms  several  times  during  the  evening  and  night  of 
Sunday,  complaining  that  there  was  a  want  of  surgical  aid. 

After  the  work  of  the  day  was  mainly  over,  at  the  suggestion  of  an  officer 
who  came  in  I  requested  General  Shields  to  allow  me  to  go  out  for  two  or 
three  hours  and  assist  in  dressing  the  wounded.  It  was  granted  me,  and  I 
was  out  about  two  hours  and  a  half,  coming  in  again  about  11  o'clock  at 
night. 

I  am  satisfied  that  there  was  not  a  sufficient  number  of  surgeons  there  to 
take  care  of  the  wounded;  and  no  arrangements  had  been  made,  not  even 
so  much  as  a  single  bunk  or  bed  prepared  previous  to  the  engagement. 
There  was  not  even  any  understanding,  I  think,  until  the  day  was  some 
what  advanced,  as  to  where  the  wounded  should  be  carried. 

Question.  Why  did  you  not  remain  and  assist  in  taking  care  of  the 
wounded  ? 

Answer.  I  was  under  General  Shields's  particular  orders. 

Question.  Was  his  wound  of  such  a  character  as  to  require  the  constant 
attendance  of  a  physician  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir.     I  think  not. 

Question.  Could  you  not  get  leave,  after  you  had  been  there  and  seen 
how  he  was,  to  go  out  and  assist  in  dressing  the  wounds  of  the  soldiers  ? 

Answer.  I  did  not  feel  at  liberty  to  make  such  an  application,  after  a 
similar  application  had  been  made  by  the  medical  director  and  refused. 
The  officers  of  General  Shields's  staff  were  all  absent,  and  I  was  alone  with 
him  almost  all  the  day. 

Question.  I  mean  at  night,  after  the  battle  was  over,  could  you  not  have 


TESTIMONY.  411 

remained  out  during  the  night-  to  assist  in  dressing  the  wounds  of  the 
soldiers  ? 

Answer.  I  think  I  could. 

Question.  Why  did  you  not  do  so  ? 

Answer.  I  considered  myself  as  obeying  his  orders  to  remain  with  him. 
My  duties  during  the  day,  and  the  night  after  the  battle,  -and  the  Monday 
morning  following,  were  not  mainly  in  connexion  with  my  position  in  the 
army.  They  were  services  for  which  I  had  no  commission,  and  for  which  I 
was  entitled  to  no  credit,  and  for  which  I,  of  course,  received  none 

Question.  Did  not  General  Shields  have  his  staff  after  the  battle  was  over  ? 

Answer.  Not  long;  they  went  to  bed  directly  after  they  returned. 

Question.  His  start  came  in  from  the  field  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  but  retired  soon  after.  And  during  the  night  I  remained 
in  his  room,  as  I  had  done  during  the  day,  receiving  the  messages  to  him 
and  writing  his  orders. 

Question.  How  many  officers  were  on  his  staff  ? 

Answer.  Three  or  four 

Question.  Did  they  all  come  in  and  retire  to  bed  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  And  left  you  to  perform  their -duties,  when  you  should  have 
been  attending  to  the  wounded  soldiers;  is  not  that  the  fact  ? 

Answer.  That  is,  I  suppose,  the  fact. 

By  the  chairman: 

Question.  You  have  observed  that  General  Shields  supposed,  up  to  3 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon  of  Sunday,  that  it  was  Ashby's  cavalry  who  were 
trifling  with  him  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  At  what  time  did  he  become  aware  that  Jackson  was  there  in 
force  ? 

Answer.  I  think  somewhere  along  between  3  and  4  o'clock  in  the  after 
noon. 

Question.  What  did  he  do  when  he  ascertained  that  fact  ? 

Answer.  He  could,  send  no  more  forces  on  the  field,  for  they  were  all  there 
then. 

Question.  Did  he  assume  the  command  then  ? 

Answer.  Not  in  any  other  sense  than  he  had  done  before. 


WASHINGTON,  May  22,  1862. 
Colonel  WILLIAM  HARRON  sworn  and  examined. 

By  Mr.  Gooch: 

What  is  your  rank  and  position  in  the  army  ? 

Answer.  I  am  colonel  of  the  14th  Indiana  volunteers. 

Question.  Were  you  at  the  battle  of  Winchester  1 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Will  you  give  the  committee,  a  short  statement  of  what  fell 
under  your  own  observation  at  that  time  ? 

Answer.  Towards  5  or  6  o'clock,  on  the  day  previous1,  Saturday,  I  was 
ordered  to  get  my  regiment  out  and  move  as  rapidly  as  I  could  to  the  front. 

Question.  By  whom  was  that  order  issued  ? 

Answer.  By  Colonel  Kimball,  acting  as  brigadier  general.  I  moved  them 
about  two  miles  to  the  front,  and  was  there  ordered  to  halt.  I  saw  nothing 


412  TESTIMONY. 

of  the  skirmish  that  took  place  that  afternoon;  I  wa^  olf  to  the  left  of  where 
it  occurred. 

Question.  Tell  the  committee  what  occurred  the  next  day. 

Answer.  We  remained  in  that  position  until  the  next  morning.  About  10 
o'clock  I  received  an  order  from  Colonel  Kimball,  through  an  aide-de-camp, 
to  move  forward  rapidly  down  the  turnpike,  I  proceeded  down  the  turn 
pike  about  one  mile.  The  order  was  to  put  myself  in  position  to  support,  if 
necessary,  Colonel  Carroll,  whose  regiment  had  been  sent  forward  as  skir 
mishers.  No  point  was  indicated  to  me  where  to  rest.  About  the  time  I 
halted  my  regiment,  still  upon  the  left  of  the  road,  I  received  a  farther  order 
from  Colonel  Kimball,  through  his  acting  adjutant,  to  move  yet  further  front, 
the  report  being  that  Carroll  was  being  hardly  pressed.  I  then  moved  forward 
until  I  reached  Kernstown,  and  formed  my  men  upon  the  left  of  the  road,  Across 
a  meadow,  and  remained  there  two  hours.  During  this  time  the  enemy 
had  opened  a  battery  upon  our  extreme  left,  and  fired  upon  us  very  vigor 
ously,  but  injured  only  one  or  two  men.  Colonel  Carroll  fell  back  with  his 
line  of  skirmishers  to  my  extreme  left,  leaving  between  Colonel  Sullivan's 
command,  in  my  rear,  and  myself  an  open  space  about  sufficient,  by  pro 
longing  his  line,  for  one  regiment.  At  this  moment  I  received  an  order 
from  Colonel  Kimball  to  look  .well  to  the  left,  as  he  was  fearful  that  the 
enemy  were  trying  to  turn  our  flank.  I  moved  my  regiment  back,  connect 
ing  with  Colonel  Carroll  with  my  left,  and  then  rode  forward  to  him,  telling 
him  what  order  I  had  received.  He  said  to  me,  "  I  am  looking  out  carefully 
for  that."  We  remained  there  for  some  time;  I  cannot  say  how  long.  I  did 
not  take  much  note  of  time  then.  The  next  order  I  received  was  from 
Colonel  Kimball  to  move  my  regiment  across  the  road  to  the  right,  and 
form  it  on  the  immediate  left  of  the  battery  at  which  he  was  stationed  on  a 
hill.  I  did  so,  remaining  there  considerable  time,  perhaps  a  half  or  three- 
quarters  of  an  hour;  when  from  our  extreme  right  a  very  rapid  and  vigorous 
fire  of  artillery  was  opened  upon  us,  and  from  some  concealed  men  imme 
diately  in  our  front.  While  waiting,  in  that  position,  for  what  might  trans 
pire,  Colonel  Tyler's  brigade,  upon  our  extreme  right,  commenced  a  fire 
upon  the  enemy's  extreme  left.  As  soon  as  his  fire  demonstrated  that  the 
engagement  was  becoming  general,  Colonel  Kimball  turned  to  me  and  or 
dered  me  to  move  as  rapidly  as  possible  to  the  support  of  Colonel  Tyler, 
pointing  out  with  his  hand  the  direction  I  was  to  take,  and  telling  me  to 
tall  in  as  nearly  on  his  left  as  I  could.  I  then  moved  forward  until  we  rose 
a  hill  and  entered  the  fight,  to  the  left  of  the  5th  Ohio,  about  25  minutes 
after  the  fight  had  commenced.  From  that  time,  as  the  fight  was  continued, 
I  think  the  men  were  at  no  time  stationary.  The  enemy  started  as  soon 
as  we  commenced  the  attack  upon  them;  they  commenced  falling  back,  and 
continued  that  backward  movement,  rallying  themselves,  from  time  to  time, 
and  firing  upon  us;  so  that  my  men,  at  no  time,  were  entirely  stationary. 
Sometimes  they  were  moving  very  slowly,  until  they  reached  the  stonewall. 
At  that  time  they  opened  a  concealed  and  very  destructive  fire  upon  our 
regiment.  The  84th  Pennsylvania,  in  the  mean  time,  had  become  engaged, 
as  also  the  61th  Ohio.  Colonel  Murray  having  been  killed  at  that  time,  the 
84th  Pennsylvania  became  a  great  deal  disorganized. 

Whilst  this  was  progressing  the  13th  Indiana  moved  up  on  our  extreme 
left,  coming  to  the  left  of  the  stone  wall.  They  received  three  or  four  fires 
from  the  enemy  before  they  returned  any.  They  delivered  their  first  fire 
upon  them  from  their  front  rank,  at  about  100  yards  distance.  Upon  the 
delivery  of  the  second  fire,  from  the  rear  rank  of  that  battalion,  the  enemy 
commenced  a  rapid  retreat,  and  from  that  time,  for  15  or  20  minutes,  it  was 
a  complete  rout. 

That  is  about  as  correct  a  history  as  I  can  give  of  the  matter. 


TESTIMONY.  413 

Question.  Whom  did  you  understand  to  be«in  command  of  our. forces  on 
the  Sunday  of  the  battle  ? 

Answer.  Colonel  Kimball,  I  supposed. 

Question.  Did  you  receive  any  orders  at  any  time  from  any  one  else  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir,  none;  except  it  was  through  some  one  authorized  by  him 
to  give  them. 

Question.  Did  you  receive  any  orders  from  General  Shields  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir;  I  received  none  directly  from  him.  All  that  I  received 
came  through  Colonel  Kimball  or  some  of  his  aids. 

Question.  Do  you  know  whether  any  orders  came  from  General  Shields 
through  Colonel  Kimball  ? 

Answer  No,  sir;  I  do  not.  In  truth,  I  did  not  see  General  Shields  from 
the  time  he  came  on  the  field  on  Saturday  until  some  time  after  the  battle  of 
Sunday.  The  order  to  myself  to  enter  into  the  contest  with  my  own  regi 
ment  was  given  to  me  by  Colonel  Kimball  in  person.  I  had  command  of  his 
own  regiment,  of  which  I  was  the  lieutenant  colonel,  commanding  the  regi 
ment  at  the  time.  He  look  great  pride  in  his  regiment,  and  kept  it  under 
his  own  personal  observation. 


WASHINGTON,  May  22,  1862. 
General  J.  C.  SULLIVAN  sworn  and  examined. 

By  Mr.  Gooch: 

Question    What  is  your  rank  and  position  in  the  army  ? 

Answer.  I  am  a  brigadier  general  of  volunteers. 

Question.  From  what  State  ? 

Answer.  From  the  State  of  Indiana. 

Question.  Have  you  received  a  military  education,  and  what  service  have 
you  had  ? 

Answer.  I  received  an  education  in  the  naval  service,  and  have  had  seven 
years'  service  in  the  navy  of  the  United  States. 

Question.  Were  you  present  at  the  battle  of  Winchester,  in  March  last  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Will  you  give  to  the  committee  a 'short  statement  in  regard  to 
that  battle  ? 

Answer.  From  Saturday  afternoon  ? 

Question.  Yes,  sir. 

Answer.  I  was  in  command  of  a  brigade.  On  Saturday  afternoon  I  heard 
firing  to  the  front,  but  could  obtain  no  information  as  to  the  cause  of  that 
firing.  About  5  o'clock  I  was  told  that  the  enemy  were  driving  in  our 
pickets;  that  they  had  been  fighting  all  day.  I  immediately  called  my 
aids  and  told  them  that,  if  that  was  so,  in  a  short  time  it  would  be  neces 
sary  for  us  to  move.  I  directed  them  to  go  to  our  regiments  and  get  them 
in  readiness  to  move.  At  that  moment  an  aid  of  General  Shields  rode  up 
and  said  that  the  General  wanted  my  brigade  to  move  forward  at  that 
time.  We  were  out  two  miles  on  the  Martinsburg  side  of  Winchester.  I 
formed  my  brigade,  and  rode  up  to  General  Shields's  headquarters  for  orders. 
When  I  arrived  there  I  was  told  that  the  general  had  gone  out  to  the  front 
where  the  fighting  was.  A  moment  afterwards  another  aid  rode  up  and 
told  me  that-  the  general  wanted  my  brigade  to  move  rapidly  to  the  front. 
In  moving  my  brigade  through  the  town  I  perceived  the  shells  of  the  enemy 
exploding  within  the  city  limits.  Shortly  afterwards  I  was  told  that  the 
general  was  wounded,  and  was  told  to  halt  my  brigade  where  it  was,  just 


414  TESTIMONY 

this  side  of  the  city;  and  I  was  told  to  picket  the  town  and  the  roads 
leading  into  it  on  each  side. 

I  called  on  the  general  just  after  dark,  and  was  there  told  that  he  con 
sidered  that  the  attack  was  made  by  only  Ashby's  cavalry;  that  he  did  not 
suppose  that  Jackson's  force  was  near  there. 

The  next  morning  early  the  general  sent  for  me,  and  told  me  that  the 
enemy  was  gone;  that  there  was  no  danger  of  Jackson's  fighting  again; 
that  he  knew  him,  and  Jackson  was  afraid  of  him,  and  that  I  could  go 
out  and  pick  out  a  camp. 

In  riding  to  the  front  with  the  assistant  adjutant  general  I  selected  a 
nice  piece  of  ground,  but  thought  I  would  ride  to  the  top  of  a  hill  and  see  if 
I  could  not  throw  a  regiment  over  it.  At  that  moment  the  enemy  opened 
fire  upon  us  with  artillery.  The  fight  lasted  until  about  3  o'clock,  I  should 
think,  when  the  musketry  fire  commenced.  I  saw  none  of  General  Shields's 
aids  at  all;  and  if  he  had  been  in  command  he  ought  to  have  sent  orders  to 
me  by  his  own  aids.  Colonel  Kimball's  aids  came  to  me,  but  none  of  General 
Shields's  aids  came  to  me.  During  the  afternoon  Colonel  Kimball  requested 
assistance  from  me — the  request  coming  as  from  himself — and  i  sent  him 
four  regiments. 

At  night  after  the  battle  I  received  an  order  from  General  Shields — I  had 
only  500  men  at  the  time— to  attack  the  enemy  the  next  morning  with  the 
force  I  had.  I  started  at  daylight  to  do  it,  and  pursued  them  for  some  time. 

We  all  considered  there  that  Colonel  Kimball  was  in  command  during 
the  battle  of  Sunday;  that  was  our  understanding. 

Question.  Did  you  understand  that  Colonel  Kimball  directed  the  move 
ments  of  our  troops  during  the  battle  of  Sunday  ? 

Answer.  Entirely. 

Question.  That  was  your  opinion  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  It  was  impossible  for  anybody  else  to  have  done  it. 
It  required  some  one  to  be  on  the  ground,  to  see  its  conformation,  the  posi 
tion  of  the  troops  and  the  movements  of  the  enemy,  to  be  enabled  to  direct 
our  troops  properly. 

Question.  You  consider  that  it  would  have  been  impossible  for  any  man 
several  miles  distant  from  the  battle-field  to  have  directed  the  operations 
of  the  day  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  I  think  so. 

Question.  In  regard  to  th'at  battle,  do  you  think  it  was  brought  about  by 
any  strategy  or  skill  of  any  of  our  generals,  in  getting  the  enemy  into  a 
position  where  they  could  be  beaten ;  or  was  the  strategy  on  the  part  of  the 
enemy,  and  the  victory  the  result  of  good  fighting  on  the  part  of  our  troops  ? 

Answer.  I  believed  that  the  fighting  of  our  troops  gained  the  victory; 
that  there  was  no  strategy  on  our  part  at  all.  I  had  orders  to  drill  my 
troops;  to  commence  Sunday  morning,  before  the  fighting  commenced.  I  was 
to  drill  my  troops  and  get  them  ready  for  the  fight  to  come  off  at  some 
future  time. 

Question.  Drill  them  preparatory  to  action  when  ? 

Answer.  At  some  future  time — we  did  not  know  when.  The  general  is 
very  fond  of  underrating  the  troops.  Some  movements  had  been  made  in 
skirmishing  that  I  was  not  aware  of.  The  general  wanted  the  men  drilled 
to  move  in  certain  ways  in  skirmishing,  and  had  ordered  me  to  commence 
the  drill  on  that  Sunday;  I  objected,  because  my  men  had'  been  on  picket 
all  night  and  were  very  much  fatigued. 

Question.  That  order  had  reference  to  no  immediate  engagement  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir.  I  was  to  take  my  brigade  and  occupy  the  front  on  Sun 
day,  and  commence  drilling. 


TESTIMONY,  415 


MONITOR  AND  MEBEIMACK, 


IN  THE  SENATE  or  THE  UNITED  STATES, 

March,  11,  1862. 

On  motion  by  Mr.  WILSON,  of  Massachusetts, 

.Resolved,  That  the  select  committee  on  the  conduct  of  the  war  be  directed 
to  inquire  into  the  late  engagement  between  the  rebel  steamers  and  the 
vessels  of  the  United  States,  near  Fortress  Monroe,  with  all  the  circum 
stances  that  led  to  such  destruction  of  the  property  of  the  United  States, 
and  that  they  be  authorized  to  send  for  persons  and  papers. 
Attest  :  J.  W.  FORNEY,  Secretary. 


WASHINGTON,  March  19,  1862. 
Captain  GUSTAVUS  V.  Fox  sworn  and  examined. 

By  the  chairman  : 

Question.  We  have  been  directed  to  inquire  into  the  late  engagement 
with  the  rebel  iron-clad  ship  Merrimack,  at  Fortress  Monroe.  (The  resolution 
of  the.  Senate  was  then  read  to  the  witness.)  Will  you  please  state  what 
you  know  about  that  engagement  and  the  causes  of  the  disaster  to  our 
shipping  there. 

Answer.  The  Cumberland  and  Congress  were  attacked  by  the  rebel  vessel 
Merrimack,  which  was  invulnerable.  She  fired  into  the  one  and  destroyed  it, 
and  ran  into  the  other  and  sunk  it. 

Question.  The  Cumberland  and  Congress  were  sailing  vessels  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir';  Commodore  Goldsborough  told  me  that  his  instructions 
about  these  vessels  had  not  been  followed  out.  He  had  directed  that  they 
never  should  be  left  without  a  steam-tug  with  which  to  manage  them.  The 
Merrimack  attacked  them  when  it  was  slack  water,  and  had  them  completely 
at  her  mercy.  But  she  got  a  very  good  pounding  herself  before  she  de 
stroyed  them. 

The  shaft  of  the  Roanoke  was  broken  about  the  5th  of  November,  and  it 
was  believed  that  it  could  be  repaired  in  about  two  months.  That  was  the 
report  made  to  us.  But  upon  inquiry  it  was  found  that  every  forge  in  the 
country  capable  of  doing  the  work  was  employed.  There  being  a  large 
number  of  contracts  out  for  steamers,  every  one  of  which  must  have  a  shaft, 
every  available  forge  in  the  country  was  running  to  the  utmost  of  its  capacity. 
Finally  we  found  one  establishment  that  agreed  to  forge  the  shaft,  but  re 
fused  to  turn  and  finish  it,  which,  of  itself,  is  as  important  and  difficult  a 
matter  as  the  forging.  The  government  had  no  adequate  means  to  turn 
such  an  enormous  piece  of  forging.  They  undertook  it,  however,  with  such 
means  as  they  had  at  the  New  York  navy  yard,  and  it  is  now  about  finished — 
although  it  broke  every  piece  of  machinery  they  had  which  was  put  upon 
it,  and  special  machinery  had  to  be  made  for  it, 

The  Roanoke  was  left  at  Fortress  Monroe  at  the  request  of  Commodore 
Groldsborough,  and  the  sailing  vessels  were  kept  there  at  the  request  of  the 
military  authorities.  A  week  before  this  affair  happened  the  Congress  was 
ordered  away  from  there,  but  for  some  reason  she  was  suffered  to  remain 
there  for  a  time.  The  department,  as  well  as  the  country,  knew  that  the 


416  TESTIMONY. 

Merrimack  was  coming'  out.  But  my  feeling  was  that  we  could  manage  her, 
and  I  have  no  doubt  we  should  have  done  it,  had  not  the  Minnesota  got 
aground.  But  for  that  the  Merrimack,  having  but  three  guns  on  each  side, 
could  not  have  disabled  her  before  the  Minnesota  could  have  got  alongside 
of  her. 

Question.  Which  was  the  fastest  ? 

Answer.  The  Minnesota  could  sail  two  miles  to  the  Merrirnack's  one. 

,      By  Mr.  Wright: 

Question.  What  would  you  have  done  if  you.  could  have  got  up  along 
side  of  the  Merrimack  ? 

Answer.  Run  into  her  and  destroyed  her;  her  iron  plating  would  not  have 
protected  her  against  that. 

Question.  You  think  her  greater  speed  would  have  enabled  her  to  do  that? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  and  it  would  have  crushed  her,  broken  her  in  two.  She 
is  a  large  vessel,  and  her  frame  can  be  broken  in  almost  any  part  by  a  vessel 
of  the  size  and  weight  of  the  Minnesota  running  into  her  end  on.  It  is  well 
known  that  even  our  common  wooden  steamers  have  run  into  the  docks  and 
piers  of  New  York  city,  and  penetrated  them  to  the  distance  of  ten  or 
twelve  feet,  though  they  were  built  of  heavy  timbers  and  filled  with  stone, 
broken  granite,  &c.  But  the  Minnesota,  having  to  pass  over  a  shoal  place 
to  reach  the  Merrimack,  ran  aground;  and  she  was  the  only  vessel  there 
able  to  cope  with  the  Merrimack. 

By  the  chairman  : 

Question.  The  Minnesota  was  a  vessel  of  the  same  size  as  the  Merrimack 
before  the  latter  was  cut  down  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  the  Minnesota,  Roanoke,  and  Merrimack,  were  of  the 
same  class. 

By  Mr.  Wright  :   . 

Question.  The  Minnesota  was  not  plated  with  iron  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir;  and  for  that  reason  she  would  not -do  in  a  contest  with 
the  Merrimack  hour  by  hour.  But  she  is  sufficiently  protected  to  stand  the 
hammering  of  the  Merrimack  until  she  got  alongside  of  her.  The  proof 
of  that  is  that  the  Merrimack  fired  at  her  all  day  and  put  twelve  shots  right 
through  her,  and  did  not  destroy  her. 

By  the  chairman  : 

Question.  What  is  the  ca|ibre  of  the  guns  of  the  Merrimack  ? 

Answer.  She  has  three  9-inch  guns  on  a  side,  and  has  a  rifled  gun  at  each 
end,  which  is  said  by  them  to  be  a  100-pounder. 

Question.  What  is  the  calibre  of  the  guns  of  the  Minnesota  ? 

Answer.  She  has  9-inch  guns,  the  same  as  the  Merrimack,  with  a  pivot 
10-inch  gun.  The  gun  of  the  Monitor  is  11-inch  calibre.  This  matter  of 
iron-clad  vessels  was  brought  up  by  the  department  a  year  ago,  and  Oon- 

fress  was  asked  for  an  appropriation  of  $50,000  in  July  to  test  the  different 
inds  of  plating,  which  was  refused.  We  went  to  the  President  and  he  held 
a  meeting  at  General  Scott's  office,  and  we  were  authorized  to  go  ahead,  without 
waiting  for  Congress,  and  make  these  iron  plates.  But  when  we  came  to 
call  for  proposals,  which  we  did  without  authority  from  Congress,  we  ran 
against  this  difficulty — that  there  was  a  limit  to  the  making  of  these  vessels- 
There  is  no  preparation  for  making  the  plates  in  this  country,  except  by 
forging  them,  which  is  altogether  too  slow  and  tedious  fer  the  necessity. 
There  is  but  one  rolling  mill  in  the  country  that  can  make  the  plates  by 
rolling,  and  that  is  the  one  that  made  the  plates  for  the  Monitor.  You  can 
plate  vessels  with  railroad  iron,  as  the  Merrimack  has  been  plated,  and  you 


TESTIMONY.  417 

might  make  a  half  a  dozen  Monitors,  but  then  you  run  aground.  All  nations 
have  become  satisfied  of  the  value  of  these  iron-plated  vessels,  and  the 
agents  we  sent  abroad  six  months  ago  found  that  all  the  establishments 
there  were  engaged  to  their  utmost,  and  consequently  they  found  difficulty 
in  obtaining  any  plates  at  all. 

Question.  Is  it  possible  to  take  this  Merrimack  by  boarding  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir.  She  has  a  sloping  roof  of  45  degrees,  covered  with 
tallow  as  thickly  as  it  can  be  put  on.  You  could  not  climb  up  her  sides, 
which  are  on  the  slope  some  15  or  16  feet,  I  should  think,  the  only  flat  por 
tion  being  in  the  centre.  There  is  no  possibility  of  boarding  her,  or  of 
heaving  shot  and  shell  down,  her  smoke  stack,  as  has  been  proposed.  There 
is  no  way  of  taking  her  except  by  running  her  down,  except  it  be  by  a  fight 
between  her  and  the  Monitor,  which  would  be  like  a  contest  between  knights 
in  the  tournaments  of  olden  times,  where  each  was  incased  in  armor,  and 
the  result  depended  mainly  upon  the  quality  of  the  armor. 

By  Mr.  Wright: 

Question.  What  is  the  comparative  speed  of  the  Merrimack  and  the 
Monitor  ? 

Answer.  The  Monitor  is  a  little  the  fastest;  not  much,  but  still  enough  to 
enable  her  to  keep  clear  of  the  Merrimack.  There  is  no  way  for  those  two 
but  to  lie  close  to  each  other  and  fire  under  this  armor.  The  captain  of  the 
Monitor  thinks  he  did  put  a  shot  into  her  right  under  the  water's  edge.  As 
she  retreated  she  sagged  down  aft,  showing  that  she  had  got  a  leak.  But 
as  she  steamed  off  she  showed  that  she  had  her  machinery  all  right.  My 
impression  is  that  she  is  now  shifting  her  guns  for  the  heaviest  guns  in  the 
southern  confederacy. 

By  the  chairman: 

Question.  Did  it  ever  occur  to  the  Navy  and  the  War  Departments,  before 
this  Merrimack  was  prepared,  to  see  whether  it  was  not  well  enough  to  take 
Norfolk,  shipping  and  all  ? 

Answer.  The  matter  of  taking  Norfolk  has  been  talked  over  a  great  deal. 
The  movement  of  Genera].'  Butler  taking  Newport  News  was  in  reference  to 
the  ultimate  possession  of  Norfolk,  The  President  at  that  time  was  very 
much  in  favor  of  it,  and  it  was  believed  that  it  could  be  done  without  any 
difficulty.  I  think  there  is  a  memorandum  here  from  General  Butler,  dated 
some  time  in  the  latter  part  of  May,  when  he  was  down  there,  setting  forth 
the  feasibility  of  capturing  Norfolk. 

Question.  How  came  that  to  fall  through  ? 

Answer.  That  I  could  not  say.  The  matter  was  presented  to  General 
Scott.  I  can  give  you  my  impression  about  it. 

Question.  Do  so,  if  you  please. 

Answer.  My  impression  is  that  the  panic  in  regard  to  Washington  that 
occurred  after  the  battle  of  Bull  Run  blocked  this  enterprise  as  it  seemed 
to  block  every  other  enterprise  that  was  proposed  elsewhere.  General 
Butler  had  at  one  time  got  as  high  as  11,000  men  down  there,  and  they 
were  still  sending  troops  to  him  until  this  panic  here,  when  they  were  all 
taken  from  him  except  some  4,000  or  5,000  men. 

Question.  The  ghost  of  Bull  Run  was  in  the  way. 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  and  it  also  put  off  DuPont's  expedition  two  or  three 
months.  We  could  get  no  soldiers  after  that  for  any  of  our  expeditions. 

Question.  If  I  understand  you  in  regard  to  the  condition  of  the  Roanoke, 
she  had  her  shaft  broken,  and  the  Navy.  Department  set  about  repairing  it 
with  as  much  expedition  as  they  could  ? 

Answer.  It  was  done  by  telegraph  the  same  day  we  heard  of  it. 
Part  iii 27 


418  TESTIMONY. 

Question.  And  the  difficulty  was  finding  an  establishment  not  already 
engaged  that  was  competent  to  undertake  the  work  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  it  was  estimated  that  two  months  would  be  all  that 
would  be  necessary  for  the  work  under  ordinary  circumstances.  Orders 
were  at  once  given  to  contract  for  the  shaft,  but  we  found  great  difficulty 
in  getting  anybody  to  take  hold  of  it.  We  went  to  parties  and  begged 
them  to  undertake  the  job;  and  everyone  refused  but  one  establishment, 
who  said  they  would  forge  the  shaft  but  would  not  turn  it.  Now,  turning 
requires  as  much  time,  if  not  as  difficult  a  job,  as  forging  it.  Having  no 
one  in  the  whole  country  to  do  that,  we  had  to  take  it  to  the  New  York 
yard,  where  there  was  no  adequate  machinery  to  do  such  an  enormous  piece 
of  work.  After  the  making  of  some  machinery  for  the  purpose,  the  work 
was  commenced,  and  it  is  now  about  completed. 

Question.  You  were  at  Fortress  Monroe  during  the  action  ? 

Answer.  I  was  there  the  second  day. 

Question.  What  is  your  opinion  in  regard  to  the  ability  of  this  Monitor  to 
cope  with  the  Merrimack? 

Answer.  Well,  sir,  it  was  an  uneven  fight,  but  the  Monitor  has  proved 
herself  a  little  the  superior.  But  then  you  must  consider  that  the  Merrimack 
had  got  a  tremendous  pounding  the  day  before  from  the  Cumberland.  The 
Cumberland  dismounted  one  of  her  guns,  injured  two  others,  and  shook  her 
plates  all  over  her.  The  Monitor  fought  under  very  great  disadvantages. 
She  had  been  three  days  coming  from  New  York,  and  the  pipe  that  brought 
fresh  air  down  into  her  hold  was  not  high  enough  to  keep  the  sea  out,  and 
had  to  be  closed,  so  that  they  were  almost  suffocated.  They  had  but  little 
sleep,  and  got  there  at  half-past  ten  at  night,  and  at  once  Went  to  work 
to  prepare  for  action,  and  went  into  the  action  the  next  morning  at  eight 
o'clock  with  a  vessel  entirely  novel  to  everybody  on  board.  They  had  had 
but  very  little  drill,  and  were  not  w  ell  acquainted  with  each  other,  and 
deserve  very  great  praise  for  going  right  into  the  midst  of  the  rebel  vessels 
and  attacking  them  as  they  did.  When  the  rebel  vessels  moved  down  upon 
the  Minnesota,  on  Sunday  morning,  as  she  was  lying  there  helpless,  this 
little  thing  pushed  right  off  in  the  midst  of  them,  when  she  soon  disappeared 
in  the  smoke.  The  next  that  was  seen,  everything  was  running  away  from 
her,  except  the  Merrimack. 

Question.  What  is  the  size  of  the  Monitor  compared  to  that  of  the  Merri 
mack  ? 

Answer.  In  tonnage  she  is  about  one-fifth  the  size  of  the  Merrimack.  She 
will  be  handled  the  next  time  with  a  great  deal  more  rapidity  than  she  was 
this  time.  But  the  Merrimack  has  got  warning  of  the  customer  she  has  to 
deal  with,  and  they  will  resort  to  every  means  they  have  to  render  them 
selves  more  formidable.  The  engines  of  the  Monitor  are  now  being  increased 
so  that  with  them  they  can  get  a  knot  and  a  half  more  speed  out  of  her. 
Even  now  she  can  be  handled  more  easily  than  the  Merrimack. 

By  Mr.  Chandler: 

Question.  Why  did  not  she  follow  the  Merrimack  ? 

Answer.  She  was  disabled  herself,  and  it  was  not  known  to  what  extent. 
The  pilot-house  is  only  a  log-cabin  of  iron  logs  twelve  inches  thick.  The 
man  who  was  steering  and  the  captain  were  standing  in  the  pilot-house, 
looking  out,  and  one  of  the  rifle  shots  struck  right  in  front  of  his  eyes.  It 
broke  one  of  the  12-inch  logs  of  iron,  and  threw  down  the  plate,  and  disabled 
the  captain.  It  was  feared  his  eyes  were  gone  entirely.  The  more  vul 
nerable  part  of  the  vessel  being  apparently  very  much  injured,  they  hauled 
off  to  see  what  the  damage  was.  The  Merrimack  hauled  off  too,  and  went 
off  up  to  Norfolk.  My  impression  is  that  but  for  that  unfortunate  shot,  dis- 


TESTIMONY  419 

abling  the  captain,  in  whom  the  crew  had  great  confidence,  he  would  have 
demolished  the  Merrimack  entirely.  She  was  evidently  leaking  very  badly 
when  she  went  off,  while  the  Monitor,  except  the  damage  to  that  pilot-house, 
was  entirely  uninjured. 

By  the  chairman: 

Question.  What  is  this  pilot-house  ? 

Answer.  It  is  a  square  house  of  iron  logs  twelve  inches  through.  One  of 
the  logs  was  broke,  the  plate  was  thrown  out  of  place,  and  they  did  not 
know  but  what  the  next  shot  might  knock  the  whole  thing  off,  and  then  it 
would  be  gone.  I  told  Mr.  Ericsson  that  he  ought  to  make  it  round,  but  he 
thought  it  was  strong  enough  to  resist  any  shot.  They  are  now  building 
an  inclined  wood-work  of  heavy  timber  around  it  and  covering  it  with  iron. 
That  was  probably  completed  day  before  yesterday.  Mr.  Ericsson  was  told 
about  making  it  round,  but  he  said  no  balls  could  break  it,  and  it  did  not 
break  but  one  piece.  We  have  ordered  Mr.  Ericsson  to  go  ahead  and  build 
six  ILOFO  as  soon  as  he  possibly  can,  and  they  will  be  great  improvements 
upon  this  one,  and  carry  15-inch  guns. 

Question.  It  was  said  that  cast-iron  instead  of  wrought-iron  shot  were 
used,  for  fear  the  latter  would  burst  the  guns. 

Answer.  That  is  true.  The  wrought-iron  shot  weighs  185  pounds,  and  the 
cast-iron  shot  about  169  pounds,  and  as  those  shot  did  not  break  on  the 
Merrimack  there  was  no  advantage  in  using  the  wrought-iron  shot. 

Question.  They  did  not  break  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir;  they  glanced  off. 

Question.  We  understood  that  upon  the  trial  the  cast-iron  shot  broke  ? 

Answer.  So  it  will  when  fired  against  a  perpendicular  wall.  These  11- 
inch  guns  are  shell  guns,  and  85  or  86  of  the  wrought-iron  shot  make  the 
weight  of  the  gun.  It  is  not  safe  to  fire  from  a  gun  a  shot  of  more  than 
one  one  hundred  and  fiftieth  part  of  the  weight  of  the  gun;  if  the  gun  should 
burst  in  there  we  would  lose  the  vessel,  and  it  is  too  great  a  risk  to  under 
take.  The  officer  in  command  of  her  now,  one  of  the  most  excellent  officers 
in  the  navy,  told  me  down  there  that  at  the  last  pinch  he  thought  he  should 
put  in  a  wrought-iron  shpt.  But  Captain  Dahlgren  yesterday  received  a 
letter  from  him  in  which  he  wrote  that,  upon  thinking  the  matter  over,  he 
had  concluded  that  it  was  too  great  a  risk  to  do  so.  Captain  Dahlgren 
has  sent  him  down  a  brown  shot,  which  weighs  no  more  than  a  cast-iron 
shot,  and  will  not  crumble;  the  two  have  been  tested  with  a  steam  trip 
hammer,  and  while  the  cast-iron  shot  at  one  blow  was  broken  all  to  flinders, 
nine  blows  of  the  trip-hamrner  only  crushed  the  brown  shot.  These  guns 
are  intended  to  fire  shell  mostly,  and  are  not  constructed  for  solid  shot — 
though  solid  shot  are  fired  from  them  sometimes  when  occasion  demands  it; 
but  when  we  do  so  we  are  not  sure  but  the  gun  will  give  away  at  any 
moment,  and  that  would  probably  blow  the  tower  off. 

Question.  You  say  you  were  expecting  the  Merrimack  there  some  time 
before  she  came  out  ? 

Answer.  When  Commodore  Goldsborough  came  back  I  heard  him  remark 
to  Captain  Van  Brunt,  "I  only  got  your  letter  a  day  or  two  ago,  in  which 
you  write  that  you  were  sick  and  tired  of  waiting  for  the  Merrimack,  and 
hoped  she  would  come  out." 

Question.  They  thought  they  were  able  to  cope  with  her  ? 

Answer.  I  have  no  doubt  we  could  have  done  so,  but  for  the  fact  that  she 
took  us  at  a  disadvantage  when  the  tide  was  low,  and  we  had  no  steam- 
tugs  ready.  The  Secretary  of  the  Navy  has  written  down  to  Commodore 
Goldsborough  to  inquire  what  directions  he  had  given,  and  what  had  been 
neglected  on  the  part  of  the  officers  he  had  left  behind.  All  I  know  is  that 


420  TESTIMONY. 

the  commodore  remarked  to  me  that  he  had  given  orders  that  those  vessels 
at  Newport  News  should  never  be  left  without  a  tug  to  manage  them,  should 
the  Merrirnack 'come  out. 

Question.  They  were  left  without  those  tugs  ? 

Answer.  So  I  understand. 

Question.  Who  was  in  fault  in  that  ? 

Answer.  The  senior  officer  down  there,  in  the  absence  of  Commodore 
Goldsborough,  is  Captain  Marston,  of  the  Roanoke. 

By  Mr.  Chandler: 

Question.  Have  you  ever  ascertained  the  force  of  the  enemy  at  Norfolk  ? 
Answer.  I  was  told  at  Old   Point  that  they  bad  15,000  men  at  Norfolk, 
and  it  was  believed  18,000  men  on  the  York  peninsula. 

By  the  chairman: 

Question.  Do  you  think  of  anything  else  material  that  you  desire  to  state  ? 

Answer.  I  do  not  know  that  there  is,  except  that  1  do  not  think  we  have 
been  sufficiently  alive  to  the  power  of  these  iron-clad  vessels.  And  I  think 
that  both  ourselves  and  the  country  at  large  have  got  a  lesson  that  we 
have  needed.  I  am  willing  to  take  my  share  of  it.  I  do  not  know  how  we 
should  have  got  it  but  for  this  affair — as  it  terminated.  If  we  had  been 
successful  we  should  have  slept  in  fancied  security  for  the  next  twenty-five 
years,  but  for  some  such  disaster  hereafter. 

Question.  Is  the  Merrimack  a  sea-going  vessel  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir.     It  is  utterly  impossible  for  her  to  go  to  sea, 

'Question.  What  is  your  opinion  of  the  European  iron-clad  vessels  ?  Are 
'they  sea-going  vessels  ? 

Answer.  It  has  been  denied  that  the  Warrior  is  a  sea-going  vessel  But 
fl  -see  that  Lord  Paget,  one  of  the  admiralty,  has  stated  in  Parliament  that 
the  reports  of  her  commander  speak  of  her  in  the  highest  terms  of  praise, 
.  saying  that  she  behaved  perfectly  in  the  most  terrific  weather.  They  are 
i laying  down  a  large  number  of  these  vessels,  and  are  laying  down  vessels 
very  similar  to  this  one  of  ours;  that  is,  vessels  with  cupolas,  circular 
.towers. 

Question.  Is  this  vessel,  the  Monitor,  different  from  their  ships  ? 

Answer.  Entirely. 

*  Question.  She  is  a  new  invention  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir  ;  she  is  a  perfect  mechanism  throughout. 

Question.  Did  you  say  they  were  building  the  like  of  her  in  Europe  ? 

Answer.  This  revolving  tower  is  nothing  new.  It  has  been  experimented 
'upon  in  England  for  a  year  and  a  half,  and  was  found  to  answer  admirably; 
but  it  was  believed*  by  them  that  it  could  not  be  turned  at  sea.  But  there 
is  nothing  in  the  experiments  abroad,  that  I  have  seen,  that  indicates  a 
•vessel  similar  to  Ericsson's.  His  vessel,  as  against  cannon  now  used,  is 
absolutely  invulnerable. 

By  Mr.  Chandler  : 

Question.  What  would  be  the  effect  of  one  of  these  fifteen-inch  solid  shot 
mpon  her? 

Answer.  It  would  probably  knock  her  all  to  pieces  ;  that  is  what  we  will 
come  to  at  last;  we  will  probably  go  on  until  we  have  guns  that  will  throw 
shot  of  a  ton  weight,  until  we  shall  have  guns  so  large  that  no  vessel  can  be 
built  that  will  be  protected  against  the  shot.  A  fifteen-inch  solid  shot  would 
knock  the  tower  of  the  Monitor  all  to  pieces.  This  one  hundred-pound  bolt 
that  struck  the  tower  went  four  and  a  half  inches  into  the  solid  iron,  and  left 
the. head  of  it  sticking  in  there. 


TESTIMONY.  421 

By  the  chairman  : 

Question.  Did  the  bolt  break  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir  ;  all  except  the  head,  which  was  left  sticking  in.  If 
it  had  been  a  steel  bolt  it  would,  probably,  have  gone  right  through. 

By  Mr.  C handler  : 

Question.   It  was  a. rifled  shot? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir  ;  they  all  have  a  brass  fuse  in  the  end.  We  found  the 
one  belonging  to  this  shot.  The  Monitor  was  struck  twenty-three  times, 
and  this  was  "the  greatest  indentation  that  was  made. 

Question.  What  is  the  reason  you  cannot  mount  one  of  these  15-inch 
guns  in  the  tower  ? 

Answer.  It  can  be  done.  We  have  a  fifteen-inch  gun  at  Hampton  Roads, 
which  could  be  fitted  in  there  if  the  tower  had  been  made  in  Mew  York 
especially  for  it,  but  the  tower  now  would  have  to  be  all  taken  apart  to  get 
it  in.  They  are  going  to  make  all  the  others  for  fifteen-inch  guns,  and  have 
the  towers  twelve  inches  thick  ;  this  one  is  seven  inches. 

By  the  chairman  : 

Question.  How  long  do  they  suppose  it  will  take  to  get  these  vessels  out  ? 

Answer.  It  will  take  four  months  to  get  the  first  one  out,  but  if  we  can 
get  rid  of  this  Merrimack  with  this  little  Monitor,  they  would  have  no  hesita 
tion  in  taking  the  Monitor  right  into  Charleston. 

Question.  Have  we  any  more  iron-clad  vessels  ? 

Answer.  We  have  another  nearly  ready;  it  will  be  ready  in  about  ten  days. 

Question.  Where  is  that  ?     In  Boston  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir  ;  in  Mystic,  Connecticut. 

By  Mr.  Chandler  : 

Question.  Those  now  being  built  are  different  from  this  Monitor  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  The  one  at  Mystic  is  more  like  an  ordinary  vessel, 
plated  with  iron,  with  masts,  to  go  to  sea  with  a  crew.  It  is  not  invulnerable 
as  the  Monitor  is. 

By  Mr.  Wright : 

Question.  What  is  the  cost  of  the  Monitor  ? 

Answer.  She  cost  the  government  $275,000,  and  the  builders  say  they 
have  lost  $25,000  on  her.  These  vessels  can  be  stopped  from  going  into  a 
harbor  by  stretching  ropes  or  seines  across,  for  the  propeller  would  suck 
them  right  in,  and  get  them  all  wound  around  it,  and  would  have  to  go  into 
dock  to  get  cleared  of  them.  I  suggested  to  Mr.  Ericsson  to  enclose  his 
propeller  entirely  in  an  iron  netting  with  large  meshes,  which  would  pre 
vent  any  such  thing  as  that. 


PROTECTING  REBEL  PROPERTY. 


IN  THE  HOUSE  OF  REPRESENTATIVES,  June  16,  1862. 
On  motion  of  Mr  Wilson  the  following  preamble  and  resolution  were  adopted  : 

Whereas  a  communication,  dated  Front  Royal,  Virginia,  June  7,  1862,  was 
published  in  the  New  York  Tribune  of  June  14th  instant,  containing  the  fol 
io  wing  statements  and  charges,  viz  : 


422  TESTIMONY. 

"  During  the  week  our  men  suffered  severely.  I  never  before  knew  what  it 
was  to  be  without  shelter  for  days  and  nights  in  a  terrible  storm,  without  food 
and  without  the  means  to  procure  it.  Men  and  horses  were  completely  ex 
hausted.  Although  the  storm  is  now  over,  the  sun  shining,  and  everything 
presenting  a  cheerful  appearance,  we  are  even  yet  unable  to  procure  the  neces 
saries  of  life  for  man  and  beast,  while  there  is  plenty  here  belonging  to  the 
rebels  in  arms,  carefully  guarded  by  our  own  men,  but  no  one  permitted  to  take 
a  particle.  I  do  know  where  there  is  a  commissary  store  belonging  to  the  rebels, 
very  near  our  late  camping  ground,  with  corn,  bacon,  &c.,  which  our  commis 
saries  were  not  permitted  to  touch,  but  which  was  carefully  guarded  by  our  own 
soldiers,  while  our  own  division  was  in  great  danger  of  mutiny  by  reason  of 
starvation.  Rebel  corn  can  be  procured  here  in  abundance,  and  also  bacon, 
flour,  &c.  Yet  our  orders  are  that  it  shall  not  be  touched.  Now,  if  I  were  in 
my  own  sweet  home,  and  would  read  of  such  warfare  here  in  this  hot-bed  of 
treason,  I  would  not  believe  it.  But  I  ain  here  and  see  it  for  myself,  and  I 
affirm  that  it  is  true.  Nor  is  this  all.  I  believe  that  the  160  rebel  prisoners 
confined  here  are  now  better  fed  and  cared  for  than  our  own  brave  soldiers. 
Almost  every  rebel  house  in  Front  Royal  is  guarded  by  our  soldiers,  while  the 
inmates  freely  express  their  contempt  for  our  government,  and  some  of  them 
demand  nothing  less  than  gold  and  silver,  and  enormous  prices,  for  their  bread 
and  meat.  In  a  word,  everything  that  can  be  done  for  the  benefit  and  comfort 
of  our  enemies  seems  to  be  done,  while  our  own  soldiers  must  put  up  with  what 
they  get,  which  is  about  half  rations,  little  or  no  shelter,  and  forced  marches 
through  storm  and  mud,  day  and  night."  Therefore  be  it — 

Resolved,  That  the  select  committee  on  the  conduct  of  the  war  be  instructed 
to  make  inquiry  of  and  concerning  the  truth  of  said  statements  and  charges, 
and  report  to  this  House  as  soon  as  practicable  the  result  of  such  inquiry,  with 
such  recommendations  in  the  premises  as  in  the  judgment  of  the  committee  the 
public  interests  may  require.  And  if  said  allegations  be  true,  that  the  committee 
report  to  this  House  the  name  of  the  commanding  officer  of  such  troops. 

Attest : 

EM.  ETHERIDGE,  Clerk. 


WASHINGTON,  July  21,  1862. 

B.  H.  MORSE  sworn  and  examined. 
By  Mr.  Gooch : 

Question.  What  is  your  rank  and  position  in  the  army  1 

Answer.  I  have  no  rank,  though  I  am  called  major.  I  have  been  in  the 
government  employ  since  the  first  day  of  April  last,  in  the  valley  along  the 
Manassas  Gap  railroad.  My  business  has  been  the  collecting  of  and  sending 
in  to  the  government  abandoned  rebel  property  all  through  upon  the  line  of 
railroad  commencing  at  Manassas. 

Question.  State  what  you  have  been  doing  ] 

Answer.  I  have  been  collecting  abandoned  rebel  property.  In  the  first  place 
I  collected  all  the  property  that  could  be  got  hold  of,  that  was  left  there  by  the 
rebels  when  they  evacuated  that  place. 

Question.  Under  whose  orders  have  you  been  acting  ? 

Answer.  In  the  first  place  I  was  acting  under  the  orders  of  Colonel  Baker, 
the  special  agent  of  the  War  Department ;  and  after  he  got  through  I  acted 
nnder  the  order  of  Captain  Ferguson,  quartermaster. 

Question.  Under  whose  orders  was  Captain  Ferguson  acting  ? 

Answer.  Under  Quartermaster  General  Meigs.     I  have  taken  this  ground. 


TESTIMONY.  423 

as  I  have  been  upon  that  line  of  railroad,  under  instructions,  wherever  I  found 
a  farm  that  was  abandoned,  or  the  property  simply  left  in  the  hands  of  an 
overseer;  or,  as  was  the  case  in  many  instances,  a  negro  would  be  left  upon 
the  place,  and  all  the  property  would  be  left  in  his  charge,  while  the  owner 
was  in  the  southern  army,  my  instructions  have  been  to  take  that  property  and 
send  it  in  to  the  government ;  horses,  cattle,  sheep,  hogs,  grain,  personal  property. 
In  most  cases,  where  we  find  property  in  that  situation,  if  it  is  left  long  it  is  all 
taken  away  and  scattered,  so  that  we  can  get  nothing.  If  we  could  get  at  it  in  a 
short  time  after  the  army  has  left  we  could  sometimes  get  pretty  large  amounts. 
A  Captain  Fletcher,  who  lives  very  near  Upperville,  was  killed  at  the  battle 
of  Front  Royal.  I  visited  his  place,  after  consulting  with  General  Geary,  and 
found  Go  head  of  cattle  there  and  800  bushels  of  wheat,  and  various  things,  all 
amounting  to  some  $3,000  or  $4,000.  And  I  was  about  to  visit  the  place  of 
John  A.  Washington,  who  was  killed  in  battle  some  time  ago.  His  wife  is 
dead,  and  his  property  is  left  in  the  hands  of  an  overseer  there.  But  I  received 
a  summons  from  General  McDowell  to  report  myself  at  Manassas,  at  his  head 
quarters  there.  I  reported  to  him  immediately,  the  day  before  yesterday.  He 
took  the  ground  that  all  property  that  was  left  in  the  hands  of  an  overseer,  no 
matter  whether  a  white  man  or  a  negro,  the  government  should  not  touch ;  and 
that  if  they  called  for  a  guard  they  were  to  have  the  property  protected.  He 
requested  me  to  desist  from  any  further  operations  until  I  had  seen  him  further 
about  it,  in  the  course  of  two  or  three  days ;  so  that  my  operations  now  in 
that  neighborhood  have  ceased.  I  have  a  drove  of  cattle  coming  in  from  there, 
which  I  took,  and  which  will,  probably,  be  in  to-night.  I  think,  108  head.  I 
have  been  very  careful,  and  endeavored  not  to  touch  any  property  unless  it 
was  in  such  a  situation  that  there  could  be  no  question  about  it. 

Question.  You  mean  the  property  of  rebels  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir,  abandoned  rebel  property ;  the  property  of  those  who  are 
voluntarily  in  arms;  those  who  have  accepted  office  under  the  southern  con 
federacy,  or  who  have  been  fighting  against  us. 

Question.  Have  you  been  acting  under  these  instructions :  that,  wherever  you 
found  that  parties  had  left  their  property  and  gone  into  the  rebel  service  as 
officers,  arid  have  left  their  property  in  charge  of  overseers,  you  have  taken  it 
for  the  use  of  the  government'? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Do  you  keep  an  account  of  the  property  taken  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  and  if  any  of  the  parties  require  receipts — that  is,  the 
heirs  of  the  property,  for  instance — I  give  receipts  in  the  usual  manner,  to  be 
accounted  for  after  the  close  of  the  war,  if  they  prove  their  loyalty. 

Question.  And  your  instructions  from  General  McDowell  prohibited  your 
pursuing  that  course  any  further  until  further  orders  ? 

Answer.  He  stopped  me ;  but  the  quartermaster  under  whom  I  act  thinks  I 
ought  to  go  on  and  perform  my  duty  the  same  as  I  have  done.  There  is  a  very 
large  amount  of  property  in  that  section.  It  is  a  rich  country,  and  there  is 
any  quantity  of  grain  there. 

By  Mr.  Covode : 

Question.  Is  there  enough  there  to  feed  our  army  ? 

Answer.  There  is  enough  there  to  feed  any  number  of  men;  and  it  is  a  great 
temptation  to  the  enemy  to  come  back  there  and  possess  themselves  of  that  prop 
erty,  if  for  no  other  purpose;  and  I  am  satisfied  they  will  attempt  to  do  so,  if  they 
are  short  of  food  where  they  are.  The  secessionists  who  live  there  are  very 
sanguine  that  will  be  done,  I  can  assure  you.  The  Union  people  who  live  in 
Front  Royal,  and  in  that  vicinity,  are  moving  their  families  away  from  there 
because  they  do  not  dare  to  live  there  now.  Three  families  came  down  on  the 
train  that  I  came  down  on  yesterday ;  they  dare  not  stay  there  any  longer. 


424  TESTIMONY. 

The  residents  there  say  that  Jackson  will  very  soon  be  back  there,  within  a  very 
few  days,  surely ;  and  that,  too,  seems  to  be  the  opinion  of  the  officers  and 
soldiers  with  whom  I  have  talked. 

By  Mr.  Odell: 

Question.  That  he  will  come  back  ? 
Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Gooch : 

Question.  Do  you  think  of  anything  else  you  can  communicate  to  us  in  con 
nexion  with  your  operations,  except  what  you  have  already  stated  ? 

Answer.  I  can  only  state  what  I  have  seen  through  the  lines.  There  is  very 
great  dissatisfaction  among  the  Union  people,  and  among  our  officers  and  men, 
with  the  course  pursued  by  General  McDowell  in  that  section  of  country  1 

Question.  In  what  respect  ? 

Answer.  They  say  that  he  presses  very  hard  upon  the  Union  portion  of  the 
community,  not  fearing  to  tax  them  to  any  extent  as  he  passes  through,  while 
he  protects  the  property  of  rabid  secessionists  there.  That  is  the  general  speech 
of  the  people  there.  There  seems  to  be  but  one  opinion  about  it. 

Question.  Do  you  know,  of  your  own  knowledge,  in  relation  to  it,  whether 
that  be  true  or  not  1 

Answer.  I  do  not  know  except  what  people  have  told  me,  because  I  have  not 
come  in  direct  connexion  with  General  McDowell,  except  in  regard  to  my  own 
matters. 

Question.  Do  you  know  of  the  property  of  General  Ashby  being  protected 
there,  day  and  night  1 

Answer.  I  stayed  at  that  house  three  nights  ago.  That  property  has  now  all 
been  taken  away  and  scattered.  There  were  but  four  head  of  cattle  there,  which 
I  took  possession  of,  or  left  directions  that  it  should  be  done. 

By  Mr.  Gooch: 

Question.  Do  you  know  where  that  property  has  been  taken  ? 

Answer.  By  the  soldiers  and  people  who  have  been  along  there. 

Question.  By  our  soldiers  or  theirs  ? 

Answer.  By  our  soldiers,  who  happen  to  get  at  it.  This  very  property  which 
General  McDowell  pretends  to  protect  as  he  passes  through,  after  his  army  is 
gone,  is  taken  by  irresponsible  persons,  who  step  in  and  take  it,  and  use  it  as 
they  think  proper. 

Question.  What  do  you  mean  by  "irresponsible  persons?" 

Answer.  I  mean  persons  who  have  no  business  to  take  it.  Our  own  soldiers 
do  it  as  well  as  Jackson's  soldiers. 

Question.  Jackson  forages  for  his  army  as  he  goes  along  1 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  I  know  he  does,  because  he  took  a  large  amount  of  prop 
erty  during  his  late  raid  up  there. 

By  Mr.  Covode : 

Question.  He  has  no  heavy  trains  with  him ;  does  not  haul  his  supplies  with 
him? 

Answer   No,  sir. 

Question.  Were  you  there  at  the  time  that  General  Geary  fell  back  1 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  What  do  you  know  about  the  amount  of  property  destroyed  on 
that  retreat  ?  > 

Answer.  The  amount  that  was  destroyed  was  by  the  104th  New  York  regi 
ment  at  Broad  Run.  I  did  know  something  near  what  was  destroyed  there. 
The  value  of  the  property  was  less  than  $3,000. 


TESTIMONY.  425 

Question.  Do  you  know  anything  about  new  cases  of  arms  or  guns  being 
destroyed  ? 

Answer.  I  was  told  at  the  time  that  there  was  something  like  twenty  guns 
destroyed  there  that  had  been  condemned. 

Question.  Was  there  any  occasion,  so  far  as  you  could  see,  for  the  destruction 
of  that  property  ? 

Answer.  There  was  no  occasion,  in  my  opinion.  General  Geary  himself  told 
me  that  the  train  was  there  long  enough  for  them  to  have  loaded  everything  on 
the  train,  and  he  felt  very  bad  that  that  was  not  done.  His  own  regiment  had 
everything  prepared,  and  they  saved  everything  on  that  retreat.  This  other 
regiment  came  in  there,  and  was  not  under  his  command  over  ten  hours. 

Question.  Was  there  any  occasion  for  a  retreat  at  all  ? 

Answer.  That  I  do  not  know.  I  supposed  it  was  done  under  orders.  I  sent 
teams  myself  from  Manassas  up  to  Gainesville  to  get  all  the  baggage  of  the 
12th  Pennsylvania  cavalry,  who  were  stationed  all  along  there,  and  bring  the 
property  down  for  fear  there  might  be  something  left. 


WASHINGTON,  July  2,  1862. 
Captain  FREDERICK  MYERS  sworn  and  examined. 
By  Mr.  Gooch : 

Question.  What  is  your  position  and  rank  in  the  army  1 

Answer.  I  am  in  the  quartermaster's  department,  with  the  rank  of  captain. 

Question.  Under  whom  have  you  been  serving  of  late  ? 

Answer.  Since  the  16th  of  April  last  I  have  been  serving  under  General 
McDowell,  as  chief  quartermaster  of  the  department  of  the  Rappahannock. 

Question.  Do  you  know  the  course  of  policy  pursued  by  General  McDowell 
in  relation  to  the  property  of  rebels  in  that  department  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir  ;  in  a  great  measure,  since  I  have  been  with  him. 

Question.  Will  you  state  to  the  committee  what  it  has  been,  so  far  as  you 
know  ? 

Answer.  His  instructions  to  me  have  been  always  to  take  what  property  the 
government  required,  giving  receipts  to  the  proprietor,  to  the  effect  that  such 
property  had  been  taken  •  and  to  allow  no  person  to  take  it  except  regularly 
authorized  agents  of  the  quartermaster's  and  commissary's  departments. 

Question.  Wherever  you  have  found  rebel  property  which  was  needed  for  the 
army,  in  such  quantities  that  you  could  take  a  portion  of  it,  arid  still  leave  the 
owners  enough  to  provide  for  their  present  subsistence,  has  that  property  been 
taken  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  and  at  times  we  have  exceeded  that.  On  one  occasion, 
I  now  recollect,  I  was  forced  to  give  orders  to  take  the  property,  where  we 
were  not  leaving  enough  to  feed  the  family  there ;  but  I  promised  that  if  I 
could  I  would  return  a  portion  to  them.  It  was  100  barrels  of  corn ;  and  the 
man  begged  me  not  to  take  it ;  but  I  had  to  take  it. 

Question.  Have  you  known  of  any  instance  where  corn,  or  grain  of  any  kind, 
in  large  quantities,  has  been  guarded  for  a  time  by  our  troops,  and  then  left  in 
the  possession  of  the  rebels  1 

Answer.  No,  sir.  I  know  of  but  two  cases  where  there  was  any  large  quan 
tity,  and  that  has  been  taken.  I  mean  by  large  quantities,  3,000  or  4,000 
bushels. 

Question.  I  mean  where  there  has  been  any  considerable  quantity,  more  than 
enough  for  the  subsistence  of  the  family  ? 

Answer.  Xo,  sir;  I  do  not.     I  know  of  no  protection,  except  to  growing 


426  TESTIMONY. 

crops  that  we  might  want  ourselves.  In  such  cases,  and  for  that  purpose,  we 
have  tried  to  save  the  fences.  The  understanding  was  with  General  McDowell 
and  myself,  and,  I  believe,  with  his  officers,  that  we  might  need  those  growing 
crops  ourselves,  and  that  we  better  save  them.  The  grass  and  clover  we  did 
not  view  as  growing  crops,  and  we  used  them  wherever  we  found  them ;  and 
the  fences  around  the  fields  also,  when  we  required  them. 

Question.  How  long  were  you  at  Fredericksburg  ? 

Answer.  I  thing  we  arrived  there  on  the  evening  of  the  22d  of  April,  and  we 
left  there  about  the  23d  or  24th  of  May. 

Question.  Who  was  the  military  governor  of  Fredericksburg  ? 

Answer.  General  Patrick. 

Question.  Was  he  military  governor  all  the  time  you  were  there  1 

Answer.  I  will  not  be  certain.  That  information  does  not  come  in  my  office 
exactly.  I  think  that  when  we  expected  to  move  on  Richmond,  the  order  was 
for  General  Doubleday  to  relieve  General  Patrick.  That,  I  think,  was  either 
the  day  we  left  there,  or  the  day  previous.  Whether  or  not  he  did  relieve 
General  Patrick,  I  do  not  know. 

Question.  Do  you  know  what  was  done  in  pursuance  of  that  order  ? 

Answer.  I  do  not. 

Question.  Do  you  know  whether  General  Doubleday  ever  took  up  his  quar 
ters  in  Fredericksburg? 

Answer.  I  do  not. 

Question.  Do  you  know  whether  or  not  General  Patrick,  after  General  Double- 
day  had  been  ordered  to  relieve  him,  resumed  his  position  of  military  governor 
there  ? 

Answer.  Not  unless  he  has  done  so  since  he  went  back  there  again.  He  went 
back,  I  think,  a  week  or  ten  days  ago. 

Question.  Do  you  know  whether  General  Doubleday  ever  acted  as  military 
governor  of  Fredericksburg  1 

Answer.  I  do  not  know  it  personally.  I  heard  that  he  was  left  behind  as 
governor. 

Question.  You  do  not  know  how  long  he  may  have  acted  as  such  military 
governor  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir ;  I  do  not.  The  understanding  was  that  he  was  to  be  mili 
tary  governor  when  General  Patrick  should  leave  ;  and  when  General  Patrick 
did  leave  it  was  supposed  that  General  Doubleday  was  military  governor. 

Question.  During  your  service  under  General  McDowell  did  you  observe  any 
disposition  or  desire  on  his  part  to  protect  rebel  property  for  the  sake  of  leaving 
it  again  in  the  possession  of  rebels? 

Answer.  No,  sir ;  I  never  saw  anything  of  that  kind. 

Question.  Do  you  know  what  his  orders  have  been  in  relation  to  restraining 
the  soldiers  under  his  command  from  committing  depredations  ? 

Answer.  I  could  not  tell  you  the  wording  of  the  order ;  it  was  an  order  in 
which  he  said  they  would  be  severely  dealt  with  for  anything  of  the  kind. 

Question.  Are  those  orders  any  more  stringent  than  are  necessary  for  the 
wholesome  police  regulation  and  discipline  of  the  army  1 

Answer.  No,  sir.  I  always  supposed  those  orders  were  for  the  purpose  of 
promoting  and  preserving  the  discipline  of  the  army,  and  that  the  proper  men 
in  each  department  would  take  whatever  was  necessary. 

Question.  Will  you  state  what  you  know  with  reference  to  what  passed  be 
tween  General  McDowell  and  a  Mr.  Morse — a  man  said  to  have  been  acting  as 
an  agent  for  the  government  in  collecting  rebel  property  ? 

Answer.  It  was  reported  to  me  that  Mr.  Morse  was  taking  rebel  property  of 
all  kinds.  I  saw  him,  or  his  agent,  with  a  large  flock  of  sheep  ;  and  it  was  re 
ported  to  the  chief  commissary,  Captain  Sanderson,  that  some  of  those  sheep 
had  been  disposed  of.  I  asked  who  this  Mr.  Morse  was,  and  was  told  that  he 


TESTIMONY.  427 

was  an  officer  in  the  employ  of  the  government,  in  the  quartermaster's  depart 
ment.  I  asked  him  to  report  to  me  personally,  and  he  said  that  he  was  acting 
under  orders  of  Captain  Ferguson,  quartermaster.  He  showed  me  his  orders, 
and  I  took  them  in  to  General  McDowell ;  General  McDowell  read  them,  and 
told  me  to  direct  Mr.  Morse  not  to  take  any  more  property  until  he  could  com 
municate  with  the  Secretary  of  War,  as  he  wished  to  know  the  operations  of  all 
officers  in  his  department,  and  the  authority  by  which  they  were  there.  He 
directed  him  to  remain  there  until  he  could  telegraph  to  the  Secretary  of  War 
about  it.  It  was  that  same  day  that  General  McDowell  got  hurt,  and  I  have 
heard  nothing  more  on  the  subject. 

Question.  Did  you  consider  that  the  course  pursued  by  this  Mr.  Morse  was 
irregular  ? 

Answer.  In  some  cases  I  did.  In  the  case  of  taking  property  and  selling  it 
on  the  road — I  considered  that  irregular.  In  one  case  where  a  horse  was  stolen, 
taken  out  of  a  plough,  it  was  taken  to  him,  and,  instead  of  its  being  turned  over 
to  the  government,  I  found  it  in  the  hands  of  a  restaurant  keeper. 

Question.  Had  it  been  sold  to  him1? 

Answer.  I  do  not  know  whether  it  had  been  sold  to  him  or  not.  I  did  not 
make  any  inquiries  about  that.  It  was  in  the  hands  of  a  restaurant  keeper, 
who  at  first  refused  to  give  it  up,  but  was  directed  to  do  so.  I  thought  it  was 
very  irregular  for  property  to  be  taken  in  the  name  of  the  government  and  then 
be  sold  to  private  individuals. 

Question.  Who  is  Captain  Ferguson? 

Answer.  He  is  depot  quartermaster  at  Alexandria.  These  things  that  were 
sold  did  not  belong  to  my  department,  but  to  the  commissary  department. 
What  was  done  with  them  I  do  not  know. 


WASHINGTON,  July  15,  1862. 
Colonel  HERMAN  HAUPT  sworn  and  examined. 

By  Mr.  Covode: 

Question.  What  connexion  have  y*ou  had  with  the  army  ? 

Answer.  I  am  a  colonel  on  the  staff  of  General  McDowell,  and  chief  of  con 
struction  and  transportation. 

Question.  When  did  your  connexion  with  the  army  commence,  and  what 
services  have  you  rendered? 

Answer.  I  was  telegraphed  about  the  20th  of  April  to  come  to  Washington, 
and  was  requested  by  the  Secretary  of  War  to  see  General  McDowell,  and  un 
dertake  the  reconstruction  of  the  railroad  between  Aquia  Creek  and  Fredericks- 
burg,  in  order  to  facilitate  some  forward  movements  upon  Richmond.  I  repaired 
to  Aquia  Creek,  where  I  had  an  interview  wilh  General  McDowell,  and  learned 
the  position  of  affairs.  I  found  that  it  was  impossible  for  General  McDowell  to 
advance  until  the  road  between  Aquia  Creek  and  Fredericksburg  was  recon 
structed,  and  the  bridges  on  the  road  rebuilt.  All  the  bridges  between  Fred 
ericksburg  and  Aquia  Creek  had  been  burned ;  three  miles  of  track  had  been 
torn  up  and  the  rails  transported  below  Fredericksburg;  the  cross-ties  placed 
together  in  piles  and  burned,  and  the  wharf  and  buildings  at  Aquia  Creek 
burned  to  the  water's  edge. 

I  commenced  operations  as  soon  as  possible — within  two  or  three  days ;  I  set 
men  at  work  in  the  woods  to  cut  cross-ties,  transported  rails  from  Alexandria ; 
worked  night  and  day,  using  lanterns  at  night,  and  in  three  days  reconstructed 
the  three  miles  of  road,  and  in  about  two  weeks  completed  the  whole  of  the 


428  TESTIMONY. 

road  and  rebuilt  the  bridges  from  Aquia  Creek  to  Falmouth,  opposite  Fredericks- 
burg,  so  as  to  enable  transportation  to  be  commenced. 

During  all  this  time  General  McDowell  was  daily  upon  the  work,  urging  it 
forward  with  all  possible  expedition,  and  inquiring  continually  of  me  whether 
he  could  in  any  way  facilitate  my  operations;  whether  there  was  anything 
which  I  needed  that  it  was  in  his  power  to  supply. 

About  the  time  of  the  completion  of  the  road  to  Fredericksburg  the  greater 
part  of  General  McDowell's  army  was  concentrated  at  Falmouth.  At  that 
time,  or  about  that  time,  Yorktown  was  evacuated,  and  arrangements  had  been 
made  by  General  McDowell,  as  was  understood,  with  the  permission  of  the 
President  and  the  Secretary  of  War,  to  commence  immediately  a  movement 
upon  Richmond  direct  from  Fredericksburg. 

Question.  What  force  had  General  McDowell  at  Fredericksburg  at  that 
time,  with  which  to  move  on  Richmond? 

Answer.  His  force  exceeded  somewhat  40,000,  after  General  Shields's  division 
had  joined  him. 

Question.  Were  you  present  at  any  interview  between  the  President  and 
General  McDowell,  about  that  time] 

Answer.  About  the  28th  of  May  I  was  present  at  General  McDowell's 
headquarters ;  the  President,  the  Secretary  of  War,  and  I  think  the  Secretary 
of  the  Treasury,  were  there.  In  my  presence  General-  McDowell  remarked  to 
the  President  that  Shields's  division  had  joined  him  in  very  bad  condition,  out 
of  shoes,  clothing,  and  ammunition ;  that  he  would  like  very  much  to  move  on 
Saturday,  but  that  he  could  not  possibly  be  ready  on  that  day ;  that  Monday 
was  a  little  too  late.  He  wished  very  much  to  move  on  Sunday,  but  knowing 
the  President's  objections  to  these  Sunday  movements,  he  would  prefer  to  ask 
his  advice  in  regard  to  it.  The  President  said  to  him  that  he  should  make  "a 
good  ready,"  and  start  on  Monday  morning. 

On  Saturday  night  the  bridge  across  the  Massaponax  river,  six  miles  below 
Fredericksburg,  which  had  been  prepared  for  burning  by  the  rebels  for  about 
two  weeks,  was  set  on  fire,  they  being  apparently  informed  of  our  intended 
movements ;  and  the  rebels  retreated,  as  was  understood,  to  a  distance  of  about 
twenty-five  miles  below  Fredericksburg.  Anticipating  this  movement,  we  had 
prepared  a  bridge  ready  to  be  loaded  upon  cars,  which  would  be  thrown  across 
a  stream  in  a  single  day,  or  less  than  a  day,  by  means  of  which  we  expected  to 
advance  to  a  distance  of  twenty-five  miles.  Then  by  forced  marches  the  whole 
of  the  corps  of  General  McDowell  was  to  be  taken  to  Richmond,  where  he  would 
be  able  to  act  in  concert  with  General  McClellan. 

But  on  the  Sunday  after  the  visit  of  the  President  I  received  a  message  re 
questing  me  to  go  immediately  to  headquarters.  I  complied  at  once.  I  found 
General  McDowell  there  very  much  depressed.  He  had  just  received  orders  to 
take  his  whole  force  to  Front  Royal.  He  had  replied  to  the  President  that  it 
would  be  impossible  to  accomplish  the  object  proposed,  the  capture  of  Jackson, 
and  by  attempting  that  he  would  lose  an  exceedingly  favorable  opportunity, 
perhaps  the  most  favorable  opportunity  they  ever  would  have,  of  securing  the 
early  fall  of  Richmond.  But,  nevertheless,  he  would,  of  course,  obey  orders, 
unless  those  orders  were  countermanded,  or  something  to  that  effect.  The  orders 
were  not  countermanded,  and  the  movement  towards  Front  Royal  was  com 
menced  immediately. 

I  was  requested  by  General  McDowell  to  accompany  him.  I  replied  that  I 
could  not  immediately  do  so,  without  leaving  the  transportation  in  great  confu 
sion  ;  that  I  must  first  regulate  the  transportation,  which  would  require  a  day 
or  two,  and  then  I  would  be  with  him. 

I  joined  him  at  Manassas,  two  or  three  days  afterwards.  I  learned  from  him 
that  the  bridges  had  been  burned,  and  a  portion  •  of  the  track  torn  up  on  the 
Manassas  Gap  railroad.  I  sent  for  the  construction  corps,  started  the  same 


TESTIMONY.  '        429 

night  for  Rectortown,  constructed  two  bridges  the  next  day,  Friday,  five  more 
011  Saturday,  and  reached  Front  Royal  about  Sunday  noon,  having  reconstructed 
the  track  on  the  mountains  on  Sunday  morning. 

During  this  time  General  McDowell  had  been  using  every  exertion  to  for 
ward  his  troops  by  forced  inarches,  and  succeeded  in  reaching  Front  Royal,  as 
I  understood  from  him,  one  hour  before  the  time  fixed  by  the  President  for 
him  to  be  there.  When  I  reached  Front  Royal  there  appeared  to  be  an  engage 
ment  going  on ;  frequent  discharges  of  artillery  were  heard ;  and  General  Mc 
Dowell  was  about 'moving  out  with  his  forces,  expecting  a  general  engagement. 
He  requested  nie  to  hurry  on  the  supplies  and  re-enforcements.  I  returned  im 
mediately  on  an  engine,  and  on  the  same  afternoon  I  put  5,000  troops  into  Front 
Royal;  but  they  were  not  needed,  as  Jackson  had  escaped. 

Question.  Had  you  any  conveisation  with  General  McDowell  as  to  army 
movements,  and  as  to  what  was  his  policy  ? 

Answer.  I  had  frequent  conversations  with  him  on  the  subject ;  and  he  was 
always  a  very  decided  advocate  of  vigorous  and  prompt  action. 

Question.  Did  General  McDowell  ever  express  any  unwillingness  to  act 
under,  or  in  concert  with,  General  McClcllan  I 

Answer.  He  always  expressed  a  perfect  willingness  and  a  desire  to  act  in 
concert  with  him.  He  frequently  said  that  he  was  willing  to  act  in  any  capa 
city  whatever,  provided  something  could  be  accomplished.  His  great  desire 
appeared  to  be  to  move  forward  and  act  in  concert  with  General  McClellan  to 
secure  the  fall  of  Richmond.  That  seemed  to  be  his  great  desire,  to  press  for 
ward  and  hurry  the  fall  of  Richmond. 

Question.  Did  you  hear  General  McDowell  say  anything  with  regard  to  his 
movement  up  to  Front  Royal ;  that  he  had,  for  instance,  so  much  further  to 
move  than  Jackson  had  to  retreat  that  there  was  no  chance  to  overtake  him? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  He  said  it  would  be  impossible  for  him  to  overtake  Jack 
son,  as  he  (General  McDowell)  had  nearly  three  times  as  far  to  advance  as 
Jackson  had  to  retreat,  and  consequently  there  would  be  no  possibility  of  over 
taking  him  at  that  point.  And  again  that  it  would  be  very  difficult  for  General 
Fremont  and  himself  to  effect  a  junction  at  the  place  and  time  designated.  He 
felt  confident  that  Jackson  would  escape  before  he  could,  by  any  possibility, 
get  there. 

Question.  What,  in  your  judgment,  would  have  been  the  result  of  an  advance 
by  General  McDowell  upon  Richmond,  at  the  time  he  had  made  his  arrange 
ments  for  such  an  advance  ? 

Answer.  I  have  no  doubt  that  Richmond  would  have  been  taken  within  a 
very  few  days.  General  McClellan's  army  at  that  time  was  probably  50,000 
stronger  than  it  is  at  present,  being  now  wasted  by  casualty  and  disease.  Gen 
eral  McDowell's  force  was  40,000  strong,  and  in  a  very  few  days,  probably  in 
three  or  four  days,  he  could  have  been  in  front  of  Richmond ;  and  the  two 
armies,  acting  in  concert  with  each  other,  would  have  either  caused  Richmond  to 
capitulate,  or  the  rebels  would  have  retreated,  as  on  other  occasions.  We  would 
have  obtained  possession  of  the  city  in  either  case. 

Question.  What  do  you  know  about  the  protection  of  rebel  property  by  order 
of  General  McDowell ;  what  was  his  policy  in  regard  to  that  f 

Answer.  I  am  able  to  speak  confidently  upon  that  subject,  because  I  have 
had  frequent  conversations  with  him  about  it.  The  instructions  given  by  him 
to  his  officers  have  been  to  take  not  only  the  property  of  rebels,  but  any  property 
that  was  necessary  for  the  supply  of  the  army ;  but  that  in  all  cases  it  should 
be  done  by  proper  authority.  He  never  would  permit  individuals  to  straggle 
over  the  country  and  plunder  on  their  own  account,  robbing  farm  houses  and 
insulting  citizens.  He  has  extended  protection  to  those  who  were  defenceless. 
Where  quiet  citizens  have  remained  at  home,  attending  to  the  cultivation  of 
1  their  land,  and  pursuing  their  legitimate  business,  not  in  arms  against  the  gov- 


430  TESTIMONY. 

eminent  hi  any  way,  if  they  have  asked  protection  he  has  generally  allowed  a 
sentinel  to  be  placed  in  their  houses  ;  one  man,  not  a  number  of  men ;  one  man 
staying  there  during  the  whole  time,  not  being  relieved,  so  that  the  number 
required  for  this  service  was  very  small. 

Question.  Do  you  know  of  his  seizing  any  rebel  property  1 
Answer.  A  large  amount  of  corn  was  taken  along  the  line  of  the  road  between 
Aquia  Creek  and  Fredericksburg ;  grain  of  different  kinds.  At  Fredericksburg 
we  took  possession  of  a  foundry  and  machine  shop,  which  was  converted  into  a 
repair  shop  for  the  use  of  the  road  and  the  repair  of  engines  and  cars.  A  track 
was  laid  to  it,  and  it  was  used  for  that  purpose.  He  has  never  hesitated,  that  I 
am  aware  of,  to  take  any  property  which  was  necessary  for  the  use  of  the  army. 
He  gave  orders  to  his  troops  that  they  should  not  tear  down  fences,  and  expose 
growing  crops  of  grain  to  destruction.  The  reason  assigned  for  that  was  that 
we  would  probably  need  that  grain  ourselves ;  and  if  we  starved  the  people 
completely  out,  we  would  probably  have  to  support  them.  In  taking  grain  from 
the  inhabitants  of  the  country,  General  McDowell  directed  that  enough  for  their 
support  should  always  be  left,  and  also  enough  for  seed.  But  in  very  many 
cases,  after  grain  to  that  extent  had  been  taken,  leaving  sufficient  for  the  sup 
port  of  the  families,  individuals  belonging  to  the  army  have  robbed  the  people 
of  everything  that  remained,  leaving  them  without  a  particle  of  food.  This 
occurred  in  numerous  instances  that  came  under  my  own  observation. 


WASHINGTON,  June  20,  1862. 

General  ABNER  DOUBLEDAY  recalled  and  examined. 
By  the  chairman: 

Question.  Will  you  state,  in  your  own  way,  as  briefly  as  you  can  conve 
niently  do  so,  the  course  of  conduct  of  our  generals  and  officers  in  regard  to 
the  protection  of  the  property  of  rebels,  and  their  treatment  of  rebels,  so  far 
as  our  armies  have  gone,  to  the  extent  that  the  same  has  come  to  your 
knowledge  ? 

Answer.  Upon  my  arrival  in  Fredericksburg,  to  report  to  General  Mc 
Dowell  for  duty 

Question.  What  time  was  that  ? 

Answer.  About  the  23d  of  May,  I  should  think 1  received  a  long 

lecture  on  the  necessity  of  doing  my  best  to  conciliate  these  secessionists; 
the  people  about  there,  who  were  said  to  be  all  secessionists.  The  general 
told  me  with  a  great  deal  of  pride  and  satisfaction,  apparently,  that  he  had 
succeeded  in  guarding  and  protecting  their  property  for  a  long  distance 
around  there. 

Question.  The  property  of  these  rebels  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  he  said  that  there  had  been  some  little  disorder,  or  that 
some  fences  had  been  taken  down  by  General  Shields's  brigade.  I  under 
stood  him  to  say  that  he  would  have  Shields's  brigade  rebuild  them,  if  he 
was  going  to  stay  there.  At  that  time  he  supposed  he  was  about  leaving 
for  Richmond.  He  said  that  he  had  sent  men  to  repair  all  around  the  neigh 
borhood  every  fence  that  had  been  taken  down.  He  said  he  thought  the 
leading  rebels  were  not  quite  as  bitter  now  as  they  had  been ;  that  they 
acknowledged  that  he  guarded  their  property  better  than  it  had  been 
guarded  by  their  own  troops;  that  there  was  better  discipline  among  our 
troops,  and  better  guards  around  their  property.  He  then  directed  me  to 
remain  as  military  governor  of  Fredericksburg,  and  to  guard  the  railroad, 
while  he  went  on  to  Richmond  with  his  troops.  He  directed  me  to  go  over 


TESTIMONY  431 

and  see  General  Patrick,  who  was  then  the  military  governor  of  Fredericks- 
burg,  and  get  from  him  such  orders  and  directions  as  he  had  received,  in 
order  that  I  might  be  posted  as  to  the  state  of  affairs  before  entering  upon 
the  discharge  of  my  duties.  I  went  over  to  see  General  Patrick,  but  found 
that  he  was  absent. 

Being  over  there,  and  my  baggage  and  tents  not  having  arrived,  and  as  I 
had  to  reside  in  the  city  of  Fredericksburg,  my  duties  being  there,  I  inquired 
if  there  was  any  house  belonging  to  a  noted  secessionist  who  was  absent, 
fighting  in  the  rebel  army,  that  I  could  take  for  a  temporary  residence.  The 
residence  of  a  Dr.  Carmichael  was  pointed  out  to  me  as  fulfilling  those  con 
ditions.  He  was  at  Richmond,  and  his  son  was  in  the  rebel  army.  They 
had  apparently  abandoned  the  place.  I  went  to  the  house,  and  found  that  a 
woman,  an  interloper,  had  moved  in  the  house  the  day  before.  She  said  she 
had  come  there  to  take  care  of  the  property  for  Dr.  Carmichael.  I  told  her 
that  I  was  coming  in  there  to  stay  a  few  days,  and  I  thought  it  would  be 
more  pleasant  for  her  to  move  elsewhere.  I  told  her  to  lock  up  everything 
particularly  valuable  in  one  room,  and  take  the  key  of  that  room  with  her. 
She  sent  for  her  son,  an  Episcopal  minister  there,  named  Randolph.  He 
came  and  talked  to  us  ;  his  mariner  was  very  offensive  ;  he  gave  us  to  un 
derstand  that  he  was  a  rampant  secessionist.  He  attempted  to  argue  with 
some  members  of  my  staff  about  our  injustice,  or  something  to  that  effect, 
in  bringing  on  this  war.  But  they  set  him  adrift  very  soon  ;  they  gave  him 
some  answers  that  did  not  please  him.  The  next  thing  I  knew  I  found  that 
this  position  of  military  governor  of  Fredericksburg  was  taken  away  from 
me.  I  then  left  the  house,  upon  finding  that  I  was  not  to  stay  there,  and 
crossed  the  river  to  the  north  bank.  After  I  had  left  the  house,  I  received  a 
note  from  General  McDowell,  which  I  considered  a  very  insulting  one — or 
rather  it  was  from  General  King,  but  written  by  order  of  General  Mc 
Dowell — directing  me  to  immediately  leave  that  residence,  and  give  it  up  to 
Mr.  Randolph,  this  secession  minister.  I  mention  this  as  an  instance  of  the 
power  these  secessionists  seem  to  exercise  there.  I  understood  that  he  re 
presented  us  as  having  pillaged  the  house,  carrying  off  bedding,  &c.  I  di 
rected  my  men  not  to  take  anything  away  from  the  house,  except  some  seces 
sion  arms  and  ammunition  which  I  considered  it  dangerous  to  leave  there. 
In  my  interview  with  General  Patrick  to  receive  instructions,  or  rather  to 
obtain  information — I  will  use  that*  expression — in  regard  to  my  duties  as 
military  governor  there,  he  informed  me  that  there  were  some  six  or  seven 
of  the  principal  men  there  who  were  very  bitter  secessionists  ;  that  one  of 
them  in  particular,  named  Brandon,  who  lived  out  between  the  pickets  of 
the  two  armies,  and  who  had  been  protected  by  us,  had  written  several  very 
insulting  letters  to  him.  He  stated  that  when  our  troops  first  came  there 
these  leading  men  were  very  violent  indeed  in  .their  secession  talk  and  lan 
guage  ;  but  he  thought  they  had  begun  to  be  a  little  afraid  now,  and  had 
latterly  quieted  down  somewhat  in  their  expressions. 

Question.  Do  you  know  anything  about  the  detailing  of  our  soldiers  to 
guard  the  premises  of  any  of  these  secessionists  ? 

Answer.  The  soldiers,  in  many  cases,  have  been  utterly  worn  out  with  the 
duty  of  guarding  the  premises  of  secessionists.  I  will  mention  one  case 
which  will  illustrate  this  matter.  Two  soldiers  went  up  to  a  residence 
where  there  is  a  pump  or  well  of  water,  and  asked  for  a  drink.  A  young 
woman  came  out,  and,  pointing  to  the  canal  full  of  dirty  ditch  water,  told 
them  they  might  drink  that  ;  and  abused  and  insulted  them  very  grossly, 
calling  them  contemptible  Yankees,  and  such  narries.  The  soldiers  went  off 
without  making  any  reply.  But  a  guard  was  immediately  detailed  and  sent 
to  the  house  to  guard  the  premises. 

Question.  By  whose  order  was  that  guard  detailed  ? 


432  TESTIMONY 

Answer.  By  order  of  General  Patrick,  who  was  carrying  out  the  orders  of 
General  McDowell  in  the  premises.  The  soldiers  complain  that  while  they 
are  doing  this  duty  of  guarding  secession  houses  and  property  the  secession 
women  insult  them,  drawing  up  their  dresses  as  they  pass  them  ;  and  that 
they  are  obliged  to  listen  to  treasonable  language,  and  the  abuse  of  the 
Yankees  and  their  institutions. 

Question.  Is  there  any  attempt  to  provide  for  the  army,  by  foraging  on 
the  enemy,  or  these  secession  people  there  ? 

Answer.  I  do  not  know  how  that  is.  I  captured  very  heavy  amounts  of 
forage,  which  were  concealed  in  places  in  town  ;  forage  belonging  to  the 
confederate  army,  which  I  thought  might  have  been  taken  before,  had  there 
not  been  such  extreme  delicacy  about  entering  secession  residences.  I 
would  mention  also,  that  although  the  secessionists  whose  farms  are  guarded 
are  apparently  satisfied,  yet,  as  you  cannot  guard  everybody's  farm  without 
consuming  the  entire  army  for  that  purpose,  those  whose  farms  are  not 
guarded  are  loud  in  their  complaints,  and  the  demands  for  sentinels  to 
guard  the  houses  of  these  secessionists,  in  almost  every  case,  come,  not  in 
the  form  of  a  request,  but  in  the  form  of  exceedingly  insulting  demands. 

Question.  Is  any  regard  paid  to  these  insulting  demands  to  have  guards 
detailed  for  that  purpose  ? 

Answer.  I  did  not  pay  any  regard  to  them.  I  have  understood,  however, 
that  the}7  have  been  attended  to  just  the  same  as  the  others.  Among  several 
who  came  to  me  with  such  requests,  a  woman  came  to  me,  stating  that  her 
husban'd  and  sons  were  in  the  rebel  army,  and  demanded  that  I  should  im 
mediately  send  up  a  guard  to  protect  herself  and  property,  not  that  any 
outrage  had  been  committed  there,  but  because  there  might  be.  I  know 
that  is  the  usual  form  in  which  they  come  ;  that  of  insolent  and  insulting 
demands. 

Question.  In  your  opinion,  as  a  military  man,  could  not  the  expenses  of 
this  war  be  greatly  diminished  by  treating  these  rebels  as  enemies,  and 
foraging  our  armies  upon  them  as  far  as  possible  ? 

Answer.  Immensely  diminished.  I  do  not  believe  we  can  keep  up  the 
war  without  doing  that.  I  heard  of  immense  flocks  of  sheep,  belonging  to 
secessionists  of  the  most  violent  character,  within  easy  reach,  which  are 
not  touched,  while  we  are  paying  for  cattle  from  Pennsylvania  and  else 
where,  perhaps,  to  go  down  from  Washington  along  the  Potomac  river.  We 
are  guarding  their  property  for  them,  very  carefully  guarding  it,  while  they 
are  in  the  rebel  army  righting  us. 

Question.  You  say  that  we  are  extensively  guarding  the  property  of  rebels, 
while  they  are  in  the  rebel  army  fighting  against  us  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  And  one  of  those  secessionists — a  classmate  of  Henry 
A.  Wise  in  college,  a  wealthy  man,  one  of  the  leading  men  there — told  me 
that  we  might  guard  every  rod  of  their  property,  and  still  they  would  guard 
us  just  the  same.  It  was  stated  to  me  that  some  of  the  market  gardening 
belonging  to  them  which  we  had  been  guarding  had  been  sent  to  their 
friends  in  the  rebel  army  at  Richmond.  We  had  kept  a  sharp  watch  over 
it,  to  keep  our  soldiers  from  touching  it,  and  that  is  the  way  they  had 
disposed  of  it. 

By  Mr.  Covode: 

Question.  How  did  they  treat  your -men  while  on  guard?  Did  they  give 
them  anything  to  eat  whije  guarding  their  property? 

Answer.  In  consequence  of  my  having  entered  this  secession  house,  all 
my  men  were  taken  away  from  me  and  placed  under  the  command  of 
another  general.  The  men  made  very  bitter  complaints  of  their  treatment 
by  these  secessionists;  but  being  outside  of  my  command,  I  cannot  tell 


TESTIMONY.  433 

about  that.  The  men  complained  that  the  secessionists  looked  upon  them 
as  so  many  hogs  that  had  been  put  in  the  houses  for  a  time;  that  the  women 
would  draw  up  their  dresses  contemptuously  as  they  passed  them,  and  make 
insulting  remarks  in  their  presence;  and  their  food  would  be  put  out  to 
them  as  though  they  were  some  unclean  animals  that  must  be  borne  with 
for  a  time.  Those  are  the  complaints  of  the  soldiers;  but  they  were  soldiers 
who  were  beyond  my  jurisdiction. 

Question.  You  have  no  reason  to  suspect  those  statements  of  the  soldiers 
to  be  untrue  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Gooch: 

Question.  What,  in  your  judgment  as  a  military  man,  should  be  the  course 
to  be  pursued  by  a  general  marching  through  the  portions  of  country  you 
have  marched  through  with  General  McDowell,  with  reference  to  the  treat 
ment  of  the  people  there,  and  with  reference  to  the  disposition  made  of  any 
property  they  might  have  which  would  be  useful  to  our  army  ? 

Answer.  Our  course  should  be,  in  the  first  place,  to  encourage  Union  men 
and  develop  the  Union  element  in  the  country.  I  have  found  in  every  place 
where  I  have  been  about  a  certain  proportionate  number  of  prominent  vio 
lent  secessionists,  whom  our  army  have  been  protecting  and  conciliating, 
instead  of  punishing.  I  am  satisfied  that  if  such  men  as  those  should  be 
punished,  the  Union  element  would  immediately  develop  itself.  But  the 
Union  men  are  now  paralyzed  by  the  power,  wealth,  and  influence  of  these 
secessionists,  and  their  threats  of  future  vengeance.  I  would  not  have 
these  secessionists  received  and  treated  as  friends — dined  and  wined,  and 
having  all  requests  coming  through  them;  and  have  the  power  of  this  gov 
ernment  pass  through  their  hands  from  us  to  the  Union  men.  Whatever 
authority  was  to  be  given  should  be  given  to  the  Union  men.  I  would  mete 
out  to  these  men  the  same  measure  they  mete  out  to  our  men.  They  carry 
off  our  men  to  Richmond,  tying  them  to  the  backs  of  horses  and  mules,  and 
carrying  them  off  in  that  way.  For  every  Union  man  they  treated  in  that 
way  I  would  take  one  or  more  of  the  most  violent  secessionists  of  the 
neighborhood,  and  hold  them  as  hostages.  That  course  would  protect 
Union  men.  And  if  the  property  of  Union  men  was  destroyed  by  these 
secessionists,  I  would  destroy  their  property,  or  hold  it  responsible  for  the 
loss.  The  Union  men  are  continually  haunted  with  the  fear  that  as  we  do 
not  put  our  foot  down  firmly  and  remain  there,  but  simply  put  it  down  and 
withdraw  it  after  a  little  while — they  fear  that  the  moment  they  develop 
their  Union  sentiments  they  will  become  marked,  and  be  liable  to  seizure 
the  moment  we  retire,  and  their  property  be  left  in  the  hands  of  their  and 
our  enemies.  I  would  prevent  marauding  by  the  soldiers,  by  sending  out 
mounted  patrols  on  all  the  roads. 

Question.  Where  you  found  grain  and  forage  of  any  kind,  what  would 
you  do  ? 

Answer.  I  would  take  it  without  any  hesitation.  And  instead  of  driving 
down,  at  a  heavy  expense,  herds  of  cattle  from  Washington,  I  would  take 
the  cattle,  and  horses,  and  sheep  there,  and  give  the  owners  certificates.  If 
they  are  loyal  men,  they  would  get  their  pay;  if  they  are  disloyal  men,  they 
ought  not  to  be  paid — or  I  would  attach  some  condition,  such  as  if  they 
become  loyal  by  a  certain  time,  and  then  continue  loyal,  they  should  be 
paid. 

By  Mr.  Chandler: 

Question.  Are  there  sheep  left  there  now  ? 
Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Part  iii 28 


434  TESTIMONY. 

Question.  I  supposed  the  rebels  had  taken  all  such  things  foraging  for 
their  army. 

Answer.  We  came  upon  Fredericksburg  so  suddenly  that  there  were  im 
mense  quantities  of  such  things  that  they  could  not  take  off. 

By  Mr.  Gooch: 

Question.  Do  you  find  it  to  be  true  that  the  leading  rebel  men  have  been 
the  men  who  have  been  received  with  favor  by  our  officers  in  command,  and 
preference  given  to  them  over  men  who  are  Union  men  ? 

Answer.  I  think  so.  I  think  they  have  been  courted  for  the  purpose  of 
conciliation  and  keeping  the  country  quiet.  I  find  that  the  Union  men  have 
not  been  regarded;  that  very  little  attention  has  been  paid  to  them;  that 
they  have  been  treated  as  people  of  very  little  earthly  consequence;  while 
the  others  have  been  sent  for  and  dined  and  wined  and  treated  as  people  of 
high  consideration. 

Question.  What  has  been  the  effect  of  that  course  of  conduct  ? 

Answer.  The  effect  has  been  utterly  to  dishearten  the  Union  men.  They 
say  they  will  have  to  abandon  all  their  property  and  leave  their  homes  if 
this  thing  is  to  go  on. 

By  Mr.  Julian: 

Question.  Has  that  course  conciliated  the  rebels  ? 

Answer.  Not  in  the  slightest  degree.  As  I  have  before  stated,  one  of 
them  said  to  me  that  we  might  guard  every  atom  of  their  property,  and 
still  they  would  hate  us  just  the  same.  They  have  their  sons  and  brothers 
in  the  rebel  army,  and  are  all  fully  committed  to  this  rebellion.  If  we  conquer 
them,  they  sink  into  insignificance;  if  they  succeed,  they  rise  into  promi 
nence  and  importance. 

By  Mr.  Gooch: 

Question.  Your  opinion  is  that  this  rebellion  must  be  conquered  and  not 
coaxed  down  ? 

Answer.  We  must  whip  them;  that  is  the  only  thing  for  us  to  do. 


WASHINGTON,  June  20,  1862 
Captain  E.  P.  HALSTED  sworn  and  examined. 

By  the  chairman: 

Question.  What  is  your  rank  and  position  in  the  army  ? 

Answer.  I  am  a  captain,  and  assistant  adjutant  general  on  General  Don- 
bleday's  staff. 

Question.  What  facts  have  come  under  your  observation  touching  the 
manner  in  which  rebel  property  is  protected  by  soldiers  of  our  army  de 
tailed  for  that  purpose  ? 

Answer.  One  particular  instance,  which  General  Doubleday  has  omitted  tc 
state,  is  this:  Seven  men  of  the  76th  New  York  regiment  were  posted  some 
six  or  seven  miles  down  the  river  from  Fredericksburg,  away  from  the  mair 
body  of  the  army,  to  guard  the  houses  of  four  secessionists  there,  when,  ii 
case  of  any  accident,  they  were  liable  to  be  cut  off  and  captured.  In  regarc 
to  the  protection  of  the  property  of  secessionists  there  generally,  I  know 
from  observation,  and  from  information  received  from  reliable  sources,  tha 
all  that  General  Doubleday  has  stated  is  true.  And,  furthermore,  I  am  w 
formed  by  Major  Livingston,  of  the  76th  New  York  regiment,  whohasbeei 


TESTIMONY.  435 

military  governor  down  there  for  a  time,  that,  for  two  weeks  after  General 
McDowell  commanded  the  town  by  his  guns,  the  cars  were  running  on  the 
railroad  from  Fredericksburg  every  night,  as  soon  as  their  operations  were 
covered  by  the  darkness,  carrying  off  all  the  property  they  could  get  out  of 
town,  in  the  way  of  grain,  &c.  I  speak  of  this,  as  it  might  lead  to  further 
investigation  on  your  part.  And  I  think  Major  Livingston  might  afford  you 
very  reliable  evidence  on  the  subject.  And  for  two  weeks  before  the  troops 
were  sent  to  the  other  side  of  the  river  to  prevent  any  property  from  being 
taken  away,  the  markets  were  guarded  very  sedulously  by  our  soldiers,  and 
their  produce  was  sent  off  to  Kichmond. 

Question.  Sent  to  Richmond  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  sent  to  Richmond.  This  information  I  have  from  the 
military  governor;  of  course,  I  do  not  know  it  myself  personally. 

Question.  Where  is  that  military  governor  ? 

Answer.  He  is  down  there  yet.  He  has  recently  removed  from  town,  and 
is  now  doing  duty  with  his  regiment. 

Question.  By  whose  permission  did  you  understand  this  to  be  done  ? 

Answer.  I  did  not  understand  that  it  was  done  by  any  person's  order,  ex- 
sept  so  far  as  the  guarding  of  secession  property,  and  the  conciliatory  policy 
towards  the  rebels,  have  allowed  it  to  be  done.  It  has  rather  been  permitted 
than  ordered. 

Question.  Did  General  McDowell  know  that  these  things  were  going  on  ? 

Answer.  I  could  not  say  that  he  did.  When  the  secession  mail  was  cap 
tured  by  Major  Livingston,  it  was  some  five  miles  from  town,  with  a  woman 
and  a  man  in  a  carriage  driving  it.  One  woman,  whose  husband  is  in  the 
rebel  army,  had  a  pair  of  Yankee-made  boots  which  she  was  taking  to  her 
husband.  Those  letters,  which  the  Secretary  of  War  has  now,  were  con 
cealed  under  this  woman's  clothes.  She  was  brought  back  and  searched, 
and  the  letters  taken  from  her. 

Question.  Do  you  know  what  were  the  contents  of  those  letters  ? 

Answer.  I  read  only  a  few  of  them.  I  glanced  over  some  of  them.  I  do 
not  recollect  the  contents  of  them  well  enough  to  state  them,  or  much  of 
them.  As  far  as  I  read  them,  they  all  concurred  in  this:  that  they  had  not 
been  insulted  or  abused  by  any  of  our  troops;  that  the  conducts  in  town 
had  been  very  kind  to  them. 

Question.  How  far  out  are  our  troops  ever  detailed  to  guard  rebel  prop 
erty  ? 

Answer.  I  do  not  know  of  any  case  where  they  are  further  out  than  in 
that  case  I  have  already  spoken  of — some  six  or  seven  miles  down  the  river. 

Question.  Has  the  detailing  of  men  to  guard  rebel  property  been  carried 
.on  to  such  an  extent  as  to  impede  the  operation  of  our  forces  there  and  to 
weaken  our  army  any  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  I  think  every  detail  for  such  guard  has  a  tendency  to 
'weaken  the  army.  And  since  the  general  has  been  there,  whenever  parties 
ihavo  asked  for  a  guard,  they  have  said  invariably  that  they  were  allowed  a 
guard  by  General  McDowell,  in  every  instance;  and  there  have  been  a  great 
•many  instances  of  their  demanding  a  guard.  They  come  as  though  they 
Deemed  it  their  right,  and  demand  it. 

Question.  In  your  judgment,  could  not  the  expense  of  our  army  be  im- 
nensely  reduced  if  we  were  to  treat  the  rebels  as  enemies,  and  forage  upon 
hem? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  I  think  it  could  be.  I  am  told  that  there  are,  between 
he  Rappahannock  and  Potomac  rivers,  thousands  of  bushels  of  grain  stored, 
md  there  are  herds  of  cattle  and  sheep.  And  up  to  the  time  that  Major 
Livingston  and  General  Doubleday  were  in  command  of  the  town,  there  has 
)een  in  the  town  a  large  quantity  of  grain,  the  most  of  which  General  Dou- 


436  TESTIMONY. 

bleday  seized.  He  did  not  believe  in  the  policy  of  allowing  it  to  be  shoved 
off  to  Richmond  to  support  the  rebel  army.  Now  they  may  go  anywhere 
from  the  south  bank  of  the  Rappahannock  and  take  all  their  produce  to  Rich 
mond;  and  I  understand  they  do  it  now. 

There  are  one  or  two  circumstances  I  would  speak  of  in  regard  to 
those  captured  letters.  One  of  them,  written  by  a  lady  to  a  friend  in 
Richmond,  I  think,  speaks  of  a  General  G.  who  came  to  her  house  to  eat 
strawberries  and  cream;  they  discussed  times  less  perilous  than  the  pres 
ent,  and  soon  they  found  their  hearts  heaving  deep  sighs.  She  expressed 
the  hope  that  he  would  be  the  next  military  governor.  We  took  it  that  the 
reference  was  to  General  Gibbon,  who,  a  few  nights  since,  sent  two  of  his 
staff  to  the  town  to  escort  the  Reverend  Mr.  Lacy  to  his  tent,  on  the  north 
side  of  the  river,  to  dine  with.  This  Reverend  Mr.  Lacy,  I  understand,  is 
the  brother  of  the  Major  Lacy  who  was  captured  the  day  that  General  Mc- 
Call  gave  up  the  command  there  and  left  for  Richmond.  I  refer  to  that  to 
show  the  feeling  of  some  of  our  military  officers,  and  as,  perhaps,  explain 
ing  this  mild,  conciliatory  policy. 

Question.  Is  this  Lacy  a  secessionist  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir,  notoriously  so,  and  one  of  the  most  influential  and  bit 
ter  men  in  town. 

.  By  Mr.  Odell: 

Question.  Do  you  refer  to  the  minister  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir,  and  to  the  other  man  also.  The  other  man  was  one  of 
the  most  zealous  secessionists.  Whenever  there  was  a  town  meeting  held, 
before  the  ordinance  of  secession  was  passed,  Major  Lacy  was  present,  ex 
horting  the  people  to  go  for  secession,  so  I  am  told  there.  He  owns  a  ver^ 
large  estate  where  General  McDowell  has  his  headquarters  ;  and  on  the 
morning  of  the  same  day  that  Major  Lacy  was  arrested,  application  was 
made  to  General  Doubleday  for  permission  to  arrest  him ;  stating  that  there 
was  information  that  he  was  about  10  miles  out  from  town  at  his  farm 
house.  The  application,  in  writing,  was  sent  to  General  McCall  by  an  aid 
of  General  Doubleday,  and  it  was  refused,  with  the  statement  that  he 
thought  it  was  not  worth  while. 

A  day  or  two  days  before  the  arrest  of  Major  Lacy,  General  McCall  re 
leased  six  prisoners,  I  think,  in  all;  four  of  whom,  we  learned  afterwards  from 
a  captain  of  the  4th  Pennsylvania  cavalry,  were  at  that  time  with  theii 
regiment  again,  (as  he  understood  from  one  of  his  scouts) — the  9th  Virginia 
cavalry. 

By  the  chairman: 

Question.  Released  six  prisoners  to  go  back  into  the  rebel  ranks  ? 

Answer.  He  gave  them  liberty  to  go  back  into  their  own  country  again 
and  being  soldiers  of  that  regiment,  they  went  back  to  their  regiment  again 
That  is  the  milk  and  water  policy  of  conducting  this  war. 

Question.  Is  there  anything  more  you  think  of  connected  with  the  treat 
ment  of  the  rebels  ? 

Answer.  I  do  not  think  of  anything  further.  General  Doubleday's  state 
ment  was  very  full. 

By  Mr.  Odell : 

Question.  When  you  speak  of  forage,  &c.,  in  Virginia,  to  what  extent  c 
country  do  you  refer  ? 

Answer.  We  have  information  extending — 

Question.  We  do  not  want  your  information.     What  do  you  know  ? 

Answer.  I  know  nothing  about  it,  except  this  fact. 


TESTIMONY.  437 

Question.  Do  you  know  this  fact,  that  General  McDowell  has  fed  his 
xi  my,  since  he  started,  upon  the  rebel  grain  and  forage  in  the  valley  ? 

By  Mr.  Gooch  : 

Question.  Is  that  so  ?     Do  you  know  whether  he  has  or  has  not  ? 
Answer.  I  know  that  he  has  not  entirely. 

"  By  Mr.  Odell  : 

Question.  Do  you  not  know  that  he  has  to  a  great  extent  ? 

Answer.  I  do  not. 

Question.  Do  you  know  that  he  has  to  any  extent  ? 

Answer.  I  do. 

Question.  Do  you  know  of  his  taking  possession  of  large  quantities  of 
^rain  and  forage,  and  giving  the  owners  receipts  for  it,  for  the  foraging  and 
ceding  of  his  army  ? 

Answer.  I  do  not  know  that  it  is  so  ;  it  may  be  so. 

Question.  Have  you  heard  it  was  so  ? 

Answer.  I  heard  that  he  did  capture  a  large  quantity  of  grain  when  he 
irst  went  there.  I  heard  that  from  the  4th  Pennsylvania  cavalry. 

By  Mr.  Gooch  : 

Question.  Tell  us  all  you  know  about  that,  either  from  your  own  obser 
vation  or  from  what  you  have  heard  from  others  ? 

Answer.  Of  course  I  know  only  what  I  have  heard.  I  do  not  know  it  to 
my  great  extent. 

By  the  chairman  : 

Question.  We  want  the  general  idea  of  how  the  thing  is  conducted? 

Answer.  Captain  McRae,  of  the  Freeborn,  lying  there  at  Fredericksburg, 
;old  me  that  he  had  information  of  large  quantities  of  grain,  as  I  have  al- 
•eady  stated,  between  the  Rappahannock  and  Potomac  rivers. 

By  Mr.  Gooch  : 

Question.  Do  you  know  anything — I  do  not  mean  from  actual  knowledge 
nerely — as  to  what  has  been  the  course  pursued  by  General  McDowell  in 
•eference  to  that  matter  ?  Whether,  where  he  has  found  abundance  of  grain 
vnd  forage,  he  has  guarded  it  and  left  it  in  the  possession  of  the  rebels,  or 
^nether  he  has  seized  it  for  the  use  of  his  own  army  ? 

Answer.  I  have  understood  generally  that  he  has  not  taken  it  for  the 
support  of  his  army,  but  it  has  been  guarded  and  then  left. 

Question.  Where  it  was  in  large  quantities  ? 

Answer.  In  considerably  large  quantities. 

By  Mr.  Julian  : 

Question.  How  have  you  learned  that  ? 
Answer.  From  different  individuals  ;  officers  of  the  army. 

By  Mr.  Gooch  : 

Question.  Can  you  tell  us  who  can  give  us  information  upon  that  point  ? 
Answer.  I  heard  it  spoken  of  by  Colonel  Lord,  of  the  35th  New  York,  for 
one,  and  I  have  heard  Major  Livingston  speak  generally  of  these  things. 

By  the  chairman  : 

Question.  Major  Livingston  was  provost  marshal  there  ? 

Answer.  He  was  provost  marshal  and  military  governor  there.  I  do  not 
think  of  any  others  at  this  time.  I  do  not  know  of  a  single  foraging  party 
being  sent  out  to  forage,  or  anything  of  that  kind. 


438  TESTIMONY. 


WASHINGTON,  June  21,  1862. 
Major  JAMES  H.  TRIMBLE  sworn  and  examined: 

By  Mr.  Covode: 

Question.  Where  do  you  reside  when  you  are  at  home  ? 

Answer.  In  Westmoreland  county,  Pennsylvania. 

Question.  What  is  your  position  in  the  army? 

Answer.  Major  of  the  4th  Pennsylvania  cavalry. 

Question.  I  understand  you  have  been  down  in  the  neighborhood  of  the 
Rappahannock,  at  Fredericksburg. 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  I  have.     I  came  up  from  there,  getting  here  last  night. 

Question.  Will  you  state  what  you  and  your  command  have  been  engaged 
in  there  ? 

Answer.  I  have  been  engaged  in  scouring  the  country  around  between 
here  and  there,  and  out  beyond  there. 

Question.  How  far  have  you  advanced  beyond  Fredericksburg  ? 

Answer.  I  do  not  rightly  know.  I  think  that  at  the  time  that  Lieutenant 
Martin  captured  this  Major  Lacy,  he  was  out  some  eighteen  or  twenty  miles 
south  and  west  of  the  city  of  Fredericksburg. 

Question.  Who  is  Lieutenant  Martin  ? 

Answer.  He  is  first  lieutenant  of  company  C,  of  the  4th  Pennsylvania 
cavalry ;  a  company  that  I  raised  myself. 

Question.  What  force  had  Lieutenant  Martin  with  him  at  the  time  he 
made  this  dash  and  captured  Major  Lacy  ? 

Answer.  When  I  send  out  scouts  on  such  expeditions  we  generally  take 
men  out  of  two  or  three  different  companies.  He  had  with  him  some  of 
company  C,  a  part  of  a  company  that  your  son,  George  Covode,  brought  into 
the  regiment,  and  a  part  of  company  A. 

Question.  Has  your  command  (the  4th  Pennsylvania  cavalry)  been  made 
use  of  to  guard  rebel  property  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  where  we  are  encamped,  or  were  encamped  when  I 
came  away,  we  were  guarding  a  corn-crib  of  about  3,000  bushels  of  ears  oi 
corn.  We  had  a  guard  right  around  it.  It  was  right  about  the  centre  of 
our  encampment.  And  we  had  to  guard  that  man's  strawberry  patch;  he 
was  very  much  afraid  that  our  boys  would  get  over  into  it  and  destroy  it. 
And  I  had  to  guard  his  spring-house.  And  finally,  about  dark,  he  called 
upon  me  for  a  guard  for  his  house.  Our  horses  were  suffering,  and  I  did  not 
like  the  idea  of  guarding  that  corn-crib  when  we  needed  the  forage  so  much. 
I  had  pushed  about  300  head  of  horses  through  there  for  forty-eight  hours 
without  a  bite.  I  lost  a  splendid  horse. 

Question.  When  there  was  feed  in  plenty  in  the  neighborhood  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  but  under  General  McDowell's  orders  we  could  not  take 
it;  we  must  pay  for  everything  that  we  take.  We  were  bound  to  protect 
property  as  we  passed  through.  Our  orders  were  very  severe.  I  pastured 
some  horses  once. 

Question.  Is  there  not  a  great  unwillingness  on  the  part  of  the  soldiers 
in  our  army  to  be  used  for  that  purpose  ? 

Answer.  It  is  near  about  played  out,  I  judge.  The  men  have  got  tirec 
of  passing  through  the  enemy's  country  and  having  to  protect  their  prop 
erty,  and  then  be  insulted  by  the  women  there;  they  are  tired  of  it. 

Question.  Does  this  protecting  their  property  do  any  good  ?  Does  it  gaii 
their  good  will  ? 

Answer.  Not  a  particle ;  I  do  not  see  that  it  does  a  particle  of  good 
Right  above  where  we  were  there  were  some  negroes  cutting  some  whea 
the  other  day,  and  some  of  the  boys  went  up  to  get  a  little  for  their  horses— 


TESTIMONY.  439 

a  handful  of  wheat  to  give  them  a  bite.  Soon  word  was  sent  down,  and  I  had 
to  send  up  a  lot  of  men  and  arrest  them  and  bring  them  back.  We  have  no 
hay;  what  little  feed  we  get  down  there  for  our  horses  is  oats. 

Question.  There  is  plenty  of  good  pasture  there  ? 

Answer.  There  are  lots  of  good  pasture — splendid  pastures — there. 

Question.  And  yet  you  have  lost  horses  from  starvation  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir ;  they  gave  out  on  account  of  our  work. 

By  Mr.  Julian  : 

Question.  You  could  get  forage  by  paying  for  it  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  but  we  have  not  the  money  to  pay  as  we  go  along,  and 
there  are  numbers  of  them  who  will  not  sell  to  us  at  any  rate.  I  have  given 
orders  on  the  quartermaster's  department  for  forage,  where  they  would  let 
us  have  it;  I  have  also  turned  my  horses  into  a  clover  field,  and  given  orders 
on  the  quartermaster  to  pay  for  it. 

Question.  Did  you  not  have  to  put  men  there  to  guard  your  horses  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  there  would  be  a  corner  cut  off  for  me,  and  I  had  to 
place  men  there  to  guard  the  horses. 

By  Mr.  Odell  : 

Question.  Did  you  make  a  bargain  to  give  them  so  much  for  that  ? 
Answer.  Yes,  sir;  I  told  them  what  I  would  give  them — about  what  I 
thought  it  was  worth. 

By  Mr.  Gooch  : 

Question.  You  fix  your  own  price  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  what  I  think  it  is  worth. 

Question.  You  took  what  you  pleased  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir;  I  did  not. 

Question.  Who  limits  you  ?  You  are  not  allowed  as  you  go  along  to  feed 
your  horses  in  the  fields  and  pastures  wherever  you  please  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir. 

Question.  Are  your  orders  such  that  you  must  let  your  horses  starve  to 
death  instead  of  doing  that  ? 

Answer.  Our  orders  are  to  protect  the  property  as  we  pass  through. 

Question.  So  stringent  that  you  cannot  put  your  horses  into  the  fields  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.     If  we  obey  them  strictly. 

By  Mr.  Covode: 

Question.  Have  you  not  had  to  take  the  property  of  professed  Union  men 
because  the  secessionists  would  not  sell  you  any  of  their  property  ? 

Answer.  I  do  not  know  as  I  have,  because  in  that  section  of  country  I  do 
not  know  many  Union  men.  On  the  other  side  of  the  Occoquau — about  five 
miles  on  the  south  side  of  that  creek — I  met  with  a  man  whom  I  took  to  be 
a  Union  man,  by  the  name  of  Joy.  I  think  probably  he  is  a  Union  man. 
He  has  given  us  the  privilege  and  not  asked  us  a  haet — given  to  my  men 
as  far  as  he  was  able. 

Question.  You  know  this  of  your  own  knowledge,  and  you  have  yourself 
had  to  give  orders  to  our  troops  to  go  and  guard  this  property  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Day  and  night  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  If  it  were  not  for  these  restrictions  thrown  around  the  property 
of  the  rebels,  could  you  not  forage  on  the  enemy,  and  support  the  army  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  We  could  keep  our  stock  and  everything  in  first-rate 
plight. 


440  TESTIMONY. 

Question.  In  your  judgment,  does  the  present  mode  of  warfare  in  that 
country  tend  to  gain  us  the  day  ? 

Answer.  I  never  was  an  abolitionist,  but  still  I  think  we  must  take  other 
measures  if  we  would  quell  this  rebellion. 

Question.  What  do  you  mean — to  use  the  negroes  1 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  I  would  arm  the  negroes;  give  them  arms,  and  let 
them  assist  us. 

Question.  What  do  you  know  of  organized  guerilla  parties  of  farmers 
there  ? 

Answer.  I  do  not  know  much  about  them.  I  have  the  names  here  of 
some  three  men  who  were  said  to  have  been  in  the  rebel  army,  and  who 
came  home  here  a  short  time  ago.  They  are  now  officers  of  a  guerilla  party 
of  farmers,  of  about  120  men.  These  men  live  in  what  is  called  the 
"  Maple  Bottom  Flats."  I  cannot  tell  just  exactly  where  that  is.  There  is 
a  railroad  station  on  the  railroad  that  runs  up  to  Manassas  called  Lee 
Station,  and  this  guerilla  party  is  made  up  of  farmers  in  the  section  of 
country  around  there.  These  three  men  are  named  John  A.  King,  Mortrivel 
Cornell,  and  William  Lin.  This  William  Lin  is  said  to  be  the  ringleader. 
There  is  a  man  by  the  name  of  John  Finch,  who  lives  in  that  neighborhood. 
He  has  a  very  nice  farm  there.  He  has  had  to  leave  his  farm,  and  has  lost 
all  his  stock.  And  on  last  Saturday,  I  think  it  was,  he  was  then  leaving 
there  with  a  little  two-horse  wagon,  into  which  he  had  put  his  family  and 
some  few  little  things,  and  was  coming  up  to  the  city  here.  Yesterday  I  gave 
these  names  to  one  of  the  captains  of  Colonel  Biddle's  command  down  here 
at  Aquia  creek,  and  told  him  I  thought  it  would  be  well  to  send  out  a  squad 
of  infantry  into  this  neighborhood,  as  it  would  not  be  far,  and  have  them 
watch  the  manoeuvres  of  those  men ;  watch  them  both  day  and  night. 

Question.  As  far  as  you  observed,  is  not  the  whole  white  population  of 
the  country  there  turning  guerillas — none  of  them  at  work  ? 

Answer.  I  cannot  say  that  I  have  seen  any  whites  at  work  there,  without 
it  was  some  woman  working  in  some  little  garden-patch.  On  the  Rappa- 
hannock  all  the  work  is  done  by  slaves.  I  did  not  see  any  white  men  at 
work  there  at  all. 

Question.  Were  they  cutting  their  wheat  there  before  it  was  ripe  ? 

Answer.  It  did  not  look  to  me  to  be  near  ripe.  They  were  cutting  it  and 
letting  it  lay  in  swathes. 

Question.  What  do  you  think  was  their  reason  for  cutting  it  so  early  ? 

Answer.  I  think  it  was  because  they  want  to  make  use  of  it. 

Question.  Could  you  not  seize  that  wheat  now  if  you  were  allowed  to  do 
so? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  I  could. 

By  Mr.  Gooch: 

Question.  You  say  you  are  guarding  a  corn-crib  which  has  about  3,000 
bushels  in  it  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  it  is  a  large,  common  log-house. 

Question.  And  you  say  that  at  the  same  time  your  horses  were  suffering 
for  want  of  feed  ? 

Answer.  We  have  not  feed  enough.  We  have  to  draw  rations  (oats)  now 
from  Fredericksburg,  and  we  do  not  get  as  much  as  we  should  have. 
Twelve  pounds  of  oats,  with  no  hay  at  all,  is  not  enough  to  do  horses  for 
twenty-four  hours. 

Question.  What  do  you  understand  to  be  the  intention  in  relation  to  that 
corn-crib  1  Are  you  to  leave  it  in  possession  of  the  rebel  owners  ? 

Answer.  Of  course. 


TESTIMONY.  441 

Question.  You  do  not  understand  that  it  is  ever  to  be  taken  for  the  use  of 
our  army  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir. 

Question.  You  understand  that  it  is  not  to  be  taken  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  that  it  is  to  be  left  there. 

Question.  Have  you  ever  known  of  any  instances  where  any  corn-cribs, 
or  any  kind  of  provender,  of  any  description,  in  large  quantities,  have  been 
guarded  and  left  ? 

Answer.  No  more  than  what  we  have  done  ourselves. 

Question.  Have  you  guarded  any  such  property  for  a  while,  and  then  left 
it  when  you  passed  on  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  In  large  quantities  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Do  your  instructions  go  to  the  extent  of  guarding  this  property, 
and  leaving  it  in  possession  of  the  rebels,  when  we  need  it  for  the  use  of 
our  own  troops  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir ;  that  is  our  instructions ;  to  guard  it  and  leave  it.  As 
long  as  we  are  there,  we  are  bound  to  guard  it  and  protect  it  all. 

Question.  Your  instructions  extend  to  this  extent:  that  you  are  not 
allowed  to  pasture  or  feed  your  horses  in  the  fields  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  that  is  our  instructions.  I  would  take  it  in  this  way: 
that,  according  to  orders,  we  must  protect  all  property  as  we  pass  along.  I 
look  at  it  in  this  way:  that  if  we  turn  our  horses  into  a  pasture  field,  we 
are  trespassing,  not  protecting  it. 

Question.  You  are  disobeying  orders  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  And  you  understand  that  to  extend  throughout  the  whole  army  ? 

Answer.  As  far  as  our  command,  at  any  rate. 

Question.  Have  you  known  of  any  instance  where,  by  orders  of  superior 
officers,  property  has  been  taken,  such  as  grain,  &c.  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir;  we  have  not. 

Question.  You  have  known  no  such  instance  ? 

Answer.  I  think  we  sent  out  a  squad  while  on  patrol  duty  in  this  city  here, 
pretty  early  in  the  spring. 

Question.  I  refer  to  General  McDowell's  command. 

Answer.  No,  sir;  we  have  never  taken  anything  in  that  way. 

By  Mr.  Odell: 

Question.  I  understood  you  to  say  that  in  some  instances  you  go  into  a 
field  and  forage  your  horses,  and  pay  as  you  choose  for  it  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  How  do  you  reconcile  that  with  your  positive  orders  not  to  do 
it? 

Answer.  I  did  that  because  my  horses  had  given  out;  and  I  was  obliged 
to  do  it. 

Question.  Were  you  censured  for  it  ? 

Answer.  I  have  had  no  report  of  it,  at  any  rate. 

By  Mr.  Covode: 

Question.  Have  you  bargained  with  parties  for  permission  to  do  so  ? 
Answer.  I  turned  my  horses  into  one  field  without  bargaining. 

By  Mr.  OdelU 

Question.  Do  you  not  feel  competent  to  do  that  whenever  necessity  re 
quires  it? 

Answer.  I  do  not  knowj  we  have  to  obey  orders. 


442  TESTIMONY. 

Question.  Do  you  not  do  it  when  necessity  requires  it? 
Answer.  I  never  did  it,  except  in  that  one  field. 

By  Mr.  Gooch: 

Question.  When  you  are  passing  by  the  corn  of  a  secessionist,  and  you 
are  actually  in  need  of  that  corn  for  your  horses,  do  you  feel  that  you  violate 
your  orders  to  take  it  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Covode: 

Question.  When  you  set  our  soldiers  to  guard  their  strawberry  patches,  do 
they  ever  give  them  any  ? 

Answer.  I  never  heard  the  boys  say  they  ever  got  any.  And  they  know 
very  well  that  they  dare  not  go  and  take  any  themselves;  because  if  they 
should,  and  it  should  be  reported,  they  would  be  punished.  That  is  our 
orders;  we  are  to  punish  them  severely  if  they  touch  a  haet.  They  must 
protect  what  they  are  placed  over  to  guard.  If  they  do  not  do  it,  we  punish 
them  severely. 


WASHINGTON,  June  30,  1862. 
General  IRVIN  McDowELL  re-examined. 

By  Mr.  Gooch: 
The  following  preamble  and  resolution  were  read  to  the  witness: 

"  HOUSE  OF  REPRESENTATIVES,  June  16,  1862. 

"  On  motion  of  Mr.  Wilson,  the  following  preamble  and  resolution  were 
adopted: 

"  Whereas  a  communication,  dated  Front  Royal,  Virginia,  June  7,  1862, 
was  published  in  the  New  York  Tribune  of  June  14,  instant,  containing  the 
following  statements  and  charges,  viz: 

"  'During  the  week  our  men  suffered  severely.  I  never  before  knew  what 
it  was  to  be  without  shelter  for  days  and  nights  in  a  terrible  storm  without 
food,  and  without  the  means  to  procure  it.  Men  and  horses  were  completely 
exhausted.  Although  the  storm  is  now  over,  the  sun  shining,  and  every 
thing  presenting  a  cheerful  appearance,  we  are  even  yet  unable  to  procure 
the  necessaries  of  life  for  man  and  beast,  while  there  is  plenty  here  belong 
ing  to  the  rebels  in  arms  carefully  guarded  by  our  own  men,  but  no  one 
permitted  to  take  a  particle.  I  do  know  where  there  is  a  commissary  store 
belonging  to  the  rebels,  veiy  near  our  late  camping  ground,  with  corn, 
bacon,  &c.,  which  our  commissaries  were  not  permitted  to  touch,  but  which 
was  carefully  guarded  by  our  own  soldiers,  while  our  own  division  was  in 
great  danger  of  mutiny  by  reason  of  starvation  !  Rebel  corn  can  be  pro 
cured  here  in' abundance,  and  also  bacon,  flour,  &c.;  yet  our  orders  are  that 
it  shall  not  be  touched.  Now,  if  I  were  in  my  own  sweet  home,  and  would 
read  of  such  w'arfare  here  in  this  hotbed  of  treason,  I  would  not  believe  it. 
But  I  am  here,  and  see  it  for  myself,  and  I  affirm  that  it  is  true.  Nor  is 
this  all.  I  believe  that  the  160  rebel  prisoners  confined  here  are  now  better 
fed  and  cared  for  than  our  own  brave  soldiers.  Almost  every  rebel  house 
in  Front  Royal  is  guarded  by  our  soldiers,  while  the  inmates  freely  express 
their  contempt  for  our  government,  and  some  of  them  demand  nothing  less 
than  gold  and  silver,  and  enormous  prices,  for  their  bread  and  meat.  In  a 
word,  everything  that  can  be  done  for  the  benefit  and  comfort  of  our  ene 
mies  seems  to  be  done,  while  our  own  soldiers  must  put  up  with  what  they 
get,  which  is  about  half  rations,  little  or  no  shelter,  and  forced  marches 
through  storm  and  mud,  day  and  night.' 


TESTIMONY.  443 

"Therefore  be  it— 

"  Resolved,  That  the  select  committee  on  the  conduct  of  the  war  be  in 
structed  to  make  inquiries  of  and  concerning  the  truth  of  said  statements 
and  charges,  and  report  to  this  house,  as  soon  as  practicable,  the  result  of 
such  inquiry,  with  such  recommendations  in  the  premises  as,  in  the  judg 
ment  of  the  committee,  the  public  interests  may  require.  And  if  said  alle 
gations  be  true,  that  the  committee  report  to  this  house  the  name  of  the 
commanding  officer  of  such  troops." 

By  Mr.  Gooch: 

Question.  Are  the  statements  embodied  in  that  preamble  true  or  false  ? 

Answer.  Some  of  them  are  true,  and  some  of  them  are  false.  It  is  true 
that  the  men  had  little  shelter  after  a  forced  march,  and  were  very  much 
exposed.  It  is  not  true  that  they  were  without  food,  or  without  the  means 
to  procure  it.  It  is  true  that  the  men  and  horses  were  very  much  exhausted. 
It  is  not  true  that  they  were  unable  to  procure  the  necessaries  of  life  for 
man  and  beast.  I  do  not  know  whether  the  writer  of  that  knew  where  there 
was  a  commissary  store  of  the  rebels.  If  he  did,  he  knew  more  than  I  did. 
I  should  think  that  is  hardly  likely  to  be  true.  I  do  not  believe  it  is  true. 
It  certainly  is  not  true,  if  the  one  he  says  he  knew  was  carefully  guarded 
by  our  own  soldiers.  I  put  no  guard  over  a  rebel  commissary  at  all.  He 
says,  •"  Rebel  corn  can  be  procured  in  abundance,  and  also  bacon,  flour,  &c. ; 
yet  our  orders  are  that  it  shall  not  be  touched."  I  will  answer  that  soon. 
He  says,  "  I  believe  that  the  160  rebel  prisoners  confined  here  are  now 
better  fed  and  cared  for  than  our  own  brave  soldiers."  I  think  that  is  very 
likely.  They  were  in  a  house,  to  begin  with,  and  the  citizens  of  the  place 
gave  them  things  from  their  own  houses. 

Here  is  a  report  of  the  chief  of  the  commissary  department,  in  answer  to 
an  inquiry  as  to  whether  or  not  the  troops  at  Front  Royal  were  at  any 
time  without  supplies  from  the  government: 

"  Received  June  28,  1862,  from  Manassas. 

"12. 30  p.m. 

"  COLONEL:  At  no  time  that  I  am  aware  of  were  the  troops  short  of  subsist 
ence  at  Front  Royal.  A  wagon  train  and  a  railroad  train  arrived  the  very 
day  their  requisitions  ran  out,  and  HartsufPs  and  Ricketts's  brigades,  and 
Shields's  division,  were  immediately  supplied,  through  their  commissaries,  by 
me  in  person,  acting  for  Captain  Willard,  then  acting  as  post  commissary. 
Bayard's  brigade  may  have  suffered,  but  from  causes  beyond  our  control. 

"Bayard's  brigade  was  not  at  Front  Royal,  but  had  gone  over  to  Strasburg, 
and  were  swallowed  up  in  General  Fremont's  arnr^. 

"  I  am  under  the  impression  the  salt  did  not  arrive  with  the  other  subsist 
ence,  but  came  up  next  day.  At  Fredericksburg,  the  provost  marshal, 
Colonel  Gates,  under  direction  of  General  Patrick,  seized  and  turned  to  the 
commissary  about  500  bushels  of  corn  meal,  and  1,500  barrels  of  flour,  for  all 
of  which  the  proper  certificates  of  indebtedness  were  tendered.  At  Front 
Royal,  to  prevent  speculation,  I  seized  367  barrels  arid  19  sacks  of  flour 
stored  in  Mr.  Western's  mill,  of  which  I  issued  to  the  citizens  (they  paying 
for  the  same  to  the  miller  or  his  agent)  34  barrels;  the  balance  I  turned  over 
to  General  Ricketts,  who  returned  it  to  the  owner.  I  have  no  official  in 
telligence,  nor  do  I  know  of  any  other  seizures,  except  by  marauders  in  this 
department. 

"  Respectfully, 

"JAMES  S.  SANDERSON, 
Captain,  and  Chief  Commissary. 

"Colonel  E.  SCHRIVER,  Chief  of  Staff." 


444  TESTIMONY. 

I  have  answered  generally  as  to  this,  that  the  troops  were  at  no  time  with 
out  their  full  supply  of  subsistence,  brought  there  by  railroad  or  wagon 
trains  from  Manassas  to  Front  Royal.  I  did  prevent  the  men  from  robbing- 
houses.  I  will  read  my  order  on  that  subject,  which,  perhaps,  may  have 
been  one  of  the  causes  of  this  resolution: 

"  HEADQUARTERS  DEPARTMENT  RAPPAHANNOCK, 

"Front  Royal,  Virginia,  June  3,  1862. 
"General  Orders  No.  18.] 

"  There  has  been,  recently,  so  much  irregularity  on  the  subject  of  levying 
contributions,  and  so  much  misconception  on  the  part  of  many  commanders 
and  their  officers  as  to  their  powers  and  duties  in  this  respect,  that  it  has 
become  necessary  to  call  the  attention  of  all  concerned  to  the  subject,  to  the 
end  that  the  gross  abuses  which  have  been  committed  may  cease. 

"Paragraph  491,  Army  Regulations: 

" '  When  the  wants  of  the  army  absolutely  require  it,  and  in  other  cases, 
under  special  instructions  from  the  War  Department,  the  general  command 
ing  may  levy  contributions,  in  money  or  kind,  in  the  enemy's  country  occu 
pied  by  troops.  No  other  commander  can  levy  such  contributions  without 
written  authority  from  the  general  commanding  in  chief.' 

"  This  paragraph  applies  to  domestic  as  well  as  to  foreign  enemies. 

"  No  other  commander  than  the  general-in-chief  of  an  army  can  levy  con 
tributions  without  written  authority  from  such  general-in-chief.  Yet  not 
only  do  other  commanders,  but  corporals  and  privates  even  undertake  to 
assume  the  power,  without  authority  from  any  one.  Such  conduct  is  simply 
pillage,  theft,  or  robbery. 

"  When,  in  the  judgment  of  the  major  general  commanding,  the  wants  of 
the  army  under  his  command  require  it,  he  will  exercise,  as  he  has  already 
most  freely  done,  this  extraordinary  power,  and  will  prescribe  fully  by  whom, 
when,  in  what  way,  to  what  extent,  and  in  what  measure  those  contributions 
shall  be  levied.  The  allowances  of  the  government  to  the  army,  issued 
through  the  quartermaster  and  subsistence  departments,  are  to  be  obtained 
by  commanders,  by  requisitions  on  the  proper  officers  of  those  departments; 
and  if  they  have  not  the  supplies  to  meet  those  requisitions,  they  will  apply 
to  their  superiors  in  the  department,  and  the  articles  will  be  furnished,  if  on 
hand,  if  the  requisitions  be  approved,  or  means  will  be  taken  to  obtain  them. 

"No  one  has  the  right  to  take  private  property  for  public  uses,  except 
those  whom  the  major  general  commanding  may  authorize.  Those  who  take 
for  private  uses  will  be  tried  by  a  military  commission  for  stealing. 

"  Commanders  are  especially  enjoined  to  protect  growing  crops,  and  not 
suffer  them  to  be  trodden  down,  save  in  cases  of  manifest  necessity. 

"No  one  has  a  right  to  enter  private  houses,  and  thus  disturb  non-com 
batants — women  and  children. 

"  The  above,  without  in  any  way  wishing  to  seem  even  to  interfere  or 
suggest  to  others  the  course  to  be  pursued  in  respect  to  the  subject  here  in 
question,  will  apply  to  the  troops  of  the  department  of  the  Rappahannock, 
whether  within  or  beyond  the  department  limits. 

"By  command  of  General  McDowell. 

"  SAM'L  BRECK,  Assistant  Adjutant  General." 

The  system  which  I  pursued  was  to  take  flour,  corn,  or  whatever  was 
necessary,  and  take  it  by  the  officers  of  the  quartermaster's  and  commissary 
departments,  and  issue  it.  But  as  a  matter  of  economy  in  the  use  of  sup 
plies,  and  as  a  measure  Of  discipline,  I  would  not  permit  men  with  arms  in 
their  hands  to  go  and  take  whatever  they  might  deem  necessary  from  houses 


TESTIMONY.  445 

along  the  roads.  Troops  that  are  allowed  to  do  that  soon  become  utterly 
worthless. 

It  may  seem  hard  to  put  men  to  guard  property,  but  otherwise  you  must 
pursue  a  course  which  will  seem  to  be  harder  still.  General  Pope  tells  me 
that  out  west  they  pursue  a  much  simpler  plan.  They  put  men  out  on  a 
march  as  patrols,  with  orders  to  shoot  every  man  who  attempts  to  enter  a 
private  house. 

Generally,  therefore,  in  regard  to  the  letter  embraced  in  this  preamble,  it 
is  not  true  that  the  troops  suffered  for  the  want  of  the  ordinary  supplies  of 
the  government.  It  is  true  they  suffered  from  the  exposure  to  rains  and  by 
forced  marches.  That  is  a  kind  of  suffering  incidental  to  the  service  they 
performed;  not  from  my  own  orders  simply,  but  from  what  was  required  by 
my  superiors.  That  forced  march  was  made  without  my  wish  and  against 
my  judgment.  But  I  carried  out  my  orders  as  well  as  I  could.  It  rained 
and  stormed  all  the  while.  The  men  went  without  their  knapsacks,  so  that 
they  might  move  the  faster;  and  they  suffered  accordingly.  But  they  did 
not  suffer  for  want  of  food,  unless  it  was  through  the  neglect  of  their  officers, 
for  the  food  was  there. 

The  statement  that  I  protected  property  is  true  I  did  it  on  principle. 
And  I  think  you  can  accomplish  nothing  in  any  military  department  without 
you  act  on  that  principle.  As  a  question  of  economy  in  the  use  of  these  very 
supplies,  as  a  question  of  discipline  among  the  men  themselves,  you  cannot 
allow  them  to  do  as  they  please,  and  to  plunder  as  they  go  through  a  country. 

Question.  What  were  your  orders  and  instructions  to  your  quartermasters 
and  commissaries  in  relation  to  supplies  in  the  possession  of  rebels,  where 
they  were  found  in  abundance — where  a  man  was  found  to  have  more  than 
was  needed  for  the  necessary  subsistence  of  his  family  and  those  dependent 
upon  him  for  the  time  being  ? 

Answer.  I  gave  orders  at  Fredericksburg  under  which  we  took  largely 
of  flour  and  corn. 

By  Mr.  Julian  : 

Question.  Belonging  to  rebels  ? 

Answer.  I  did  not  ask  to  whom  it  belonged,  but  took  it  wherever  I  found 
it.  I  always  found  that  whenever  the  men  wanted  to  take  anything  from  a 
house,  the  owner  was  sure  to  be  a  rabid  secessionist.  I  did  not  make  a  test 
of  administering  the  oath  of  allegiance,  because  I  thought  a  scoundrel 
might  take  it  and  a  conscientious  man  might  not.  But  I  took  what  was 
necessary  for  the  service  and  gave  a  receipt  for  it,  stating  that  the  person 
from  whom  the  property  was  taken  would  be  entitled  to  payment  at  the  end 
of  this  rebellion,  provided  he  could  prove  that  he  had  been  a  faithful  and 
loyal  citizen  of  the  United  States  from  that  time  forth.  I  made  but  two  or 
three  payments  all  the  time.  I  paid  one  man,  a  very  old  man,  who  had 
some  grain  which  we  took  ;  and  I  paid  a  poor  man,  a  blacksmith,  whose 
only  means  of  subsistence  was  the  work  of  his  shop.  I  needed  the  shop  and 
everything  he  had  in  it  to  shoe  my  horses.  I  took  possession  of  his  premises 
and  all  the  coal  which  he  had,  for  which  I  paid  him  five  dollars.  There  was 
another  case  of  a  woman  at  Front  Royal.  I  did  not  ask  whether  she  was 
a  rebel  or  not,  or  whether  she  had  rebel  kindred  in  the  army  of  the  confede 
rates.  She  was  a  widow  woman,  and  had  in  her  house  some  of  our  wounded 
soldiers,  and  had  shown  every  attention  to  them.  That  woman  I  paid  for 
what  things  I  took  from  her.  We  took  some  bacon  from-  her,  and,  I  think, 
some  corn  and  flour.  I  also  gave  her  a  safeguard — the  second  safeguard  I 
have  given  on  the  other  side  of  the  river.  The  other  safeguard  was  given 
to  a  northern  man  in  possession  of  a  mine  on  the  other  side  of  the  Rappa- 
hannock,  who  had  suffered  a  great  deal  from  guerilla  parties,  and  who  also 


446  TESTIMONY 

was  suffering  from  some  of  our  troops,  for  our  troops  strayed  all  over  the 
country.  I  tried  to  protect  the  growing  crops.  I  tried  to  have  the  wheat 
protected  until  it  arrived  at  maturity;  for  whether  we  want  it  or  not,  or 
whether  it  was  for  them,  it  was  a  thing  that  was  desirable  to  be  had. 

Question.  What  do  you  mean  by  "if  it  was  for  them ?" 

Answer.  In  that  country  the  men  are  mostly  gone;  there  are  none  but 
women,  children,  arid  negroes  left  behind.  They  must  be  fed.  I  fed  a  great 
many  hundreds  of  women  and  children  there,  who  had  nothing  to  eat  and 
came  to  me  for  assistance.  I  used  to  ask  the  negroes  how  they  expected  to 
live.  They  would  say  that  their  masters  had  left  them  a  little  bacon  and 
corn.  The  next  day,  perhaps,  I  would  find  that  the  soldiers  had  been  there 
and  taken  what  little  bacon  and  corn  had  been  left,  under  the  general  idea 
that  they  were  entitled  to  take  what  they  pleased.  If  these  people  do  not 
get  something  to  eat  from  their  growing  crops,  we  will  have  to  feed  them. 
Therefore  I  looked  upon  it  as  a  matter  of  principle  that  I  should  do  what  I 
could  to  protect  growing  crops.  I  did  not  protect  clover  or  pasturage;  that 
was  used  abundantly  and  freely. 

Question.  Did  you  in  any  cases  protect  large  quantities  of  corn  and  other 
articles  of  subsistence  by  our  soldiers  when  our  army  was  in  the  vicinity, 
and  then,  when  our  army  left,  leave  those  articles  in  the  possession  of  the 
enemy  ? 

Answer.  I  know  of  no  such  case  as  that,  except  what  I  have  just  seen  in 
the  letter  of  Captain  Sanderson.     I  directed  him  to  seize  the  flour  in  the  mill 
there.     He  writes  that  he  did  seize  it,  and  turned  it  over  to  General  Rick- 
etts,  who  returned  it  to  the  owner.     This  is  the  first  I  knew  of  that. 
By  Mr.  Gooch  : 

Question.  Will  you  state  to  the  committee  exactly  the  course  of  conduct 
pursued  by  you  with  reference  to  rebel  property  and  the  protection  of  the 
rebels  themselves  in  your  late  department  of  the  Rappahannock  ? 

Answer.  As  to  the  rebels  themselves,  or  their  families  that  I  found  in  the 
country,  (the  non-combatants — the  women  and  children,)  I  gave  them  all  the 
protection  I  could.  As  to  the  property  that  I  found  there  which  was  neces 
sary  for  the  army,  I  caused  it  to  be  taken  by  the  quartermaster  or  com 
missary  and  issued  to  the  troops  ;  causing  it  to  be  accounted  for  as  prop 
erty  belonging  to  the  government,  or  which  the  government  had  seized  for 
its  own  use,  requiring  a  statement  or  receipt  to  be  given  ;  which,  I  am  very 
free  to  say,  I  do  not  think  was  invariably  done,  though  I  tried  to  have  it 
done.  The  statement  or  receipt  was  given  to  the  possessor  of  the  property, 
stating  that  he  would  be  entitled  to  be  paid  for  it  at  the  close  of  this  rebel 
lion,  provided  that  he  shall  show  from  that  time  forth  he  has  behaved  him 
self  as  a  loyal  citizen  of  the  United  States.  I  have  paid  but  three  persons, 
I  believe,  anything  for  what  I  have  taken  from  them — the  cases  I  have 
already  referred  to.  [After  a  pause:]  I  am  not  certain  but  there  was 
another  case,  that  of  the  only  Union  man  said  to  be  in  Fredericksburg — a 
Mr.  Clark,  a  northern  man,  who  has  since  left  and  gone  north.  He  was, 
perhaps,  paid  for  some  supplies.  I  have  taken  a  great  many  barrels  of 
flour,  and  thousands  of  bushels  of  corn,  a  great  deal  of  pasturage,  a  great 
deal  of  lumber,  a  large  machine-shop,  a  foundery,  quantities  of  forage,  long 
and  short ;  corn  meal,  beef  cattle,  &c.;  and  have  taken,  or  authorized  to  be 
taken,  a  quantity  of  horses  by  General  Shields,  and  whatever  other  sup 
plies  he  might  need  or  find  necessary  on  his  trip  up  the  Valley.  That  is 
what  I  have  positively  done.  What  I  have  forbidden  to  be  done  can  be  seen 
from  my  order,  which  I  have  read  here. 

Question.  Have  you  in  any  instances  caused  to  be  protected  large  quan 
tities  of  corn  and  grain  of  any  kind,  and  left  it  in  the  possession  of  disloyal 
citizens  ? 


TESTIMONY.  447 

Answer.  I  am  not  aware  of  anything  of  the  kind.  I  could  with  great 
difficulty  answer  that  question.  I  had  a  command  which  extended  over  a 
great  many  square  miles.  I  gave  general  orders,  and  what  was  done  under 
those  general  orders,  I,  of  course,  cannot  tell.  What  may  have  been  done  in 
one  portion  of  the  department  under  those  general  orders,  I  do  not,  of  course, 
know  until  the  case  is  brought  to  my  attention.  It  may  be  that  this  case  is 
the  one  that  may  have  caused  your  inquiry.  It  is  the  case  of  property  down 
the  Rappabannock,  below  Fredericksburg,  of  some  property  that  was  guarded 
there,  belonging  to  a  Mrs.  Grey.  I  had  taken  from  her  abundantly  of  corn; 
reduced  her  stock  of  corn  to  as  low  a  point  as  she  could  bear.  I  did  not  see 
it  myself.  I  sent  down  General  Van  Rensselaer  to  make  examination  of 
two  cases  down  there,  alleged  to  be  cases  of  great  hardship — cases  of  women. 
I  have  taken  all  but  what  is  called  the  reserve  corn — that  which  is  necessary 
to  carry  the  family  through  until  the  next  crop  can  be  made  available  I 
gave  orders  that  the  reserve  corn  should  not  be  touched.  I  have  taken  a 
great  many  barrels  of  corn  from  the  place  of  Mrs.  Grey.  She  was  living  on 
the  place  with  a  large  family,  taking  care  of  the  place  herself.  I  quartered 
a  regiment  of  cavalry  on  her  place,  almost  around  the  house  itself.  They 
took  abundantly  from  her;  but  this  reserve  corn  I  ordered  should  not  be 
touched,  because  so  much  corn  had  been  taken  from  her.  I  did  take  more 
at  last,  and  then  representations  came  up  to  me  that  if  more  was  taken  they 
would  be  left  in  a  state  of  starvation;  and  I  sent  General  Van  Rensselaer 
down  to  examine  into  the  matter. 

Question.  Your  directions  were  to  leave  that  only  which  was  necessary 
for  the  subsistence  of  the  family  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir  ;  that  which  was  necessary  to  subsist  them  until  they 
could  use  their  next  crop.  In  that  part  of  the  country  the  farms  are  very 
large  :  there  are  many  negroes  and  many  children  upon  them.  The  white 
men,  perhaps,  have  gone  off  with  the  rebel  army,  leaving  the  farms  under 
the  care  of  negroes.  The  men  have  left,  while  the  women  and  children — the 
helpless  portion  of  the  family — are  left  behind.  There  may  have  been  quite 
a  large  quantity  of  corn  left  for  the  use  of  non-combatants  in  such  cases. 

Question.  The  intention  was  to  leave  only  enough  to  subsist  them  ? 

Answer.  That  is  all.  It  was  done  upon  reports  of  officers  that  I  sent  there 
to  examine.  Without  knowing  that  that  was  the  case  you  refer  to,  that  may 
be  the  case,  and  there  may  be  other  cases.  The  principle  I  went  on  was  to 
take  whatever  I  could,  without  leaving  the  people  to  starve,  except  in  the 
last  extremity. 

Question.  That  is,  you  would  not  take  all  unless  it  was  necessary  for  the 
subsistence  of  the  troops  ?  « 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  When  the  question  was  whether  the  people  should 
starve  or  my  troops  should  starve,  then  I  would  take  it  for  my  troops. 

Question.  I  now  desire  to  call  your  attention  to  an  order  made  by  you, 
which  was  read  in  the  Senate  the  other  day  by  Mr.  Wade.  The  order  is  as 
follows  ; 

"HEAI>QUARTERS  DEPARTMENT  OF  THE  RAPPAHANNOCK, 

"  Opposite  Fredericksburg,  Va.,  May  26,  1862. 

"  Special  Order  No.  68.] 

"  Colonel  Meredith,  commanding  the  56th  Pennsylvania  volunteers,  will 
furnish  from  his  regiment  a  guard  for  the  house  and  property  of  Mr.  L.  J. 
Huffman,  who  lives  near  Bell  Plain.  Colonel  Meredith  will  see  that  no  more 
corn  is  taken  from  Mr.  Huffman,  and  that  no  more  fencing  is  disturbed.  The 


448  TESTIMONY 

guard  will  be  so  placed  as  to  make  this  sure,  even  if  it  should  be  necessary 
to  place  a  sentinel  over  every  panel  of  fence. 
"  By  command  of  Major  General  McDowell. 

"  SAMUEL  BRECK, 
"  Assistant  Adjutant  General. 
"  Colonel  S.  A.  MEREDITH, 

"  Commanding  56th  Pennsylvania  Volunteers." 

Have  you  any  statement  or  explanation  which  you  desire  to  make  in 
reference  to  that  matter  ? 

Answer.  This  Mr.  Huffman  lives  at  Bell  Plain,  a  few  miles  south  of  Aquia 
creek.  Bell  Plain  was  chosen  by  me  as  a  temporary  landing  and  depot  for 
my  supplies,  which  were  required  for  the  troops  at  Fredericksburg,  until 
such  time  as  the  railroad  from  Aquia  creek  to  Fredericksburg  should  be 
completed  and  could  be  used  for  the  bringing  up  of  supplies.  When  we 
first  came  to  Bell  Plain  we  found  that  a  house  at  that  place  had  been 
destroyed  by  the  rebels.  In  a  field  close  by  were  several  grain-houses  full 
of  corn  in  the  ear,  and  there  was  a  large  field  of  clover  which  had  been  put 
in  by  drilling;  it  was  a  beautiful  field  of  clover.  I  seized  upon  all  his  corn  for 
the  government,  and  turned  my  beef  cattle  into  his  clover  field,  and  took  the 
remains  of  his  house  to  build  a  wharf — and  camped  my  troops  upon  his  place. 
Some  time  afterwards,  I  cannot  tell  how  long,  while  going  from  Aquia  creek 
to  Fredericksburg  in  company  with  Mr.  Seward,  Mr.  Stanton,  and  Mr  Chase, 
the  owner  of  this  property  came  to  see  me,  and  asked  me  if  he  could  get  any 
compensation  for  the  damage  my  troops  had  caused  him,  and  also  if  he  could 
have  any  protection  in  putting  in  and  taking  care  of  his  growing  crops  for 
the  next  season.  He  said  that  I  had  taken  all  his  corn  except  a  little  he  had 
at  his  house  for  family  use,  and  that  the  troops  were  committing  a  great 
many  depredations  upon  the  enclosures  immediately  around  his  house. 
There  was  a  second  house  there  ;  there  had  been  another,  but  it  had  been 
burned  down. 

I  told  him  that  as  to  compensation,  I  could  make  him  none.  He  said  that 
he  had  taken  no  part  in  this  war,  and  that  he  had  refused  to  give  supplies 
to  the  other  side.  The  proof  of  that  was  that  he  had  these  supplies  when 
I  got  there.  He  said  that  he  had  not  gone  away  as  most  of  his  neighbors 
had  done,  but  had  remained  on  his  farm  to  take  care  of  it,  and  to  see  if  he 
could  raise  something  of  a  crop  for  the  coming  year.  I  told  him  that  I 
would  take  no  more  corn  from  him;  would  not  take  what  was  left,  and  that 
I  would,  so  far  as  I  could,  protect  him  in  his  efforts  to  raise  a  crop;  that 
I  would  give  him  the  usual  receipt  for  the  property  I  had  taken,  but  I  could 
make  him  no  payments. 

I  gave  him  an  order  at  that  time,  which  he  carried  to  the  commanding 
officer  at  Bell  Plain.  Subsequently  the  commanding  officer  at  Bell  Plain 
was  changed,  and  another  regiment  went  there.  Mr.  Huffman  came  to 
Fredericksburg  and  complained  to  me  that  my  order  had  not  been  complied 
with;  that  the  soldiers  were  still  depredating  upon  his  premises,  burning 
his  fences,  so  that  his  crops  were  in  the  commons.  He  asked  if  I  could 
give  him  some  protection.  His  house  was  close  by  the  wayside,  on  the 
road  used  for  bringing  supplies  from  Bell  Plain  to  Fredericksburg,  and  the 
road  was  constantly  being  passed  over  by  trains,  teamsters,  bodies  of 
troops,  and  stragglers,  and  he  was  very  much  exposed. 

Having  taken  from  him  all  that  I  thought  he  could  spare,  and  he  having 
suffered  much  damage  at  our  hands,  I  reiterated  the  order,  or  rather  I  gave 
directions  to  my  staff  officer  to  reiterate  the  order,  in  pretty  strong  terms, 
to  the  commanding  officer  at  Bell  Plain,  directing  that  the  man  should  be  no 
further  molested,  but  that  he  should  be  protected  in  his  efforts  to  put  in  his 


TESTIMONY.  449 

crop;  that  his  fences  should  be  spared,  and  that  a  guard  should  be  detailed 
to  see  that  this  was  done.  The  terms  of  the  order  I  did  not  see  when  it 
was  made  out,  nor  were  my  directions  to  the  staff-officer  given  to  him  in 
the  terms  which  he  used. 

Question.  Your  directions  were  merely  that  a  stringent  order  should  be 
issued  to  that  effect  ? 

Answer.  That  is  all  It  is  very  seldom  that  a  commanding  officer  sees 
to  details  of  that  kind.  Mr.  Wade  said,  in  his  remarks  in  the  Senate,  that 
the  man  was  as  rank  a  traitor  as  there  is  on  the  face  of  the  earUi.  I  never 
knew  anything  about  the  man  being  a  traitor.  I  should  judge  that  if  he 
was  a  traitor  he  was  a  very  mild  one,  from  the  fact  that  he  was  one  of  the 
very  few  persons  who  remained  in  that  part  of  the  country,  trying  to  culti 
vate  his  farm.  He  certainly  was  a  heavy  sufferer  from  our  presence.  That 
form  of  expression — "  a  sentinel  to  every  panel  of  fence" — was  merely  this 
young  man's  way  of  expressing  the  idea  that  the  order  must  be  complied 
with,  must  be  carried  out,  in  some  form  or  manner. 


REBEL  BARBARITIES. 


IN  THE  SENATE  OF  THE  UNITED  SATES,  April  1,  1862. 
On  motion  by  Mr.  SUMNER, 

Resolved,  That  the  select  committee  on  the  conduct  of  the  war  be  directed 
to  collect  the  evidence  with  regard  to  the  barbarous  treatment  by  the  rebels,  at 
Manassas,  of  the  remains  of  officers  and  soldiers  of  the  Unrted  States  killed 
in  battle  there ;  and  that  said  select  committee  also  inquire  into  the  fact  whether 
Indian  savages  have  been  employed  by  the  rebels  in  their  military  service,  and 
how  such  warfare  has  been  conducted  by  said  savages  against  the  government 
of  the  United  States. 
Attest : 

J.  W.  FORNEY,  Secretary. 


Mr.  Wade,  from  the.  joint  committee  on  the  conduct  of  the  present  war,  kegs  leave 
respectfully  to  submit  a  report,  in  part,  as  follows  : 

On  the  first  day  of  April  the  Senate  of  the  United  States  adopted  the  fol 
lowing  resolution  ;  which  was  referred  to  the  committee  on  the  conduct  of  the 
war  : 

Resolved,  That  the  select  committee  on  the  conduct  of  the  war  be  directed  to  collect  the 
evidence  with  regard  to  the  barbarous  treatment  by  the  rebels,  at  Manassas,  of  the  remains 
of  officers  and  soldiers  of  the  United  States  killed  in  battle  there  ;  and  that  the  said  select 
committee  also  inquire  into  the  fact  whether  the  Indian  savages  have  been  employed  by 
the  rebels,  in  their  military  service,  against  the  government  of  the  United  States,  and  how 
such  warfare  has  been  conducted  by  said  savages. 


In  pursuance  of  the  instructions  contained  in  this  resolution,  your  committee 
have  the  honor  to  report  that  they  examined  a  number  of  witnesses,  whose 
testimony  is  herewith  submitted. 

Mr.  Nathaniel  F.  Parker,  who  was  captured  at  Falling  Waters,  Virginia, 
testifies  that  he  was  kept  in  close  confinement,  denied  exercise,  and,  with  a 

"Povf    iii  _  9O 


450  TESTIMONY. 

number  of  others,  huddled  up  in  a  room ;  that  their  food,  generally  scant,  was 
always  bad,  and  sometimes  nauseous  ;  that  the  wounded  had  neither  medical 
attention  nor  humane  treatment,  and  that  many  of  these  latter  died  from  sheer 
neglect ;  that  five  of  the  prisoners  were  shot  by  the  sentries  outside,  and  that 
he  saw  one  man,  Tibbetts,  of  the  New  York  twenty-seventh  regiment,  shot  aslie 
was  passing  his  window  on  the  8th  of  November,  and  that  he  died  of  the  wound 
on  the  12th.  The  perpetrator  of  this  foul  murder  was  subsequently  promoted 
by  the  rebel  government. 

Dr.  J.  M.  Horniston,  surgeon  of  the  14th  New  York  or  Brooklyn  regiment, 
captured  at  Bull  Run,  testifies  that  when  he  solicited  permission  to  remain  on 
the  field  and  to  attend  to  wounded  men,  some  of  whom  were  in  a  helpless  and 
painful  condition  and  suffering  for  water,  he  was  brutally  refused.  They  offered 
him  neither  water  nor  anything  in  the  shape  of  food.  He  and  his  companions 
stood  in  the  streets  of  Manassas,  surrounded  by  a  threatening  and  boisterous 
crowd,  and  were  afterwards  thrust  into  an  old  building,  and  left,  without  suste 
nance  or  covering,  to  sleep  on  the  bare  floor.  It  was  only  when  faint  and  ex 
hausted,  in  response  to  their  earnest  petitions,  they  having  been  without  food 
for  twenty-four  hours,  that  some  cold  bacon  was  grudgingly  given  to  them. 
When,  at  last,  they  were  permitted  to  go  to  the  relief  of  our  wounded,  the 
secession  surgeon  would  not  allow  them  to  perform  operations,  but  intrusted  the 
wounded  to  his  young  assistants,  "  some  of  them  with  no  more  knowledge  of  what 
they  attempted  to  do  than  an  apothecary's  clerk."  And  further,  "  that  these 
inexperienced  surgeons  performed  operations  upon  our  men  in  a  most  horrible 
manner;  some  of  them  were  absolutely  frightful."  "When,"  he  adds,  "I  asked 
Doctor  Darby  to  allow  me  to  amputate  the  leg  of  Corporal  Prescott,  of  our 
regiment,  and  said  that  the  man  must  die  if  it  were  not  done,  he  told  me  that  I 
should  be  allowed  to  do  it."  While  Doctor  Homiston  was  waiting,  he  says  a 
secessionist  came  through  the  room  and  said,  "they  are  operating  upon  one  of 
the  Yankee's  legs  up  stairs."  "I  went  up  and  found  that  they  had  cut  off 
Prescott's  leg.  The  assistants  were  pulling  on  the  flesh  at  each  side,  trying  to 
get  flap  enough  to  cover  the  bone.  They  had  sawed  off  the  bone  without  leav 
ing  any  of  the  flesh  to  form  the  flaps  to  cover  it ;  and  with  all  the  force  they 
could  use  they  could  not  get  flap  enough  to  cover  the  bone.  They  were  then 
obliged  to  saw  off  about  an  inch  more  of  the  bone,  and  even  then,  when  they 
came  to  put  in  the  sutures  (the  stitches)  they  could  not  approximate  the  edges 
within  less  than  an  inch  and  a  half  of  each  other;  of  course,  as  soon  as  there 
was  any  swelling,  the  stitches  tore  out  and  the  bone  stuck  through  again.  Dr. 
Swalm  tried  afterwards  to  remedy  it  by  performing  another  operation,  but  Pres 
cott  had  become  so  debilitated  that  he  did  not  survive."  Corporal  Prescott 
was  a  young  man  of  high  position,  and  had  received  a  very  liberal  education. 

The  same  witness  describes  the  sufferings  of  the  wounded  after  the  battle  as 
inconceivably  horrible;  with  bad  food,  no  covering,  no  water.  They  were  lying 
upon  the  floor  as  thickly  as  they  could  be  laid.  "  There  was  not  a  particle  of 
light  in  the  house  to  enable  us  to  move  among  them."  Deaf  to  all  his  appeals, 
they  continued  to  refuse  water  to  these  suffering  men,  and  he  was  only  enabled 
to  procure  it  by  setting  cups  under  the  eaves  to  catch  the  rain  that  was  falling, 
and  in  this  way  he  spent  the  night  catching  the  water  and  conveying  it  to  the 
wounded  to  drink.  As  there  was  no  light,  he  was  obliged  to  crawl  on  his  hands 
and  knees  to  avoid  stepping  on  their  wounded  limbs ;  and,  he  adds,  "it  is  not  a 
wonder  that  next  morning  we  found  that  several  had  died  during  the  night." 
The  young  surgeons,  who  seemed  to  delight  in  hacking  and  butchering  these  brave 
defenders  of  our  country's  flag,  were  not,  it  would  seem,  permitted  to  perform 
any  operations  upon  the  rebel  wounded.  "Some  of  our  wounded,"  says  this 
witness,  "were  left  lying  upon  the  battle-field  until  Tuesday  night  and  Wednesday 
morning.  When  brought  in,  their  wounds  were  completely  alive  with  larvse 
deposited  there  by  the  flies,  having  laid  out  through  all  the  rain-storm  of  Mon- 


TESTIMONY.  451 

day,  and  the  hot,  sultry  sunshine  of  Tuesday."  The  dead  laid  upon  the  field 
unburied  for  five  days;  and  this  included  men  not  only  of  his  own,  the  14th 
regiment,  but  of  other  regiments.  This  witness  testifies  that  the  rebel  dead 
were  carried  off  and  interred  decently.  In  answer  to  a  question  whether  the 
confederates  themselves  were  not  also  destitute  of  medicine,  he  replied,  "  they 
could  not  have  been,  for  they  took  all  ours,  even  to  our  surgical  instruments." 
He  received  none  of  the  attention  from  the  surgeons  on  the  other  side,  "which," 
to  use  his  own  language,  "I  should  have  shown  to  them  had  our  position  been 
reversed." 

The  testimony  of  William  F.  Swalm,  assistant  surgeon  of  the  14th  New  York 
regiment,  who  was  taken  prisoner  at  Sudley's  church,  confirms  the  statement  of 
Dr.  Homiston  in  regard  to  the  brutal  operations  on  Corporal  Prescott.  He  also 
states  that  after  he  himself  had  been  removed  to  Richmond,  when  seated  one  day 
with  his  feet  on  the  window-sill,  the  sentry  outside  called  to  him  to  take  them  in, 
and  on  looking  out  he  saw  the  sentry  with  his  musket  cocked  and  pointed  at 
him,  and  withdrew  in  time  to  save  his  life.  He  gives  evidence  of  the  careless, 
heartless,  and  cruel  manner  in  which  the  surgeons  operated  upon  our  men. 
Previous  to  leaving  for  Richmond,  and  ten  or  twelve  days  after  the  battle,  he 
saw  some  of  the  Union  soldiers  unburied  on  the  field,  and  entirely  naked. 
Walking  around  were  a  great  many  women,  gloating  over  the  horrid  sight. 

The  case  of  Dr.  Ferguson,  of  one  of  the  New  York  regiments,  is  mentioned 
by  Dr.  Swalm.  "When  getting  into  his  ambulance  to  look  after  his  own 
wounded  he  was  fired  upon  by  the  rebels.  When  he  told  them  who  he  was, 
they  said  they  would  take  a  parting  shot  at  him,  which  they  did,  wounding  him 
in  the  leg.  He  had  his  boots  on,  and  his  spurs  on  his  boots,  and  as  they  drove 
along  his  spurs  would  catch  in  the  tail-board  of  the  ambulance,  causing  him  t& 
shriek  with  agony."  An  officer  rode  up,  and,  placing  his  pistol  to  his  head, 
threatened  to  shoot  him  if  he  continued  to  scream.  This  was  on  Sunday,  the 
day  of  the  battle. 

One  of  the  most  important  witnesses  was  General  James  B.  Ricketts,  well 
known  in  Washington  and  throughout  the  country,  lately  promoted  for  his 
daring  and  self-sacrificing  courage.  After  having  been  wounded  in  the  battle 
of  Bull  Run,  he  was  captured,  and  as  he  lay  helpless  on  his  back,  a  party  of 

rebels  passing  him  cried  out,  "  knock  out  his  brains,  the  d d  Yankee."  He 

met  General  Beauregard,  an  old  acquaintance,  only  a  year  his  senior  at  the 
United  States  Military  Academy,  where  both  were  educated.  He  had  met  the 
rebel  general  in  the  south  a  number  of  times.  By  this  head  of  the  rebel  army, 
on  the  day  after  the  battle,  he  was  told  that  his  (General  Bicketts's)  treatment 
would  depend  upon  the  treatment  extended  to  the  rebel  privateers.  His  first 
lieutenant,  Ramsey,  who  was  killed,  was  stripped  of  every  article  of  his  clothing 
but  his  socks,  and  left  naked  on  the  field.  He  testified  that  those  of  our  wounded 
who  died  in  Richmond  were  buried  in  the  negro  burying-ground  among  the  ne 
groes,  and  were  put  into  the  earth  in  the  most  unfeeling  manner.  The  state 
ment  of  other  witnesses  as  to  how  the  prisoners  were  treated  is  fully  confirmed 
by  General  Ricketts.  He  himself,  while  in  prison,  subsisted  mainly  upon  what 
he  purchased  with  his  own  money,  the  money  brought  to  him  by  his  wife. 
"We  had,"  he  says,  "what  they  called  bacon  soup — soup  made  of  boiled  bacon, 
the  bacon  being  a  little  rancid — which  you  could  not  possibly  eat ;  and  that  for 
a  man  whose  system  was  being  drained  by  a  wound  is  no  diet  at  all."  In  reply 
to  a  question  whether  he  had  heard  anything  about  our  prisoners  being  shot 
by  the  rebel  sentries,  he  answered:  "Yes,  a  number  of  our  men  were  shot.  In 
one  instance  two  were  shot;  one  was  killed,  and  the  other  wounded,  by  a  man 
who  rested  his  gun  on  the  window-sill  while  he  capped  it." 

General  Ricketts,  in  reference  to  his  having  been  held  as  one  of  the  hostages 
for  the  privateers,  states :  "  I  considered  it  bad  treatment  to  be  selected  as  a  host 
age  for  a  privateer,  when  I  was  so  lame  that  I  could  not  walk,  and  while  my 


452  TESTIMONY. 

wounds  were  still  open  and  unhealed.  At  this  time  General  Winder  came  to 
see  me.  He  had  been  an  officer  in  my  regiment;  I  had  known  him  for  twenty- 
odd  years.  It  was  on  the  9th  of  November  that  he  came  to  see  me.  He  saw 
that  my  wounds  were  still  unhealed ;  he  saw  my  condition ;  but  that  very  day 
he  received  an  order  to  select  hostages  for  the  privateers,  and,  notwithstanding 
he  knew  my  condition,  the  next  day,  Sunday,  the  10th  of  November,  I  was  se 
lected  as  one  of  the  hostages."  "  I  heard,"  he  continues,  "of  a  great  many  of 
our  prisoners  who  had  been  bayonetted  and  shot.  I  saw  three  of  them — two 
that  had  been  bayonetted  and  one  of  them  shot.  One  was  named  Louis  Francis, 
of  the  New  York  14th.  He  had  received  fourteen  bayonet  wounds — one  through 
his  privates — and  he  had  one  wound  very  much  like  mine,  on  the  knee,  in  con 
sequence  of  which  his  leg  was  amputated  after  twelve  weeks  had  passed ;  and  I 
would  state  here  that  in  regard  to  his  case,  when  it  was  determined  to  amputate  his 
leg,  I  heard  Dr.  Peachy,  the  rebel  surgeon,  remark  to  one  of  his  young  assistants, 
'I  won't  be  greedy;  you  may  do  it ;'  and  the  young  man  did  it.  I  saw  a  num 
ber  in  my  room,  many  of  whom  had  been  badly  amputated.  The  flaps  over  the 
stump  were  drawn  too  tight,  and  some  of  the  bones  protruded.  A  man  by  the 
name  of  Prescott  (the  same  referred  to  in  the  testimony  of  Surgeon  Homiston) 
was  amputated  twice,  and  was  then,  I  think,  moved  to  Richmond  before  the 
taps  were  healed — Prescott  died  under  this  treatment.  I  heard  a  rebel  doctor 
on  the  steps  below  my  room  say,  '  that  he  wished  he  could  taHe  out  the  hearts 

of  the  d d  Yankees  as  easily  as  he  could  take  off  their  legs.'     Some  of  the 

southern  gentlemen  treated  me  very  handsomely.     Wade  Hampton,  who  was 
opposed  to  my  battery,  came  to  see  me  and  behaved  like  a  generous  enemy." 

It  appears,  as  a  part  of  the  history  of  this  rebellion,  that  General  Ricketts 
was  visited  by  his  wife,  who,  having  first  heard  that  he  was  killed  in  battle, 
afterwards  that  he  was  alive  but  wounded,  travelled  under  great  difficulties  to 
Manassas  to  see  her  husband.     He  says :  "  She  had  almost  to  fight  her  way 
through,  but  succeeded  finally  in  reaching  me  on  the  fourth  day  after  the  battle. 
There  were  eight  persons  in  the  Lewis  House,  at  Manassas,  in  the  room  where 
I  lay,  and  my  wife,  for  two  weeks,  slept  in  that  room  on  the  floor  by  my  side, 
without  a  bed.     When  we  got  to  Richmond,  there  were  six  of  us  in  a  room, 
among  them   Colonel  Wilcox,  who  remained  with  us  until  he  was  taken  to 
Charleston.     There  we  were  all  in  one  room.     There  was  no  door  to  it.     It 
was    much  as  it  would  be  here  if  you  should  take  off  the  doors  of  this  com 
mittee  room,   and  then  fill  the  passage  with    wounded  soldiers.     In  the  hot 
summer  months  the  stench  from  their  wounds,  and  from  the  utensils  they  used, 
was  fearful.     There  was  no  privacy  at  all,  because  there  being  no  door  the  room 
could  not  be  closed.     We  were  there  as  a  common  show.     Colonel  Wilcox  and 
myself  were  objects  of  interest,  and  were  gazed  upon  as  if  we  were  a  couple  of 
savages.     The  people  would  come  in  there  and  say  all  sorts  of  things  to  us  and 
about  us,  until  I  was  obliged  to  tell  them  that  I  was  a  prisoner  and  had  nothing 
to  say.     On  our  way  to  Richmond,  when  we  reached  Gordonsville,  many  women 
crowded  around  the  cars,  and  asked  my  wife  if  she  cooked?  if  she  washed?  how 
she  got  there  ?     Finally,  Mrs.  Ricketts  appealed  to  the  officer  in  charge,  and  told 
him  that  it  was  not  the  intention  that  we  should  be  subjected  to  this  treatment, 
and  if  it  was  continued  she  would  make  it  known  to  the  authorities.     General 
Johnston  took  my  wife's  carriage  and  horses  at  Manassas,  kept  them,  and  has 
them  yet  for  aught  I  know.     When  I  got  to  Richmond  I  spoke  to  several  gen 
tlemen  about  this,  and  so  did  Mrs.  Ricketts.     They  said,  of  course,  the  carriage 
and  horses  should  be  returned,  but  they  never  were.     "  There  is  one  debt,"  says 
this  gallant  soldier,  "that  I  desire  very  much  to  pay,  and  nothing  troubles  me 
so   much   now  as  the  fact  that  my  wounds  prevent  me   from   entering   upon 
active  service  at  once." 

The  case  of  Louis  Francis,  who  was  terribly  wounded  and  maltreated,  and 
lost  a  leg,  is  referred  to  by  General  Ricketts ;    but  the  testimony  of  Francis 


TESTIMONY.  453 

himself  is  startling.  He  was  a  private  in  the  New  York  14th  regiment.  He 
says:  "I  was  attacked  by  two  rebel  soldiers,  and  wounded  in  the  right  knee 
with  the  bayonet.  As  I  lay  on  the  sod  they  kept  bayonetting  me  until  I  re 
ceived  fourteen  wounds.  One  then  left  me,  the  otherremaining  over  me,  when  a 
Union  soldier  coming  up,  shot  him  in  the  breast,  and  he  fell  dead.  I  lay  on  the 
ground  until  10  o'clock  next  day.  I  was  then  removed  in  a  wagon  to  a  build 
ing  ;  my  wounds  examined  and  partially  dressed.  On  the  Saturday  following 
we  were  carried  to  Manassas,  and  from  there  to  the  general  hospital  at  Rich 
mond.  My  leg  having  partially  mortified,  I  consented  that  it  should  be  ampu 
tated,  which  operation  was  performed  by  a  young  man.  I  insisted  that  they 
should  allow  Dr.  Swalm  to  be  present,  for  I  wanted  one  Union  man  there  if  I 
died  under  the  operation.  The  stitches  and  the  band  slipped  from  neglect,  and 
the  bone  protruded  ;  and  about  two  weeks  after  another  operation  was  performed, 
at  which  time  another  piece  of  the  thigh  bone  was  sawed  off.  Six  weeks  after 
the  amputation,  and  before  it  healed,  I  was  removed  to  the  tobacco  factory." 

Two  operations  were  subsequently  performed  on  Francis — one  at  Fortress 
Monroe,  and  one  at  Brooklyn,  New  York — after  his  release  from  captivity. 

Revolting  as  these  disclosures  are,  it  was  when  the  committee  came  to  exam 
ine  witnesses  in  reference  to  the  treatment  of  our  heroic  dead,  that  the  fiendish 
spirit  of  the  rebel  leaders  was  most  prominently  exhibited.  Daniel  Bixby,  jr., 
of  Washington,  testifies  that  he  went  out  in  company  with  Mr.  G.  A.  Smart,  of 
Cambridge,  Massachusetts,  who  went  to  search  for  the  body  of  his  brother,  who 
fell  at  Blackburn's  Ford  in  the  action  of  the  18th  of  July.  They  found  the 
grave.  The  clothes  were  identified  as  those  of  his  brother  on  account  of  some 
peculiarity  in  the  make,  for  they  had  been  made  by  his  mother ;  and,  in  order 
to  identify  them,  other  clothes  made  by  her  were  taken,  that  they  might  com 
pare  them.  "  We  found  no  head  in  the  grave,  and  no  bones  of  any  kind — 
nothing  but  the  clothes  and  portions  of  the  flesh.  We  found  the  remains  of 
three  other  bodies  all  together.  The  clothes  were  there ;  some  flesh  was  left, 
but  no  bones."  The  witness  also  states  that  Mrs.  Pierce  Butler,  who  lives  near 
the  place,  said  that  she  had  seen  the  rebels  boiling  portions  of  the  bodies  of  our 
dead  in  order  to  obtain  their  bones  as  relics.  They  could  not  wait  for  them  to 
decay.  She  said  that  she  had  seen  drumsticks  made  of  "  Yankee  shinbones,"  as 
they  called  them.  Mrs.  Bulter  also  stated  that  she  had  seen  a  skull  that  one  of 
the  New  Orleans  artillery  had,  which,  he  said,  he  was  going  to  send  home  and 
have  mounted,  and  that  he  intended  to  drink  a  brandy  punch  out  of  it  the  day 
he  was  married. 

Frederick  Scholes,  of  the  city  of  Brooklyn,  New  York,  testified' that  he  pro 
ceeded  to  the  battle-field  of  Bull  Run  on  the  fourth  of  this  month  (April)  to 
find  the  place  where  he  supposed  his  brother's  body  was  buried.  Mr.  Scholes, 
who  is  a  man  of  unquestioned  character,  by  his  testimony  fully  confirms  the 
statements  of  other  witnesses.  He  met  a  free  negro,  named  Simon  or  Simons, 
who  stated  that  it  was  a  common  thing  for  the  rebel  soldiers  to  exhibit  the  bones 
of  the  Yankees.  "  I  found,"  he-  says,  "  in  the  bushes  in  the  neighborhood,  a 
part  of  a  zouave  uniform,  with  the  sleeve  sticking  out  of  the  grave,  and  a  por 
tion  of  the  pantaloons.  Attempting  to  pull  it  up,  I  saw  the  two  ends  of  the 
grave  were  still  unopened,  but  the  middle  had  been  prised  up,  pulling  up  the 
extremities  of  the  uniform  at  some  places,  the  sleeves  of  the  shirt  in  another, 
and  a  portion  of  the  pantaloons.  Dr.  Swalm  (one  of  the  surgeons,  whose  testi 
mony  has  already  been  referred  to)  pointed  out  the  trenches  where  the  seces 
sionists  had  buried  their  own  dead,  and,  on  examination,  it  appeared  that  their 
remains  had  not  been  disturbed  at  all.  Mr.  Scholes  met  a  free  negro,  named 
Hampton,  who  resided  near  the  place,  and  when  he  told  him  the  manner  in 
which  these  bodies  had  been  dug  up,  he  said  he  knew  it  had  been  done,  and 
added  that  the  rebels  had  commenced  digging  bodies  two  or  three  days  after 
they  were  buried,  for  the  purpose,  at  first,  of  obtaining  the  buttons  off  their  uni- 


454  TESTIMONY. 

forms,  and  that  afterwards  they  disinterred  them  to  get  their  bones.  He  said 
they  had  taken  rails  and  pushed  the  ends  down  in  the  centre  under  the  middle 
of  the  bodies,  and  pried  them  up.  The  information  of  the  negroes  of  Benjamin 
Franklin  Lewis  corroborated  fully  the  statement  of  this  man,  Hampton.  They 
said  that  a  good  many  of  the  bodies  had  been  stripped  naked  on  the  field  before 
they  were  buried,  and  that  some  were  buried  naked.  I  went  to  Mr.  Lewis's 
house  and  spoke  to  him  of  the  manner  in  which  these  bodies  had  been  disinter 
red.  He  admitted  that  it  was  infamous,  and  condemned  principally  the  Louis 
iana  Tigers,  of  General  Wheat's  division.  He  admitted  that  our  wounded  had 
been  very  badly  treated."  In  confirmation  of  the  testimony  of  Dr.  Swalm  and 
Dr.  Horniston,  this  witness  avers  that  Mr.  Lewis  mentioned  a  number  of  in 
stances  of  men  who  had  been  murdered  by  bad  surgical  treatment.  Mr.  Lewis 
was  afraid  that  a  pestilence  would  break  out  in  consequence  of  the  dead  being 
left  unburied,  and  stated  that  he  had  gone  and  warned  the  neighborhood  and 
had  the  dead  buried,  sending  his  own  men  to  assist  in  doing  so.  "  On  Sunday 
morning  (yesterday)  I  went  out  in  search  of  my  brother's  grave.  We  found 
the  trench,  and  dug  for  the  bodies  below.  They  were  eighteen  inches  to  two 
feet  below  the  surface,  and  had  been  hustled  in  in  any  way.  In  one  end  of  the 
trench  we  found,  not  more  than  two  or  three  inches  below  the  surface,  the  thigh 
bone  of  a  man  which  had  evidently  been  dug  up  after  the  burial.  At  the  other 
end  of  the  trench  we  found  the  shinbone  of  a  man,  which  had  been  struck  by  a 
musket  ball  and  split.  The  bodies  at  the  ends  had  been  pried  up.  While  dig 
ging  there,  a  party  of  soldiers  came  along  and  showed  us  a  part  of  a  shinbone, 
five  or  six  inches  long,  which  had  the  end  sawed  off.  They  said  that  they  had 
found  it  among  many  other  pieces  in  one  of  the  cabins  the  rebels  had  deserted. 
From  the  appearance  of  it,  pieces  had  been  sawed  off  to  make  finger-rings.  As 
soon  as  the  negroes  noticed  this,  they  said  that  the  rebels  had  had  rings  made 
of  the  bones  of  our  dead,  and  that  they  had  them  for  sale  in  their  camps. 
When  Dr.  Swalm  saw  the  bone  he  said  it  was  a  part  of  the  shinbone  of  a  man. 
The  soldiers  represented  that  there  were  lots  of  these  bones  scattered  through 
the  rebel  huts  sawed  into  rings,"  &c.  Mr.  Lewis  and  his  negroes  all  spoke  of 
Colonel  James  Cameron's  body,  and  knew  that  "  it  had  been  stripped,  and  also 
where  it  had  been  buried."  Mr.  Scholes,  in  answer  to  a  question  of  one  of  the 
committee,  described  the  different  treatment  extended  to  the  Union  soldiers  and 
the  rebel  dead.  The  latter  had  little  head-boards  placed  at  the  head  of  their  re 
spective  graves  and  marked ;  none  of  them  had  the  appearance  of  having  been 
disturbed. 

The  evidence  of  that  distinguished  and  patriotic  citizen,  Hon.  William  Sprague, 
governor  of  the  State  of  Rhode  Island,  confirms  and  fortifies  some  of  the  most 
revolting  statements  of  former  witnesses.  His  object  in  visiting  the  battle-field 
was  to  recover  the  bodies  of  Colonel  Slocum  and  Major  Ballou,  of  the  Rhode 
Island  regiment.  He  took  out  with  him  several  of  his  own  men  to  identify  the 
graves.  On  reaching  the  place,  he  states  that  "  we  commenced  digging  for  the 
bodies  of  Colonel  Slocum  and  Major  Ballou  at  the  spot  pointed  out  to  us  by 
these  men  who  had  been  in  the  action.  While  digging,  some  negro  women 
eame  up  and  asked  whom  we  were  looking  for,  and  at  the  same  time  said  that 
'  Colonel  Sloguu '  had  been  dug  up  by  the  rebels,  by  some  men  of  a  Georgia 
regiment,  his  head  cut  off,  and  his  body  taken  to  a  ravine  thirty  or  forty  yards 
below,  and  there  burned.  We  stopped  digging  and  went  to  the  spot  designated, 
where  we  found  coals  and  ashes  and  bones  mingled  together.  A  little  distance 
from  there  we  found  a  shirt  (still  buttoned  at  the  neck)  and  a  blanket  with 
large  quantities  of  hair  upon  it,  everything  indicating  the  burning  of  a  body 
there.  We  returned  and  dug  down  at  the  spot  indicated  as  the  grave  of  Major 
Ballou,  but  found  no  body  there ;  but  at  the  place  pointed  out  as  the  grave 
where  Colonel  Slocum  was  buried  we  found  a  box,  which,  upon  being  raised  and 
opened,  was  found  to  contain  the  body  of  Colonel  Slocum.  The  soldiers  who 


TESTIMONY.  455 

had  buried  the  two  bodies  were  satisfied  that  the  grave  had  been  opened,  the 
body  taken  out,  beheaded,  and  burned,  was  that  of  Major  Ballon,  because  it 
was  not  in  the  spot  where  Colonel  Slocum  was  buried,  but  rather  to  the  right 
of  it.  They  at  once  said  that  the  rebels  had  made  a  mistake,  and  had  taken 
the  body  of  Major  Ballou  for  that  of  Colonel  Slocum.  The  shirt  found  near 
the  place  where  the  body  was  burned  I  recognized  as  one  belonging  to  Major 
Ballou,  as  I  had  been  very  intimate  with  him.  We  gathered  up  the  ashes  con 
taining  the  portion  of  his  remains  that  were  left,  and  put  them  in  a  coffin 
together  with  his  shirt  and  the  blanket  with  the  hair  left  upon  it.  After  we  had 
done  this  we  went  to  that  portion  of  the  field  where  the  battle  had  first  com 
menced,  and  began  to  dig  for  the  remains  of  Captain  Tower.  We  brought  a 
soldier  with  us  to  designate  the  place  where  he  was  buried.  He  had  been 
wounded  in  the  battle,  and  had  seen  from  the  window  of  the  house  where  the 
captain  was  interred.  On  opening  the  ditch  or  trench  we  found  it  filled  with 
soldiers,  all  buried  with  their  faces  downward.  On  taking  up  some  four  or  five 
we  discovered  the  remains  of  Captain  Tower,  mingled  with  those  of  the  men. 
We  took  them,  placed  them  in  a  coffin,  and  brought  them  home." 

In  reply  to  a  question  of  a  member  of  the  committee  as  to  whether  he 
was  satisfied  that  they  were  buried  intentionally  with  their  faces  downward, 
Governor  Sprague's  answer  was,  "  Undoubtedly!  Beyond  all  controversy!"  and 
that  "  it  was  done  as  a  mark  of  indignity."  In  answer  to  another  question  as 
to  what  their  object  could  have  been,  especially  in  regard  to  the  body  of  Colonel 
Slocum,  he  replied  :  "  Sheer  brutality,  and  nothing  else.  They  did  it  on  account 
of  his  courage  and  chivalry  in  forcing  his  regiment  fearlessly  and  bravely  upon 
them.  He  destroyed  about  one-half  of  that  Georgia  regftnent,  which  was  made 
up  of  their  best  citizens."  When  the  inquiry  was  put  whether  he  thought  these 
barbarities  were  committed  by  that  regiment,  he  responded,  "  by  that  same  regi 
ment,  as  I  was  told."  While  their  own  dead  were  buried  with  marble  head  and 
foot  stones,  and  names  upon  them,  ours  were  buried,  as  I  have  stated,  in  trenches. 
This  eminent  witness  concludes  his  testimony  as  follows  :  "  I  have  published 
an  order  to  my  second  regiment,  to  which  these  officers  were  attached,  that  I 
shall  not  be  satisfied  with  what  they  shall  do  unless  they  give  an  account  of 
one  rebel  killed  for  each  one  of  their  own  number." 

The  members  of  your  committee  might  content  themselves  by  leaving  this 
testimony  to  the  Senate  and  the  people  without  a  word  of  comment ;  but  when 
the  enemies  of  a  just  and  generous  government  are  attempting  to  excite  the 
sympathy  of  disloyal  men  in  our  own  country,  and  to  solicit  the  aid  of  foreign 
governments  by  the  grossest  misrepresentations  of  the  objects  of  the  war,  and 
of  the  conduct  of  the  officers  and  soldiers  of  the  republic,  this,  the  most  start 
ling  evidence  of  their  insincerity  and  inhumanity,  deserves  some  notice  at  our 
hands.  History  will  be  examined  in  vain  for  a  parallel  to  this  rebellion  against 
a  good  government.  Long  prepared  for  by  ambitious  men,  who  were  made  doubly 
confident  of  success  by  the  aid  and  counsel  of  former  administrations,  and  by 
the  belief  that  their  plans  were  unobserved  by  a  magnanimous  people,  they  pre 
cipitated  the  war  (at  a  moment  when  the  general  administration  had  just  been 
changed)  under  circumstances  of  astounding  perfidy.  Without  a  single  reason 
able  ground  of  complaint,  and  in  the  face  of  repeated  manifestations  of  modera 
tion  and  peace  on  the  part  of  the  President  and  his  friends,  they  took  up  arms 
and  declared  that  they  would  never  surrender  until  their  rebellion  had  been 
recognized,  pr  the  institutions  established  by  our  fathers  had  been  destroyed. 
The  people  of  the  loyal  States,  at  last  convinced  that  they  could  preserve  their 
liberties  only  by  an  appeal  to  the  God  of  battles,  rushed  to  the  standard  of  the 
republic,  in  response  to  the  call  of  the  Chief  Magistrate. 

Every  step  of  this  monstrous  treason  has  been  marked  by  violence  pnd  crime. 
No  transgression  has  been  too  great,  no  wrong  too  startling  for  its  leaders. 
They  disregarded  the  sanctity  of  the  oaths  they  had  taken  to  support  the  Con- 


456  TESTIMONY. 

stitution ;  they  repudiated  all  their  obligations  to  the  people  of  the  free  States  ; 
they  deceived  and  betrayed  their  own  fellow-citizens,  and  crowded  their  armies 
with  forced  levies  ;  they  drove  from  their  midst  all  who  would  not  yield  to  their 
despotism,  or  filled  their  prisons  with  men  who  would  not  enlist  under  their 
flag.  They  have  now  crowned  the  rebellion  by  the  perpetration  of  deeds 
scarcely  known  even  to  savage  warfare.  The  investigations  of  your  committee 
have  established  this  fact  beyond  controversy.  The  witnesses  called  before  us 
were  men  of  undoubted  veracity  and  character.  Some  of  them  occupy  high 
positions  in  the  army,  and  others  high  positions  in  civil  life.  Differing  in  po 
litical  sentiments,  their  evidence  presents  a  remarkable  concurrence  of  opinion 
and  of  judgment.  Our  fellow-countrymen,  heretofore  sufficiently  impressed  by 
the  generosity  and  forbearance  of  the  government  of  the  United  States,  and 
by  the  barbarous  character  of  the  crusade  against  it,  will  be  shocked  by  the 
statements  of  these  unimpeached  and  unimpeachable  witnesses ;  and  foreign 
nations  must,  with  one  accord,  however  they  have  hesitated  heretofore,  consign 
to  lasting  odium  the  authors  of  crimes  which,  in  all  their  details,  exceed  the 
worst  excesses  of  the  Sepoys  of  India. 

Inhumanity  to  the  living  has  been  the  leading  trait  of  the  rebel  leaders ;  but 
it  was  reserved  for  your  committee  to  disclose  as  a  concerted  system  their  in 
sults  to  the  wounded,  and  their  mutilation  and  desecration  of  the  gallant  dead. 
Our  soldiers,  taken  prisoners  in  honorable  battle,  have  been  subjected  to  the 
most  shameful  treatment.  All  the  considerations  that  inspire  chivalric  emotion 
and  generous  consideration  for  brave  men  have  been  disregarded.  It  is  almost 
beyond  belief  that  the  men  fighting  in  such  a  cause  as  ours,  and  sustained  by 
a  government  which,  ii>  the  midst  of  violence  and  treachery,  has  given  repeated 
evidences  of  its  indulgence,  should  have  been  subjected  to  treatment  never  be 
fore  resorted  to  by  one  foreign  nation  in  a  conflict  with  another. 

All  the  courtesies  of  professional  and  civil  life  seem  to  have  been  discarded. 
General  Beauregard  himself,  who,  on  a  very  recent  occasion,  boasted  that  he 
had  been  controlled  by  humane  feelings  after  the  battle  of  Bull  Run,  coolly 
proposed  to  hold  General  Ricketts  as  a  hostage  for  one  of  the  murderous  pri 
vateers,  and  the  rebel  surgeons  disdained  intercourse  and  communication  with 
our  own  surgeons  taken  in  honorable  battle. 

The  outrages  upon  the  dead  will  revive  the  recollections  of  the  cruelties  to 
which  savage  tribes  subject  their  prisoners.  They  were  buried  in  many  cases 
naked,  with  their  faces  downward ;  they  were  left  to  decay  in  the  open  air ; 
their  bones  were  carried  off  as  trophies,  sometimes,  as  the  testimony  proves,  to 
be  used  as  personal  adornments,  and  one  witness  deliberately  avers  that  the 
head  of  one  of  .our  most  gallant  officers  was  cut  off  by  a  secessionist  to  be  turned 
into  a  drinking  cup  on  the  occasion  of  his  marriage.  Monstrous  as  this  revela 
tion  may  appear  to  be,  your  committee  have  been  informed  that  during  the  last 
two  weeks  the  skull  of  a  Union  soldier  has  been  exhibited  in  the  office  of  the 
Sergeant-at-arms  of  the  House  of  Representatives,  which  had  been  converted  to 
such  a  purpose,  and  which  had  been  found  on  the  person  of  one  of  the  rebel 
prisoners  taken  in  a  recent  conflict.  The  testimony  of  Governor  Sprague,  of 
Rhode  Island,  is  most  interesting.  It  confirms  the  worst  reports  against  the  rebel 
soldiers,  and  conclusively  proves  that  the  body  of  one  of  the  bravest  officers  in 
the  volunteer  service  was  burned.  He  does  npt  hesitate  to  add  that  this  hyena 
desecration  of  the  honored  corpse  was  because  the  rebels  believed  it  to  be  the 
body  of  Colonel  Slocum,  against  whom  they  were  infuriated  for  having  dis 
played  so  much  courage  and  chivalry  in  forcing  his  regiment  fearlessly  and 
bravely  upon  them. 

These  disclosures  establishing,  as  they  incontestably  do,  the  consistent  in 
humanity  of  the  rebel  leaders,  will  be  read  with  sorrow  and  indignation  by  the 
people  of  the  loyal  States.  They  should  inspire  these  people  to  renewed  ex 
ertions  to  protect  our  country  from  the  restoration  to  power  of  such  men.  They 


TESTIMONY.  457 

should,  and  we  believe  they  will,  arouse  the  disgust  and  horror  of  foreign  na 
tions  against  this  unholy  rebellion.  Let  it  be  ours  to  furnish,  nevertheless,  a 
continued  contrast  to  such  barbarities  and  crimes.  Let  us  persevere  in  the  good 
work  of  maintaining  the  authority  of  the  Constitution,  and  of  refusing  to  imitate 
the  monstrous  practices  we  have  been  called  upon  to  investigate. 

Your  committee  beg  to  say,  in  conclusion,  that  they  have  not  yet  been  en 
abled  to  gather  testimony  in  regard  to  the  additional  inquiry  suggested  by  the 
resqlution  of  the  Senate,  whether  Indian  savages  have  been  employed  by  the 
rebels  in  military  service  against  the  government  of  the  United  States,  and  how 
such  warfare  has  been  conducted  by  said  savages,  but  that  they  have  taken 
proper  steps  to  attend  to  this  important  duty. 

B.  F.  WADE,  Chairman. 


WASHINGTON,  February  IS,  1862. 

NATHANIEL  F  PALMER  sworn  and  examined. 
[See  Bull  Hun  testimony.] 

By  Mr.  Covode  : 

Question.  How  were  you  treated  while  you  were  a  prisoner  in  Richmond  ? 

Answer.  Our  fare  was  pretty  rough ;  we  were  kept  closely  confined,  and  had 
no  exercise  except  what  we  could  get  all  huddled  up  in  a  room.  Our  food 
was  bread  and  beef  only ;  nothing  else.  Sometimes  they  would  take  the 
water  the  beef  was  boiled  in  and  put  a  little  corn  meal  in  it  to  thicken  it,  and 
give  us  that  for  soup. 

Question.  Did  you  have  any  coffee  1 

Answer.  No,  sir ;  no  coffee  or  tea,  or  anything  of  that  kind.  I  believe  some 
of  the  wounded  had  a  little  coffee  at  first,  but  not  long. 

Question.  How  were  the  wounded  treated  there — the  wounded  prisoners  ? 

Answer.  I  suppose  they  were  treated  about  as  well  as  they  could  be.  Their 
statement  was  that  they  had  no  medicines ;  but  what  facilities  they  had  for 
taking  care  of  them  was  perhaps  as  good  as  could  be  had.  But  a  great  many 
of  them  died  who  could  have  been  saved  if  they  had  been  at  home  where  they 
could  have  had  proper  treatment. 

Question.  Were  there  any  men  shot  or  abused  there  while  in  prison  1 

Answer.  Yes,  sir ;  five  were  shot. 

Question.  Under  what  circumstances  ? 

Answer.  One  was  shot,  I  was  told,  as  he  was  hanging  his  blanket  out  of  the 
window  to  air.  Three  others  were  shot  while  looking  out  of  the  window,  and 
one  was  shot  in  the  room  where  I  was.  He  had  been  to  the  sink,  near  the 
window,  where  we  all  had  to  go  to  get  water  to  drink,  and  was  coming  back  to 
his  bed.  As  he  came  back,  the  light  being  in  the  middle  of  the  room,  he  was 
just  in  range  between  the  window  and  the  light ;  and  as  he  was  on  his  way 
back,  when  he  was  about  ten  feet  from  the  window,  he  was  shot,  the  bullet 
going  in  his  back  and  coming  out  of  his  breast  and  lodging  in  another  man's 
arm. 

Question.  Who  was  he  ? 

Answer.  His  name  was  Tibbetts,  of  the  New  York  27th  regiment.  He  was 
shot  in  the  evening  of  the  8th  of  November  and  died  on  the  12th.  I  do  not 
remember  exactly  when  the  others  were  shot,  because  they  were  not  in  our 
room. 

Question.  Did  you  find  out  why  he  was  shot  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir ;  only  that  the  fellow  could  say  he  had  killed  a  Yankee. 

Question.  What  did  they  do  with  the  man  who  shot  him  ? 

Answer.  He  was  taken  and  put  in  the  jail  or  guard-house  for  four  or  five 
days,  and  then  they  took  him  out  and  promoted  him — made  a  corporal  of  him. 


458  TESTIMONY. 

WASHINGTON,  April  2,  1862. 
Dr.  JAMES  B.  GREELEY  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  chairman : 

Question.  This  committee  have  been  directed  by  the  Senate  to  collect  evi 
dence  with  regard  to  the  barbarous  practices  of  the  rebels  in  disturbing  the 
graves  of  our  dead  at  Bull  Run,  &c.;  will  you  please  state  to  the  committee,  in 
your  own  way,  what  you  know  about  that  matter  ? 

Answer.  I,  with  others,  accompanied  Governor  Sprague,  of  Rhode  Island,  to 
the  battle-field  of  Bull  Run,  to  endeavor  to  recover  the  bodies  of  Colonel 
Slocum,  Major  Ballon,  Captain  Tower,  and  others. 

Question.  About  what  time  was  that  ? 

Answer.  I  think  it  was  the  20th  of  March;  either  the  19th  or  20th.  We  took 
with  us,  as  a  guide,  a  Mr.  Richardson,  I  forget  his  first  name,  who  assisted  at  the 
burial  of  Colonel  Slocum  and  Major  Ballou,  to  identify  the  spot  where  they 
were  buried.  We  arrived  at  the  place  of  burial  on  the  21st,  I  think.  The 
hospital  in  which  Colonel  Slocum  died  had  been  burned,  and  we  passed  it.  As 
we  were  passing  I  saw  a  negro  girl  at  a  spring ;  I  questioned  her  about  the 
way  to  the  battle-field,  and  she  directed  us.  We  made  some  mistake,  which 
we  very  soon  discovered,  when  we  turned  back.  Some  of  our  party  had  been 
left  behind,  and  when  we  returned  we  met  Major  Anthony,  who  commanded 
the  escort.  He  informed  us  that  they  had  commenced  digging  at  a  grave,  and, 
while  digging,  this  colored  girl  came  down  where  they  were  and  asked  them 
what  they  were  digging  for.  Said  she,  "  if  you  are  digging  for  the  body  of 
Colonel  Sloke — ,"  she  hesitated  about  the  name,  saying  two  or  three  times, 
" Colonel  Sloke,  Sloke."  One  of  the  party  said  "Colonel  Slocuin."  "Yes, 
sir,"  said  she,  "that  is  the  name;  you  won't  find  him  ;  the  Georgia  regiment 
men  dug  him  up  some  weeks  ago,  and  first  cut  off  his  head  and  then  burned  his 
body  in  the  little  hollow  there,"  pointing  it  out  to  us.  She  told  us  that  his 
shirts  were  down  in  a  place  that  she  pointed  out,  and  that  his  coffin  had  been 
left  in  the  stream,  and  afterwards  used  to  bury  a  colored  pauper  in.  We  went 
to  the  place  she  had  pointed  out  to  us,  and  found  where  there  had  been  a  fire, 
evidently  for  the  purpose  of  burning  the  body,  as  she  stated.  In  raking  over 
the  ashes  we  found  a  femur,  or  thigh  bone,  partly  burned,  some  of  the  vertebrae, 
or  back  bone,  and  portions  of  the  pelvis  bones.  We  also  found,  in  a  stream 
near  by,  two  shirts,  both  of  them  still  buttoned  together  at  the  neck,  partially 
torn  open  in  the  centre,  and  with  the  wrists  unbuttoned. 

Question.  How  did  they  get  the  shirts  off  without  unbuttoning  at  the  neck  ? 

Answer.  The  head  had  been  cut  off.  We  called  the  attention  of  every  per 
son  present  to  that  fact.  We  supposed  that  this  body  thus  burned  was  that  of 
Colonel  Slocum.  But  when  we  found  these  shirts,  Governor  Sprague  said  Col 
onel  Slocum  never  wore  such  a  shirt  as  that.  One  of  the  shirts  was  a  silk 
shirt,  and  the  other  was  a  striped  shirt  of  some  kind,  I  think.  We  had  pro 
ceeded  with  the  full  conviction  that  the  body  thus  burned  had  been  that  of  Col 
onel  Slocum ;  and  when  Governor  Sprague  said  those  shirts  were  not  those  of 
Major  Ballou,  we  could  not  believe  it  possible,  and  went  back  to  the  graves  to 
examine  them.  Before  we  had  arrived  there,  Mr.  Richardson  had  described  to 
us  the  relative  position  of  the  graves  of  Colonel  Slocum  and  Major  Ballou. 
While  we  were  down  examining  the  ashes,  men  were  engaged  in  digging  out 
one  of  the  graves — the  upper  grave  ;  and  when  we  returned  there  they  had  dug 
down  nearly  a  foot,  and  had  discovered  nothing.  Mr.  Richardson  was  positive 
the  coffins  had  not  been  buried  more  than  two  feet  beneath  the  surface.  It  was 
very  hard  digging,  and  having  discovered  nothing  after  digging  down  a  foot,  I 
suggested  taking  a  sabre  and  running  it  down,  by  which  we  could  very  easily 
discover  if  there  was  a  cofiin  there.  I  took  a  sabre  myself  and  thrust  it  in  the 


TESTIMONY.  459 

ground  at  least  two  feet,  but  could  discover  nothing.  We  then  thrust  it  in  the 
place  where  Mr.  Richardson  said  the  other  officer  was  buried,  and  we  struck  a 
coffin  not  more  than  two  feet  below  the  surface.  The  coffin  was  taken  out,  and 
the  top  taken  off,  when  Colonel  Slocum's  friends  recognized  him  at  once,  by  his 
uniform,  and  also  by  his  countenance,  his  moustache,  &c.  Major  Ballou's  body 
was  not  found  in  the  grave.  We  then  went  to  a  house  on  the  battle-field  which 
had  been  used  as  a  hospital,  in  the  yard  of  which  Captain  Tower  had  been  bu 
ried.  We  exhumed  there  at  least  seven  bodies,  which  had  been  buried  in  their 
garments,  apparently  just  as  they  fell.  They  were  buried  with  their  faces 
downward.  Among  them  we  found  the  body  of  Captain  Tower.  His  orderly 
was  positive  that  when  Captain  Tower  died  he  had  on  a  very  fine  pair  of  boots ; 
they  were  not  on  his  body  when  we  found  him. 

Question.  Did  you  make  any  further  search  to  ascertain  whether  there  had 
been  any  further  mutilation  of  the  bodies  or  barbarities  practised  upon  the 
dead? 

Answer.  No,  sir.  We  made  inquiries  of  the  inhabitants  there,  and  they  all 
corroborated  the  girl's  story.  There  was  a  lad  there,  about  fourteen  years  of 
age,  I  should  judge,  and  he  was  questioned  very  closely  about  it.  Colonel 
Sayles  was  with  us,  and  was  very  skeptical  about  the  burning  of  this  body. 
He  questioned  the  boy  very  closely,  but  the  boy  stood  the  examination  very 
well.  The  boy  said  that  it  was  the  21st  Georgia  regiment  who  came  there,  and 
he  saw  the  body  burned.  He  said  they  put  the  fire  out  afterwards,  because  it 
made  such  a  horrible  stench.  He  said  that  he  knew,  several  days  before,  that 
they  were  going  to  do  it.  After  they  did  it,  it  was  talked  of  a  great  deal  in 
the  neighborhood,  and  they  all  condemned  it. 

By  Mr.  Wright  : 

Question.  What  could  have  been  the  object  of  digging  up  this  body,  after  it 
had  been  buried  several  months,  and  then  burning  it  ? 
Answer.  I  could  think  of  no  object. 

By  the  chairman : 

Question.  You  spoke  of  seven  or  eight  bodies  being  buried  with  their  faces 
downward.  What  did  you  consider  the  significance  of  that  1 

Answer.  I  did  not  know.  My  impression  was  that  it  was  intended  as  a  mark 
of  indignity ;  it  seemed  so  to  me.  Every  one  we  exhumed  was  found  buried 
with  the  face  downward,  no  matter  in  what  position  they  lay.  Sometimes 
they  would  lie  crosswise  of  each  other,  four  or  five  packed  in  together,  some 
times  with  their  legs  sticking  out  of  the  ground,  and  all  with  their  faces  down 
ward. 

Question.  Did  you  make  any  inquiries  of  the  inhabitants  to  ascertain  any 
further  than  you  have  already  stated  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  State  it,  if  you  please. 

Answer.  They  spoke  of  this  burning  of  Major  Ballou's  body  particularly, 
and  several  of  them  said  they  knew  of  the  fact,  supposing,  however,  that  it  was 
Colonel  Slocum's  body.  One  man  told  me  that  the  Georgia  regiment  was  very 
bitter  against  Colonel  Slocum,  because  his  regiment  had  been  instrumental  in 
cutting  them  up  very  badly.  I  examined  the  remains  in  the  ashes  very  care 
fully.  We  brought  them  all  home,  and  I  examined  them  through  my  own 
hands.  I  examined  especially  for  teeth,  for  I  knew  if  the  head  had  been  there, 
the  teeth  would  have  been  the  last  to  have  been  destroyed.  I  found  the  femur, 
or  thigh-bone,  which  must  have  been  that  of  a  man  over  thirty  years  of  age. 
The  angle  at  the  neck  of  it  indicated  a  man  at  least  thirty  years  of  age.  The 
body  was  proved  to  be  that  of  a  man  by  the  pelvis-bone  that  was  found  ;  but 
we  found  no  portion  of  the  skull. 


460  TESTIMONY. 

Question.  You  have  stated  that  you  found  that  the  shirts  were  buttoned  at 
the  neck1? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  The  wristbands,  however,  were  not  buttoned  ] 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  What  inference  did  you  draw  from  that  ] 

Answer.  The  shirts  could  not  have  been  taken  off  from  the  body  without  the 
head  had  been  taken  off,  unless  they  had  been  unbuttoned. 

Question.  You  understood  that  the  head  had  been  taken  off? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Chandler  : 

Question.  Did  you  hear  anything  said  about  the  skulls  of  our  dead  being 
used  for  drinking-cups,  &c.  ? 

Answer.  The  negro  girl  and  the  young  boy  I  have  referred  to  said  that  the 
Georgia  regiment  carried  the  skull  of  what  they  considered  Colonel  Slocum 
home  with  them. 

Question.  You  are  satisfied  that  it  was  Major  Ballou's  body  they  had  thus 
treated  1 

Answer.  Yes,  sir ;  and  another  reason  was  that  we  knew  Major  Ballou  had 
lost  a  limb. 


WASHINGTON,  April  2,  1862. 
Reverend  FREDERIC  DENISON  sworn  and  examined. 

By  the  chairman: 

Question.  Have  you  heard  the  testimony  of  Dr.  Greeley  just  given  to  the 
committee  ? 

Answer.  I  have. 

Question.  Will  you  state  whether  you  were  with  him  during  the  examination 
he  has  referred  to,  and  whether  you  concur  in  what  he  has  stated  1 

Answer.  So  far  as  he  has  stated  any  matters  uf  which  I  was  a  witness,  I 
concur  entirely.  I  accompanied  Governor  Sprague  as  a  member  of  his  staff; 
we  left  here  on  Wednesday,  the  19th  of  March,  and  returned  here  on  Sunday 
morning  following.  It  was  on  the  21st  of  March  that  we  went  on  the  battle-field. 

Question.  If  there  is  anything  in  addition  to  what  he  has  stated  that  you 
deem  of  importance  you  will  please  state  it. 

Answer.  I  would  state,  in  addition  to  what  he  has  stated  in  regard  to  the 
grave  of  Major  Ballou,  that  I  accompanied  the  governor  up  through  some  pine 
woods  to  a  house  where  resided  an  old  gentleman  of  the  name  of  Newman,  a 
man  I  should  judge  to  be  sixty  years  of  age.  The  colored  girl  had  told  us  her 
story,  the  lad  had  told  us  the  same  story,  and  we  wanted  to  learn  what  we 
could  from  others.  This  old  gentleman  seemed  to  be  a  man  highly  esteemed 
by  all  who  knew  him,  and  we  went  to  him  and  asked  him  what  he  knew  about 
the  matter.  He  stated  that  the  Georgia  regiment,  as  he  had  understood,  had 
suffered  severely  from  the  Rhode  Island  soldiers  in  the  battle  of  Bull  Run,  and 
that  through  revenge  they  had  exhumed  this  body,  beheaded  it  and  burned  it. 
He  said  he  was  not  present  when  it  was  done,  and  had  not  seen  it,  but  that 
every  one  who  had  talked  about  it  had  said  it  was  so.  But  he  said  that  three 
or  four  days  after  it  was  done  he  went  down  there,  and  saw  the  fire  and  the 
bones,  and  the  coffin,  and  that  the  coffin  had  been  afterwards  used  to  bury  a 
colored  pauper  in.  I  asked  him  to  go  to  the  spot  and  show  it  to  me,  and  he  did 
so ;  went  with  me  directly  to  the  spot  and  pointed  it  out  to  me,  and  also  showed 


TESTIMONY.  461 

ne  where  the  coffin  lay  when  he  saw  it  last,  before  it  was  used  for  the  purpose 
)f  burying  the  negro  pauper  in. 

Question.  Did  you  understand  what  they  did  with  the  head  after  they  cut  it 
)ff  the  body? 

Answer.  This  Mr.  Newman,  or  else  the  colored  woman,  I  cannot  recollect 
which,  said  it  was  understood  that  the  head  was  carried  off  south.  They  were 
not  witnesses  of  the  fact.  I  guess  they  heard  it  was  so.  I  looked  particularly 
imong  the  ashes,  but  saw  nothing  that  to  my  eye  looked  like  any  portion  of  the 
skull.  In  regard  to  the  place  where  Captain  Tower  was  buried,  which  was  up 
on  the  battle-field,  I  counted  eight  bodies,  as  they  were  laid  bare.  They  were 
buried  in  a  pit,  or  a  kind  of  a  square  hole,  into  which  they  had  been  thrown, 
with  the  earth  thrown  in  perhaps  two  feet  deep  over  them.  On  top  we  found 
an  unexploded  shell,  which  I  brought  with  me.  What  it  meant  I  cannot  say — 
whether  a  matter  of  accident  or  a  mark  of  indignity.  It  hardly  seemed  to  me 
that  it  could  be  a  mere  accident. 

Question.  Did  you  observe  whether  they  had  been  buried  with  their  faces 
down  1 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  all  of  them. 

Question.  Did  you  make  examination  of  other  graves  ? 

Answer.  We  opened  no  graves  except  those  containing  the  bodies  of  the  dead 
for  whom  we  were  seeking.  There  was  another  pit,  not  far  from  the  one  from 
which  we  took  Captain  Tower.  We  did  not  open  it,  not  knowing  positively 
that  it  contained  any  of  our  dead,  though  we  suspected  it  contained  the  body  of 
Lieutenant  Prescott.  Mr.  Newman  spoke  a  great  deal  of  this  matter  of  exhum 
ing,  beheading,  and  burning  the  body  of  Major  Ballou.  He  called  it  Colonel 
Slocum,  as  that  was  what  he  had  all  along  understood.  He  was  very  emphatic 
in  his  declarations  that  it  could  not  have  been  done  by  Virginians.  He  seemed 
to  think  it  a  very  barbaric  thing,  and  wished  to  exculpate  Virginians. 

Question.  Do  you  think  of  anything  further  that  you  desire  to  state? 

Answer.  In  the  pit  from  which  we  took  the  body  of  Captain  Tower  I  counted 
eight  bodies.  There  may  have  been  more  there.  We  began  at  one  end,  and 
uncovered  until  we  came  to  the  body  of  Captain  Tower,  and  then  opened  it  no 
further.  There  was  one  body  lying  right  across  the  feet  of  the  others,  and  to 
all  appearance  must  have  been  trodden  down  very  compactly,  as  there  seemed 
to  be  hardly  room  for  a  body  there.  There  seemed  to  have  been  no  attempt  to 
bury  the  bodies  in  any  orderly,  decent,  or  respectful  manner.  In  regard  to  the 
mistaking  of  the  body  of  Major  Ballou  for  that  of  Colonel  Slocum  by  the 
Georgians,  it  resulted  from  this,  I  have  no  doubt :  Colonel  Slocum  was  buried 
in  an  oblong  box — a  square  box;  Major  Ballou  was  buried  in  a  coffin,  or  a  box 
which  was  coffin-shaped ;  and  it  is  supposed  (of  course  we  know  nothing  about 
that)  that  they  exhumed  both  coffins,  and  supposing  the  superior  officer  was  in 
the  coffin,  and  not  in  the  box,  which  was  the  one  they  meant  to  take,  they  took 
the  body  of  Major  Ballou.  Humor  accordingly  stated  that  they  had  taken  the 
body  of  Colonel  Slocum.  But  his  body  we  found.  It  was  the  body  of  Major 
Ballou  that  they  took.  * 


WASHINGTON,  April  3,  1862. 
General  JAMES  B.  RICKETTS  sworn  and  examined. 
[See  Bull  Run  testimony.] 

By  the  chairman: 

Question.  Did  you  observe  any  barbarous  treatment  on  the  part  of  the  enemy 
towards  our  prisoners  and  wounded  soldiers  ? 
Answer.  On  the  field  ? 


462  TESTIMONY. 

Question.  On  the  field  or  elsewhere. 

Answer.  A  party  of  rebels  passed  by  where  I  was  lying,  and  called  out, 
"  Knock  out  his  brains,  the  damned  Yankee,"  referring  to  me.  I  said  nothing 
to  them.  When  we  were  taken  to  this  house  there  was  a  general  want  of 
everything  for  our  men.  Of  course  I  was  on  my  back  and  could  not  see  much. 

By  Mr.  Odell  : 

Question.  The  house  to  which  you  were  taken  was  what  is  known  as  the 
Lewis  House? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir ;  I  was  taken  there  in  a  blanket,  and  on  the  way  I  met 
General  Beauregard.  Some  one  asked  who  that  was,  and  the  reply  was  that  it 
was  Captain  Ricketts.  When  General  Beauregard  heard  my  name  he  jumped 
off  his  horse  and  spoke  to  me.  He  was  an  old  acquaintance,  but  a  year  my 
senior  at  the  Military  Academy.  I  had  been  a  great  deal  at  the  south — in 
New  Orleans,  Texas,  and  other  places — and  had  been  thrown  a  number  of  times 
in  his  company.  He  told  me  my  treatment  would  depend  upon  the  treatment 
that  their  privateers  should  receive. 

Question.  He  told  you  that  at  that  early  period  1 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  I  was  much  struck  with  what  he  said.  I  asked  him 
where  we  were  to  be  taken,  and  what  they  were  going  to  do  with  us.  He  said  : 
"  Your  treatment  will  depend  upon  that  of  the  privateers,"  and  then  directed 
me  to  be  taken  to  the  Lewis  House. 

By  the  chairman : 

Question.  How  long  were  you  a  prisoner  in  the  hands  of  the  rebels  1 

Answer.  I  was  two  weeks  at  the  Lewis  House,  and  then  I  was  in  Richmond 
up  to  the  18th  of  December. 

Question.  It  has  been  said  that  the  rebels  mutilated  our  dead  and  killed  our 
wounded  prisoners.  Do  you  know  anything  about  that  ? 

Answer.  I  know  this  :  that  Lieutenant  Ramsay,  my  first  lieutenant,  who  was 
killed  at  my  battery,  was  entirely  stripped.  The  first  one  of  the  rebels  who 
asked  my  name  was  a  Lieutenant  Colonel  Harman.  He  was  a  lieutenant  in 
the  Mexican  war,  where  I  had  known  him  very  well.  As  soon  as  he  heard  my 
name  he  asked  me  if  I  knew  him ;  and  when  he  mentioned  his  name,  of  course 
I  knew  him.  He  said  to  tile  men  with  him,  "  Respect  the  captain's  person  ;  he 
is  an  old  friend  of  mine ;  don't  take  anything  from  him."  And  I  had  nothing 
taken  from  me,  on  account  of  Hannan,  I  suppose. 

Question.  But  your  lieutenant  was  stripped  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  What  do  you  mean  by  that — stripped  of  his  clothing  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir ;  he  had  nothing  left  on  him  but  his  socks,  so  one  of  our 
surgeons  who  saw  him  told  me. 

By  Mr.  Chandler : 

Question.  Do  you  know  anything  about  their  method  of  burying  our  dead  ? 

Answer.  I  know  nothing  except  about  their  manner  of  burial  in  Richmond. 
I  could  from  my  room  overlook  the  place  where  they  buried  our  dead.  I  know 
they  were  buried  in  the  negro  burying-ground  among  the  negroes.  They  had 
no  funeral  service  over  them,  but  they  were  just  taken  out  and  put  in  the 
ground  in  the  most  unfeeling  manner.  At  the  Lewis  House  there  was  a  great 
want  of  everything  in  the  way  of  supplies,  medicines,  bandages,  &c. 

By  the  chairman  : 

Question.  That  may  have  been  the  case  with  their  own  men  as  well  as  ours 
Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  What  was  their  general  treatment  of  prisoners  in  Richmond  ? 
Answer.    The  general  treatment  of  the  prisoners  there,  I  thought,  was  very  i 


TESTIMONY.  463 

bad,  indeed.  We  were  very  much  crowded.  Our  diet  was  very  meagre,  in 
deed.  I  subsisted  mainly  upon  what  I  purchased  with  my  own  money,  which 
my  wife  brought  me.  That  is  the  way  I  got  along,  and  I  assisted  the  others 
all  I  could.  For  instance,  we  had  at  times  what  they  called  bacon  soup,  soup 
made  from  boiled  bacon,  the  bacon  being  a  little  rancid,  which  you  could  not 
possibly  eat,  and  the  bacon  was  served  with  the  soup ;  and  that  for  a  man  whose 
system  is  being  drained  by  a  wound  is  no  diet  at  all.  Then  we  had  some  thin 
beef  soup,  so  thin  that  we  were  induced  to  ask  one  of  the  assistants  how  it  hap 
pened  to  be  so,  and  we  were  told  that  it  was  first  served  to  their  own  people  in 
the  hospitals,  and  afterwards  it  was  watered  for  us.  They  stopped  giving  us 
tea  and  coffee,  and  we  had  to  buy  them  for  ourselves.  We  had  to  buy  our 
butter  and  eggs,  and  everything  of  that  sort,  beyond  the  mere  prison  fare  that 
they  gave  us. 

Question.  It  has  been  said  that  they  shot  some  of  our  prisoners  while  looking 
out  of  the  windows'? 

Answer.  I  was  not  in  the  prison.  I  was  too  lame  to  be  taken  to  the  tobacco 
factory.  I  was  in  the  hospital  all  the  time. 

Question.  Did  you  hear  anything  about  that  while  you  were  there? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir ;  there  were  a  number  of  our  men  shot.  On  one  occasion 
there  were  two  shot,  one  was  killed  and  the  other  wounded,  by  a  man  on  the 
outside,  who  rested  his  gun  on  the  window-sill  while  he  capped  it ;  while  draw 
ing  back  the  hammer,  in  this  position,  it  escaped  from  his  fingers,  came  down 
upon  the  cap,  and  the  gun  went  off. 

Question.  That  was  an  accident,  was  it  ? 

Answer.  Well,  sir,  it  was  a  very  singular  accident.  If  I  should  point  a  gun 
towards  you,  instead  of  towards  the  ceiling,  when  I  went  to  put  a  cap  on,  and 
it  should  go  off,  it  would,  to  say  the  least,  be  regarded  as  a  very  unpardonable 
accident. 

By  Mr.  Chandler : 

Question.  You  thought  it  was  intentional  1 
Answer.  Yes,  sir ;  I  did  think  so. 

By  Mr.  Gooch : 

Question.  Do  yon  know  whether  that  man  received  any  punishment  ? 

Answer.  The  man  was  taken  up,  but  he  made  some  explanation  and  was 
let  go  again.  I  considered  it  very  bad  treatment,  also,  to  be  selected  as  a  hostage 
for  the  privateers,  when  I  was  so  lame  I  could  not  walk ;  while  my  wounds 
were  still  open  and  unhealed.  General  Winder  came  to  see  me.  He  had  been 
an  officer  in  my  regiment,  and  I  had  known  him  for  twenty-odd  years.  He 
came  to  see  me  on  the  9th  of  November ;  he  saw  my  wounds,  that  they  were 
still  unhealed ;  he  saw  my  condition.  He  that  very  day  received  an  order  to 
select  hostages  for  the  privateers ;  and,  notwithstanding  he  knew  what  my  con 
dition  was,  the  next  day,  on  Sunday,  the  10th  of  November,  I  was  selected  as 
one  of  the  hostages.  I  heard  of  a  great  many  of  our  prisoners  who  had  been 
bayonetted  and  shot.  1  saw  three  of  them,  two  of  them  had  been  bayonetted 
and  one  of  them  had  been  shot.  One  of  them  was  named  Lewis  Francis,  of 
the  New  York  14th.  He  had  received  fourteen  bayonet  wounds,  one  through 
his  privates,  by  which  he  lost  one  of  his  testicles.  And  he  had  one  wound, 
very  much  like  mine,  on  the  knee,  in  consequence  of  which  his  leg  was  ampu 
tated  after  some  twelve  weeks  had  passed.  And  I  would  state  here  that,  in 
regard  to  his  case,  when  it  was  determined  to  amputate  his  leg,  I  heard  Dr. 
Peachy,  the  surgeon,  remark*  to  one  of  his  young  assistants,  "  I  won't  be  greedy, 
you  may  do  it ;"  and  the  young  man  did  it. 

Mr.  Odell :  I  would  state  here  that  he  has  just  had  his  leg  amputated  the 
second  time  in  consequence  of  the  faulty  manner  in  which  it  was  done  the  first 
time. 


464  TESTIMONY. 

The  witness  :  It  is  surprising  how  that  man  lived  through  it  all,  old  as  he 
was.  I  should  take  him  to  be  over  forty  years  of  age. 

Mr.  Odell :  He  is  over  fifty  years  of  age ;  fifty-three  or  four,  I  should  think. 

The  witness  :  I  did  not  think  he  was  as  old  as  that.  That  only  renders  his 
recovery  the  more  surprising.  I  saw  him,  and  my  wife  was  with  him,  down 
where  he  was,  doing  what  she  could  for  him ;  she  gave  him  some  of  my  clothes. 
Then  there  was  a  man  named  Briggs,  of  a  Michigan  regiment,  who  has  a  scar 
on  his  hand  now  from  a  bayonet  wound.  He  says  he  saw  the  rebels  coming, 
bayonetting  our  men  and  pillaging  their  pockets.  He  had  a  little  portmonnaie, 
with  about  eight  dollars  in  it.  He  put  it  inside  his  shirt,  and  let  it  fall  down 
his  back,  and  laid  down  on  it.  He  was  wounded,  shot  below  the  knee  some 
where.  When  they  came  to  him  they  asked  for  his  money,  and  commenced 
thrusting  a  bayonet  at  him.  He  caught  it  in  his  hand,  and  as  they  withdrew  it 
his  hand  was  cut  by  it. 

By  Mr.  Chandler : 

Question.  Did  this  man  who  received  so  many  bayonet  wounds  receive  them 
after  he  was  a  prisoner  ? 

Answer.  He  was  not  wounded  at  all  at  first.  That  was  their  method  of 
taking  him  prisoner,  piercing  him  as  much  as  possible.  He  was  in  their  power 
entirely ;  there  was  no  necessity  for  their  doing  any  such  thing,  as  there  was 
one  man  against  several. 

Question.  Instead  of  demanding  his  surrender  they  bayonetted  him  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir  j  it  was  entirely  wanton  on  their  part. 

By  Mr.  Julian : 

Question.  And  they  supposed  they  had  killed  him  ] 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  Another  man  was  shot  through  the  body,  and  he  fell,  and 
they  supposed  he  was  killed.  Many  of  those  men  came  into  my  room,  and  I 
saw  them  there  and  talked  with  them ;  and  many  of  our  men  were  badly  am 
putated  ;  the  laps  over  the  stump  were  drawn  too  tight,  and  soon  the  bones 
protruded.  A  man  by  the  name  of  Prescott  was  amputated  twice,  and  was  then 
moved  to  Richmond  before  the  laps  were  healed.  He  died  from  lockjaw  after 
he  reached  Richmond,  and  always  said  that  it  was  the  railroad  that  killed  him. 

By  Mr.  Odell : 

Question.  Do  you  know  anything  more  about  the  treatment  of  our  prisoners  ? 

Answer.  I  heard  a  doctor  on  the  steps  below  my  room  say  that  he  wished  he 
could  take  out  the  hearts  of  the  damned  Yankees  as  easily  as  he  could  take  off 
their  legs.  Those  little  things  show  exactly  the  state  of  feeling  on  their  part. 

*  By  Mr.  Gooch  : 

Question.  What  was  their  treatment  of  you,  personally  ? 

Answer.  I  had  no  particular  consideration  shown  me  personally,  excepting 
from  some  persons  whom  I  knew.  I  had  a  great  many  acquaintances  in  Rich 
mond,  and  a  great  many  among  those  in  the  field,  for  I  had  been  a  great  deal  in 
the  south.  I  had  met  many  at  Newport,  a  great  many  from  South  Carolina. 
Those  Charleston  gentlemen  treated  me  very  handsomely.  Wade  Hampton, 
who  was  opposed  to  my  battery,  came  to  see  me,  and  behaved  towards  me  as  a 
generous  enemy  should.  He  brought  me  a  couple  of  bottles  of  ale,  riding  seven 
miles  to  bring  it  to  me. 

By  Mr.  Odell : 

Question.  The  papers  have  criticised  their  treatment  of  your  lady,  alleging 
that  they  evinced  a  lack  of  respect  towards  the  sex. 

Answer.  My  wife,  in  the  first  place,  joined  me  while  I  was  at  the  Lewis  House, 


TESTIMONY.  465 

on  the  field  of  battle.  The  first  rumor  she  had  heard  was  that  I  was  killed. 
When  she  heard  that  I  was  alive,  but  wounded,  she  started  with  her  carriage 
and  horses  to  come  to  me.  She  almost  had  to  fight  her  way  out  there,  but  suc 
ceeded  finally  in  reaching  me  on  the  fourth  day  after  the  battle.  There  were 
eight  persons  in  the  Lewis  house  in  the  room  where  I  lay,  and  my  wife  for  two 
weeks  slept  in  that  room  on  the  floor  by  my  side  without  a  bed.  When  we  got 
to  Richmond  there  were  six  of  us  in  a  room,  among  them  Colonel  Wilcox,  who 
remained  with  us  until  he  was  taken  to  Charleston.  There  we  were,  all  in  that 
one  room.  There  was  no  door  to  it.  It  was  very  much  as  it  would  be  here  if 
you  should  take  away  the  door  of  this  committee  room,  and  then  fill  up  the 
passage  with  wounded  soldiers.  And  in  the  hot  summer  months  the  stench  from 
their  wounds  and  from  the  utensils  they  used  Avas  fearful.  There  was  no  privacy 
at  all,  because  there  being  no  door  the  room  could  not  be  closed.  The  hospital 
'was  an  unfinished  building,  one  half  the  windows  being  out  of  it ;  and  there  we 
were,  a  common  show.  There  was  a  general  interest  to  see  Colonel  Wilcox 
and  myself,  as  though  they  expected  to  see  a  couple  of  savages. 

Question.  Did  not  the  officers  of  the  southern  army  protect  you  from  that 
sort  of  indignity  ? 

Answer.  They  made  some  attempt  to  do  it. 
•  Question.  But  they  did  not  use  the  means  they  might  have  used? 

Answer.  No,  sir ;  and  the  people  would  come  in  there  and  say  all  sorts  of 
things  to  us  and  about  us.  In  fact,  people  that  I  knew  would-come  in  and  com 
mence  discussions,  until  I  was  obliged  to  tell  them  that  I  was  a  prisoner,  and 
had  nothing  to  say.  When  we  went  down  to  Richmond  in  the  cars  from  Ma- 
nassas,  wherever  we  stopped  crowds  of  people  would  gather  around  and  stare 
at  us.  At  Gordonsville,  particularly,  crowds  of  women  came  around  these  to 
see  the  prisoners  and  the  Yankee  woman.  They  would  ask  my  wife  if  she 
cooked,  if  she  washed,  and  how  she  got  there.  Finally,  Mrs.  Ricketts  appealed 
to  the  officer  in  charge,  and  told  him  that  it  was  not  the  intention  that  we  should 
be  subjected  to  this  treatment,  and  that  if  it  was  continued  she  would  make  it 
known  to  the  authorities.  He  then  said  he  would  stop  it.  General  Johnston 
took  my  wife's  carriage  and  horses  away  from  her  at  Manassas,  and  kept  them, 
and  has  them  yet,  for  aught  I  know.  When  we  got  down  to  Richmond  I  spoke 
to  several  gentlemen  about  it,  and  so  did  Mrs.  Ricketts.  They  said  that  of 
course  the  carriage  and  horses  would  be  returned.  But  they  never  were.  In 
stead  of  that,  when  I  was  exchanged,  and  we  were  about  to  leave,  they  refused 
Mrs.  Ricketts  a  transportation  ticket  to  Norfolk,  obliging  her  to  purchase  it. 
Dr.  Gibson,  who  was  in  charge  of  the  hospital,  when  he  heard  of  it,  said  that 
such  a  thing  was  very  extraordinary  in  General  Winder,  and  that  he  would 
speak  to  him  about  it.  I  said  that  it  made  no  difference,  though  I  thought  as 
General  Johnston  had  taken  her  carriage  and  horses  and  left  her  on  foot,  it 
would  be  nothing  more  than  fair  to  give  her  a  ticket  to  Norfolk.  Our  prisoners 
were  treated  very  badly  there,  and  I  am  surprised  that  some  of  them  lived 
through  it,  like  that  man  Lewis  Francis. 

Mr.  Odell.  He  is  recovering,  and  though  he  has  lost  one  leg,  he  is  very  anxious 
to  get  back  into  the  field  again. 

The  witness.  I  must  say  that  I  have  a  debt  that  I  desire  very  much  to  pay, 
and  nothing  troubles  me  so  much  now  as  the  fact  that  my  wounds  prevent  me 
from  entering  upon  active  service  again  at  once. 

Part  iii 30 


466  TESTIMONY. 

WASHINGTON,  April  7,  1862. 
FREDERICK  SCHOLES  sworn  and  examined. 

By  Mr.  Odell: 

Question.  "Where  is  your  residence  ? 

Answer.  City  of  Brooklyn,  New  York. 

Question.  What  do  you  know  in  relation  to  the  burial  of  our  dead  at  Bull 
Bun,  and  the  treatment  of  those  of  our  soldiers  who  fell  there? 

Answer.  I  proceeded  to  the  battle  field  of  Bull  Run  on  Friday  last,  the  4th 
of  this  month.  We  passed  across  the  battle  field,  and  proceeded  to  the  place 
where  I  supposed  my  brother's  body  was  buried,  which  was  on  a  knoll  on 
Chirm's  farm.  We  found  a  trench  there  where  bodies  had  evidently  been  buried. 
I  then  proceeded  to  a  stone  house  on  Young's  branch.  The  owner  of  that  house 
told  me  that  on  the  Tuesday  after  the  battle  he  saw  two  men  sitting  by  a  stone 
fence,  both  of  them  wounded.  One  of  them  opened  his  waistcoat  and  showed 
him  a  gash  down  the  whole  of  his  breast,  and  begged  him  for  some  water.  The 
other  one  was  also  badly  wounded,  and  he  wanted  some  water.  He  could  not 
tell  me  how  the  men  were  dressed,  as  he  was  very  much  excited  from  what  he 
had  passed  through.  He  told  me  about  the  number  buried,  and  pointed  out  the 
locality  of  several  bodies  buried  in  the  yard  of  his  house  and  in  the  vicinity. 
We  then  proceeded  over  to  the  house  of  a  free  negro,  named  Simon  or  Simons, 
and  had  a  long  conversation  with  him.  He  said  he  was  a  sutler,  or  rather  kept 
a  little  store,  and  supplied  the  rebel  soldiers  with  eatables.  He  said  the  rebel 
soldiers  would  come  in  his  store  with  bones  in  their  hands,  which  they  showed 
to  him,  and  said  they  were  bones  of  Yankees  which  they  had  dug  up.  He  said 
it  was  a  common  thing  for  the  soldiers  to  exhibit  the  bones  of  "the  Yankees." 
From  there  we  proceeded  to  the  portion  of  the  battle-field  where  Rieketts's  bat 
tery  was.  Near  there  I  found  a  part  of  what  I  supposed,  from  the  description 
I  had  heard,  to  be  the  uniform  of  one  of  Rieketts's  men.  The  ball  had  gone 
through  the  left  breast.  On  examining  it  I  found  a  piece  of  the  shirt  sleeve, 
and  there  was  still  some  flesh  in  the  sleeve.  I  found  portions  of  the  uniforms 
of  the  Ellsworth  Zouaves  in  the  same  state.  In  the  bushes  in  the  neighbor 
hood  I  found  a  part  of  a  Zouave  uniform  with  a  sleeve  sticking  out  of  the  grave, 
and  a  portion  of  the  pantaloons  sticking  out.  On  attempting  to  pull  it  up  I 
found  that  the  two  ends  of  the  grave  were  still  unopened,  but  the  middle  had 
been  pried  up,  pulling  up  the  extremities  of  the  uniform  in  some  places,  and 
pulling  up  the  sleeves  of  the  shirts  and  a  portion  of  the  pantaloons.  There 
were  portions  of  flesh,  as  I  found,  remaining  there.  I  found  likewise  the  re 
mains  of  one  of  the  14th  New  York  regiment  in  the  same  condition,  the  grave 
having  been  pried  open.  There  were  pieces  of  the  backbone  and  some  of  the 
ribs  sticking  up  in  the  middle  of  the  grave,  where  the  centre  had  been  pried  up, 
the  two  ends  of  the  grave  being  unopened.  Back  in  the  bushes  we  found  some 
appearances  of  where  bodies  had  been  buried  and  washed  out  by  the  rains. 
But  those  I  have  been  speaking  of  had  evidently  been  dug  up.  Doctor 
Swalm,  who  was  with  me,  pointed  out  the  trenches  where  the  secessionists 
had  buried  their  own  dead,  almost  immediately  adjoining  where  our  dead  had 
been  buried.  Their  remains  had  not  been  disturbed  at  all.  After  examining 
there  I  went  over  to  the  house  of  a  free  negro  named  Hampton,  as  I  under 
stood  he  had  assisted  in  burying  some  of  our  dead.  He  told  me  he  hac 
buried  the  bodies  on  the  Chinn  farm,  in  the  trenches  that  we  first  found 
He  had  been  notified  by  a  man  named  Benjamin  Franklin  Lewis  to  proceec 
over  there  and  bury  the  bodies  there.  They  were  buried  on  the  Tuesday 
after  the  battle.  I  spoke  to  him  about  the  manner  in  which  these  bodie 
had  been  dug  up.  He  said  he  knew  it  had  been  done,  and  said  it  was  mos 
shameful.  He  said  the  rebels  had  commenced  digging  up  the  bodies  two  o 


TESTIMONY.  467 

three  days  after  they  were  buried  for  the  purpose,  at  first,  of  obtaining  the  but 
tons  on  their  uniforms  ;  afterwards  they  dug  them  up  as  they  decayed  to  get 
their  bones.  I  asked  him  how  they  had  dug  up  the  bodies.  He  said  they 
had  taken  rails  and  pushed  the  ends  down  in  the  centre  under  the  middle  ot 
the  bodies  and  then  pried  them  up  in  that  way.  He  said  that  Lewis's  men  also 
knew  about  it.  I  went  over  where  some  of  Lewis's  negro  men  were  and  inquired 
of  them.  Their  information  corroborated  fully  the  statement  of  this  man  Hamp 
ton.  They  also  stated  that  a  great  many  of  the  bodies  had  been  stripped 
naked  on  the  field  before  they  were  buried,  and  some  were  buried  naked  ;  others 
were  buried  with  their  clothes  on.  They  said  that  numbers  of  them  had  been 
dug  up  through  the  winter,  and  even  shortly  after  they  had  been  buried.  I 
went  to  Mr.  Lewis's  house,  and  after  waiting  some  time  he  came  in.  I  spoke  to 
him  about  the  manner  in  which  the  bodies  had  been  dug  up.  He  said  that  their 
whole  army  should  not  be  blamed  for  that.  He  admitted  it  was  infamous,  but 
said  a  few  men  had  done  it  who  could  not  be  controlled. 

Question.  Did  he  say  what  soldiers  they  were  who  had  treated  the  bodies  of 
our  dead  in  this  way  ? 

Answer.  He  condemned  principally  the  New  Orleans  Tigers,  of  General 
Wheat's  division ;  the  Louisiana  Tigers,  I  believe  they  were  called.  He  said 
they  were  the  men  who  had  done  the  principal  part  of  it.  He  said  that  after 
the  battle  the  men  went  over  the  field  and  robbed  all  indiscriminately,  both 
friend  and  foe.  He  said  they  had  all  along  been  the  cause  of  a  great  deal 
of  trouble,  and  that  two  or  three  of  them  had  been  shot  during  the  winter  for 
mutiny.  He  said  that  the  most  of  them  had  deserted  their  cause  and  were 
over  on  our  .side  now.  He  said  our  wounded  had  been  very  badly  treated ;  and 
Doctor  Swalm  told  me  about  the  unnecessary  amputations  that  had  been  per 
formed  by  the  rebel  surgeons.  He  said  that  limbs  had  been  taken  off  unneces 
sarily  and  in  a  very  bad  manner ;  that,  after  the  confederates  had  taken  posses 
sion  of  the  hospital,  they  would  not  allow  our  surgeons  to  use  the  knife  at  all, 
but  used  it  themselves,  and  that  some  of  the  men  had  died  in  consequence  of 
their  bad  treatment,  and  from  want  of  the  necessary  nourishment.  He  men 
tioned  a  number  of  instances  of  men  who  had  been  actually  murdered  by  bad 
treatment.  I  spoke  to  Mr.  Lewis  about  that,  and  he  admitted  that  it  was  so. 
He  spoke  of  doctors  on  their  own  side  who  had  spoken  about  the  manner  in 
which  the  wounded  had  been  cut  and  neglected  and  treated  badly  after  the 
battle.  He  said  that  he  had  become  afraid  that  a  pestilence  would  break  out  there 
in  the  neighborhood,  in  consequence  of  the  dead  being  left  unburied.  And 
accordingly,  on  the  Tuesday  following  the  battle,  finding  the  dead  still  unbturied, 
he  had  gone  out  and  warned  out  the  neighborhood  and  had  them  "buried,  send 
ing  his  own  men  to  assist  in  doing  so.  On  Sunday  morning  (yesterday)  I  col 
lected  a  party  of  men  and  went  to  the  trench  where  I  supposed  my  brother 
might  have  been  buried,  and  dug  down  to  the  bodies.  We  found  them  covered 
by  some  eighteen  inches  to  two  feet  of  earth,  just  tumbled  in  any  way,  some  on: 
their  sides  and  some  on  their  backs.  I  found  one  body  entirely  naked.  Upon 
digging  at  one  end  of  the  trench  we  found,  not  more  than  two  inches  below  the 
surface,  the  thigh-bone  of  a  man  that  had  evidently  been  dug  up  after  burial ; 
and  in  digging  at  the  other  end  of  the  trench,  in  throwing  out  the  first  shovel 
ful  of  earth,  we  found  the  detached  shin-bone  of  a  man,  which  had  been  struck 
by  a  musket  ball  and  split ;  a  part  of  the  thigh-bone  was  still  attached  to  it. 
The  bodies  at  the  ends  had  been  pried  up,  the  clothing  at  each  end  of  the  body 
still  in  the  ground,  where  the  middle  of  the  body  had  been  pried  up.  The 
other  bodies  were  perfect.  While  we  were  digging  there  a  party  of  soldiers 
came  up  and  showed  us  a  part  of  a  shin-bone  five  or  six  inches  long,  which  had 
the  end  sawed  off.  They  said  they  had  found  it  among  many  other  pieces  in 
one  of  the  cabins  that  the  rebels  had  deserted.  From  the  appearance  of  it, 
pieces  had  been  sawed  off,  out  of  which  to  make  finger-rings.  As  soon  as  the 


468  TESTIMONY. 

negroes  saw  it,  they  said  that  the  rebels  had  had  rings  made  of  the  bones  of 
our  dead  that  they  had  dug  up  ;  that  they  had  had  them  for  sale  in  their 
camps.  As  soon  as  Doctor  Swalm  saw  the  piece  of  bone  the  soldier  had,  he 
said  that  it  was  a  part  of  a  shin-bone  of  a  man ;  and  I  compared  it  with  the 
detached  shin-bone  we  had  dug  up — the  one  split  by  a  musket  ball — and  they 
corresponded  exactly.  The  soldiers  said  there  were  lots  of  these  bones  scattered 
all  through  the  rebel  huts,  sawed  into  rings,  &c.  One  of  the  men  said  he  had 
been  looking  for  the  body  of  his  lieutenant,  and  had  found  where  it  had  been 
left  in  the  bushes  unburied.  He  had  found  the  bones  and  portions  of  the 
clothing  scattered  around  by  the  hogs.  They  had  buried  the  remains  that 
they  gathered  up  on  Sunday  last,  together  with  other  remains  that  they  had 
collected  Mr.  Lewis  and  the  negroes  all  spoke  of  Colonel  Cameron's  body, 
and  knew  about  its  being  stripped,  and  where  it  had  been  buried.  They  said 
that  General  Johnston,  I  think,  had  sent  around  and  collected  some  of  the  things 
taken  from  the  body;  among  others,  a  locket,  and  had  endeavored  to  find  his 
coat.  Some  of  the  things  had  been  found.  He  knew  exactly  where  Colonel 
Cameron's  body  had  been  buried.  All  the  negroes  and  those  in  the  neighbor 
hood  seemed  to  know  all  about  it.  I  talked  in  the  presence  of  the  ladies  in  Mr. 
Lewis's  house  of  the  manner  in  which  our  dead  had  been  treated.  Some  of 
them  denied  it ;  it  seemed  to  be  well  understood  in  the  neighborhood  that  these 
things  had  been  done. 

By  Mr.  Covode  : 

Question.  Did  you  find  your  brother's  remains  1 

Answer.  I  do  not  know  that  they  were  in  either  of  the  trenches  that  we  ex 
amined,  unless  it  was  the  body  that  was  naked  and  could  not  be  recognized. 
I  am  not  certain  that  he  is  dead.  I  know  that  he  was  wounded. 

By  Mr.  Odell : 

Question.  Did  you  see  any  difference  in  the  manner  in  which  the  confederates 
had  buried  our  dead  and  their  own  1 

Answer.  I  saw  where  one  of  their  dead  had  been  buried  in  a  box,  and  after 
wards  his  remains  taken  up  and  removed.  A  portion  of  the  box  was  still  there. 
I  saw  a  number  of  the  graves  of  the  confederate  soldiers  that  had  little  head 
boards  placed  at  the  head  and  marked.  None  of  them  have  any  appear 
ance  of  having  been  disturbed.  I  noticed  in  one  of  the  graves  where  the  body 
had  been  pried  up  a  shoe  with  some  of  the  remains  still  in  it. 


WASHINGTON,  April  7,  1862. 
Dr.  J.  M.  HOMISTON  sworn  and  examined. 
By  Mr.  Odell  : 

Question. v  Where  is  your  residence? 

Answer.  No.  83  Sands  street,  Brooklyn. 

Question.  What  is  your  position  in  the  army  1 

Answer.  Surgeon. 

Question.  What  position  did  you  occupy  at  the  battle  of  Bull  Run  ? 

Answer.  I  was  the  surgeon  of  the  14th  New  York  (Brooklyn)  regiment. 

Question.  Were  you  present  during  that  engagement  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Were  you  taken  prisoner  there  ? 

Answer.  I  was. 

Question.  We  have  been  directed  to  inquire  into  the  treatment  our  wounded 
and  dead  received  from  the  enemy  there  after  the  battle.  Will  you,  in  your 
own  way,  give  us  a  statement  of  what  you  observed  there  1 


TESTIMONY.  469 

Answer.  The  place  where  we  first  commenced  attending  to  our  wounded, 
whether  through  accident  or  some  other  cause,  was  fired  into  and  became  such 
a  dangerous  place  that  we  had  to  stop  bringing  the  wounded  there.  I  believe 
there  have  been  some  reports  about  the  hospitals  being  fired  into.  I  have  never 
been  able  to  satisfy  myself  whether  that  was  done  intentionally  or  not.  I  was 
made  prisoner  on  the  field,  and  immediately  taken  inside  the  enemy's  lines.  I 
told  them  that  my  wish  was  to  attend  to  the  wounded  men,  there  were  so 
many  of  them  wounded  and  crippled ;  that  I  had  remained  voluntarily  with 
them  for  that  purpose ;  I  asked  as  a  privilege  that  I  should  be  permitted  to 
attend  to  them.  Two  of  the  surgeons  there  permitted  me  to  go  to  wash  and 
attend  to  the  wounded ;  I  did  so  until  just  at  dark,  when  a  guard  came  up  and 
said  that  I  must  accompany  them.  I  told  them  that  it  was  my  wish  to  remain 
on  the  field ;  that  I  desired  to . remain  all  night  with  the  wounded  men,  as  there 
were  so  many  who  needed  attention,  and  some  of  them  in  a  very  helpless  and 
painful  condition  and  suffering  for  water.  I  protested  against  being  sent  away 
from  the  field  at  that  time.  They  became  very  rude  and  talked  in  a  very 
ugly  way,  and  insisted  on  my  going  with  them.  They  marched  me  with  a 
party  of  prisoners,  mostly  privates,  to  Manassas ;  they  did  not  offer  us  even 
water,  let  alone  anything  in  the  shape  of  food;  we  stood  in  the  streets  of 
Manassas  about  an  hour  with  a  guard  around  us ;  a  crowd  collected  about  us, 
hooting  and  threatening  in  a  very  boisterous  way  what  they  would  do  with  us. 
We  were  finally  put  into  an  old  building  and  left  to  sleep  on  the  floor  there 
without  anything  in  the  shape  of  food  being  given  to  us.  In  the  morning  those 
of  us  who  were  surgeons  were  brought  up  before  the  medical  director,  as  he 
was  called,  who  took  our  names  and  then  sent  us  back  to  the  battle-field ;  there 
were  three  of  us  in  that  party ;  we  told  them  we  were  already  faint  and  ex 
hausted,  having  been  without  food  for  twenty-four  hours.  •  They  gave  us  some 
cold  bacon  and  sent  us  back  to  the  battle-field.  When  we  reached  the  battle 
field  they  took  us  to  the  Lewis  house,  as  it  is  called ;  they  had  commenced 
bringing  the  wounded  in  there,  mostly  their  own.  They  finally  allowed  us  to 
have  an  ambulance,  and  we  commenced  picking  up  our  wounded  and  bringing 
them  in  ourselves,  a  guard  all  the  while  accompanying  us ;  we  were  then 
ordered  to  report  ourselves  to  a  secession  surgeon,  a  Dr.  Darby,  of  South 
Carolina.  He  said  he  had  been  sent  there  by  General  Beauregard  to  take 
charge  of  the  wounded.  He  would  not  allow  us  to  perform  operations  upon 
our  own  men,  but  had  them  performed  by  his  assistants,  young  men,  some  of 
them  with  no  nore  knowledge  of  what  they  attempted  to  do  than  an  apothecary's 
clerk.  They  performed  the  operations  upon  our  men  in  a  most  horrible  manner ; 
some  of  them  were  absolutely  frightful.  I  asked  Dr.  Darby  to  allow  me  to 
amputate  the  leg  of  Corporal  Prescott,  of  our  regiment.  I  told  him  the  man 
must  die  if  it  was  not  done.  He  told  me  that  it  should  be  done,  and  that  I 
should  be  allowed  to  do  it.  I  told  him  that  there  were  some  things  I  would 
like  to  have  ;  that  I  had  not  the  proper  instruments  to  perform  the  operation. 
He  said  he  would  furnish  me  with  the  instruments,  and  told  me  to  sit  down 
and  wait  a  few  moments ;  while  I  was  sitting  there,  with  another  of  our  sur 
geons,  one  of  their  men  came  through  and  said,  "  They  are  operating  on  one 
of  the  Yankee's  legs  up  stairs."  I  turned  to  the  doctor,  who  was  sitting  there 
with  me,  and  said,  "  I  am  sure  that  is  Prescott  they  are  operating  upon."  I 
went  up  stairs  and  found  that  they  had  cut  off  Prescott's  leg,  and  the  assistants 
were  pulling  on  the  flesh  on  each  side,  trying  to  get  flap  enough  to  cover  the 
bone.  They  had  sawed  off  the  bone  without  leaving  any  of  the  flesh  to  form 
the  flaps  to  cover  it.  With  all  the  force  they  could  use  they  could  not  get  flap 
enough  to  cover  the  bone.  They  were  obliged  to  saw  off  about  an  inch  more  of 
the  bone,  and  even  then,  when  they  came  to  put  in  the  sutures,  the  stitches,  they 
could  not  approximate  the  edges  within  less  than  an  inch  and  a  half  of  each 
other ;  of  course  as  soon  as  there  was  any  swelling  the  stitches  tore  out  and  the 


470  TESTIMONY. 

bone  stuck  through  again.  Dr.  Swalm  tried  afterwards  to  remedy  it  by  per 
forming  another  operation  ;  but  Prescott  had  become  so  debilitated  that  he  did 
not  survive. 

Question.  What  kind  of  a  man  was  Prescott  T  What  was  his  character  and 
standing "? 

Answer.  He  was  a  very  fine  young  man,  and  had  received  a  very  liberal 
education.  It  was  almost  impossible  for  us  to  get  anything  for  our  wounded 
men  there  to  eat ;  they  paid  no  attention  to  us  whatever.  We  suffered  very 
much  on  acccount  of  the  want  of  any  kind  of  food  for  our  men.  They  would 
not  even  bring  water  to  us.  On  the  Monday  night  after  the  battle  all  the 
wounded  in  that  old  house  were  lying  there  on  the  floor.  They  kept  bringing 
in  the  wounded  until  they  were  lying  upon  the  floor  rs  thickly  as  they  could  be 
laid.  There  was  not  a  particle  of  light  of  any  kind  in  the  house  to  enable  us 
to  move  about  among  the  wounded.  They  were  suffering  very  much  for  water  ; 
but  with  all  the  persuasion  I  could  use  they  would  not  bring  us  any  water,  and 
the  guard  stationed  about  the  house  prevented  us  from  going  after  any.  For 
tunately,  I  might  say,  it  rained  that  night,  and  through  the  open  windows 
the  rain  beat  in  and  run  down  the  floor  among  the  wounded,  wetting  and  chilling 
them ;  still  I  was  enabled,  by  setting  some  cups  under  the  eaves,  to  catch  a 
little  water  for  our  poor  soldiers  to  drink,  and  in  that  way  I  spent  all  the  night, 
catching  water  from  the  eaves  of  the  house  and  carrying  it  to  our  wounded  to 
drink.  As  there  was  no  light  in  the  house,  being  perfectly  dark,  I  Was  obliged 
to  crawl  on  my  hands  and  knees  to  avoid  stepping  on  their  wounded  limbs.  It 
is  not  a  matter  of  wonder  that  the  next  morning  we  found  that  several  had  died 
there  during  the  night.  They  seemed  to  be  perfectly  indifferent  to  the  suffer 
ings  of  our  men — entirely  so.  There  was  occasionally  a  man  here  and  there, 
who  seemed  to  have  no  connexion  with  the  army  at  all,  who  appeared  desirous 
to  extend  some  kindly  assistance  to  our  wounded ;  but  those  connected  in  any 
way  with  their  army  seemed  to  try  to  do  everything  to  show  their  perfect 
indifference. 

Question.  Did  these  young  men — these  assistants  you  speak  of — perform  any 
operations  upon  their  wounded  ? 

Answer.  1  think  not  much  ;  there  were  other  surgeons  there  attending  to  their 
wounded ;  in  fact,  a  great  many  of  their  wounded  were  taken  away  from  there, 
those  who  could  be  moved  with  safety,  so  that  we  had  not  the  chance  of  know 
ing  so  much  what  their  treatment  was.  Dr.  Swalm  could  tell  you  more  of  what 
their  treatment  was  while  he  was  in  their  general  hospital  in  Richmond.  Many 
of  our  men  were  left  lying  upon  the  field  until  Tuesday  night  and  Wednesday. 

Question.  Our  wounded  men  1 

Answer.  Yes,  sir ;  some  of  them  lay  there  upon  the  field  until  the  Wednesday 
after  the  battle.  Men  were  brought  in  Tuesday  night  and  Wednesday  mo-ruing 
with  their  wounds  completely  alive  with  larvae  deposited  there  by  flk'S.  They 
had  lain  out  there  through  all  the  rain-storm  of  Monday,  and  the  hot,  sultry  sun 
shine  of  Tuesday,  and  their  wounds  were  completely  alive  with  larvae  when 
they  were  brought  in  on  Tuesday  night  and  Wednesday.  Our  dead  lay  upon 
the  field  unburied,  to  my  own  knowledge,  for  five  days,  and  I  understood  that 
many  of  them  were  left  there  much  longer.  But  I  can  speak  knowingly  up  to 
the  time  I  left,  that  our  dead  were  left  unburied  for  five  days.  I  was  sent  away 
with  Colonel  Wood  to  Charlottesville,  Virginia,  by  permission  of  General 
Beauregard. 

By  Mr.  Covode : 

Question.  You  mean  that  some  of  the  dead  were  not  buried  for  that  length  of 
time? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir ;  our  men. 


TESTIMONY.  471 

By  Mr,  Odell : 

Question.  You  mean  your  own  regiment  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  the  14th  regiment.  I  do  not  think  any  of  them  were 
buried  at  the  end  of  five  days  after  the  battle. 

Question.  Were  any  other  of  our  dead  of  other  regiments  left  unburied  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir ;  a  great  many  were  not  buried  at  the  end  of  that  time. 
There  were  some  that  died  Monday  night  in  the  Lewis  house  that  were  taken 
out  and  buried  on  the  premises  there  the  next  morning. 

Question.  Do  you  know  anything  about  the  manner  in  which  they  were 
buried  ? 

Answer.  I  could  see  from  the  house  how  they  buried  two  or  three  of  them ; 
they  dug  a  hole  and  put  them  in  just  as  they  had  died  and  were  carried  out  of 
the  house,  and  then  covered  them  up  as  they  were. 

By  Mr.  Covode : 

Question.  How  deep  did  they  bury  them  ? 

Answer.  Those  who  were  buried  about  the  house  were  buried  in  holes  not 
dug  over  three  feet  deep.  They  buried  those  because  their  own  safety  re 
quired  it. 

By  Mr.  Odell : 

Question.  Did  they  bury  their  own  dead  at  once  after  the  battle  ? 

Answer.'  Some  were  buried  down  about  Manassas,  generally;  if  there  were 
any  friends  there,  their  dead  were  taken  away  from  the  field  and  buried  else 
where. 

By  Mr.  Gooch : 

Question.  Were  they  destitute  themselves  of  medical  supplies  that  they  re 
fused  to  assist  you  1 

Answer.  They  could  not  have  been  destitute,  for  they  took  all  our  supplies. 
Even  if  they  had  had  none  of  their  own  they  could  not  have  been  destitute. 
They  even  took  our  instruments  away  from  us  at  last.  They  allowed  us  to 
keep  them  for  the  time  being,  but  gave  us  to  understand  that  they  belonged  to 
them.  There  were  many  individual  instances  of  kindness  extended  to  our 
wounded.  I  know  of  one  instance  where  one  of  our  officers  made  himself  known 
to  one  of  their  officers  as  a  free-mason,  and  that  officer  interested  himself  in 
procuring  permission  from  General  Beauregard  to  send  this  officer  to  a  private 
house,  with  one  of  our  surgeons  detailed  to  attend  to  him.  I  was  not  a  mason 
then,  but  I  have  become  one  since  I  returned.  As  an  instance  of  the  manner 
in  which  the  surgeons  of  our  arrriy  were  treated  there,  I  will  state  that  though 
I  was  left  on  the  field  with  only  the  clothes  I  had  on,  I  received  none  of  the 
attentions  from  those  of  the  profession  on  their  side  which  I  should  have  deemed 
it  my  duty  to  have  shown  them  had  our  positions  been  reversed.  I  had  but  one 
shirt  (the  one  I  had  on  when  I  was  taken  prisoner)  for  a  month ;  and. I  used  to 
wash  that  in  the  morning  and  go  without  it  during  the  day  that  I  might  have 
something  clean  to  sleep  in  at  night.  The  one  pair  of  socks  I  had  on  when  I 
was  captured  I  would  wash  myself  until  they  were  completely  worn  out,  when 
I  wore  my  boots  without  socks,  my  feet  and  ancles  becoming  so  chafed  that  it 
was  exceedingly  painful  for  me  to  walk.  Yet  not  one  of  their  surgeons  ever 
offered  me  any  article  of  clothing  to  enable  me  to  keep  myself  clean  and  decent, 
though  I  had  to  go  this  way  for  a  month.  It  was  not  until  some  time  after  I 
got  to  Charlottes ville  that  I  had  the  opportunity  of  purchasing  some  of  these 
articles  with  my  own  money,  and  while  purchasing  them  a  crowd  collected  about 
the  store,  making  threats  against  "  the  damned  Yankee,"  though  I  had  a  parole 
from  Beauregard  himself.  And  when  I  came  out  I  should  probably  have  been 
killed,  for  one  ruffian  there  attacked  me  with  a  large  bowie  knife,  when  I  had 
forced  my  way  nearly  through  the  crowd,  and  I  had  but  the  bundle  in  my  hand 


472  TESTIMONY. 

to  ward  off  his  blows,  when  an  officer  seeing  my  situation  came  to  my  aid  and 
drove  him  off  after  he  had  made  several  passes  at  me,  and  enabled  me  to  reach 
niy  room  in  safety.  For  the  first  three  days  after  the  battle  we  suffered  the 
most  for  the  want  of  food.  Even  Captain  Ricketts  and  Colonel  Wilcox,  who 
were  in  the  house,  had  not  enough  to  eat ;  and  had  it  not  been  for  Mr.  Lewis, 
who  owned  the  house,  we  should  have  suffered  more  than  we  did.  On  several 
occasions  he  rode  six  or  seven  miles  from  where  he  was  living  to  this  house  and 
brought  us  food,  which  was  about  all  we  had  to  eat. 


WASHINGTON,  April  7,  1862. 
Dr.  WILLIAM  F.  SWALM  sworn  and  examined. 

By  Mr.  Odell : 

Question.  Where  is  your  residence  1 

Answer.  No.  28  East  Warren  street,  Brooklyn. 

Question.  What  is  your  position  in  the  army  ? 

Answer.  Assistant  surgeon  of  the  14th  regiment,  New  York  State  militia. 

Question.  Were  you  at  the  battle  of  Bull  Run  ] 

Answer.  I  was. 

Question.  Were  you  made  prisoner  there  1 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  at  Sudley  church. 

Question.  Will  you  state  what  you  know  in  reference  to  the  treatment  of  those 
of  our  soldiers  who  were  taken  prisoners  ? 

Answer.  I  was  there  attending  to  the  wounded  when  some  cavalry  rode  up 
and  took  myself  and  eight  or  nine  other  surgeons  prisoners.  We  remained  there 
until  Monday  afternoon  at  5  o'clock,  when  we  were  removed  from  the  church 
and  taken  to  Manassas.  There  were  some  300  wounded  men  in  the  church  and 
on  the  ground  outside.  When  we  got  to  Manassas  we  were  told  that  it  was  un 
intentional  the  taking  us  there  and  keeping  us  from  the  wounded.  On  Tuesday 
morning  we  were  ordered  to  be  taken  back.  On  the  way  back  I  was  detailed 
to  the  old  Lewis  house,  and  I  attended  to  the  wounded  there  in  conjunction  with 
Dr.  Norval,  of  the  79th  New  York.  On  Wednesday  morning  I  was  told  by  a 
captain,  as  I  judged  from  the  uniform  he  wore,  there  were  two  $f  our  men  alive, 
but  wounded,  still  on  the  field.  He  pointed  up  towards  the  Henry  house,  and 
told  me  that  I  had  better  go  and  get  them  down.  I  asked  him  if  I  was  allowed 
to  do  so.  He  said  I  was,  and  gave  me  a  guard  of  two  men.  I  went  up  there, 
and  there  I  saw  the  most  of  our  men  buried.  I  was  there  surrounded  by  some 
civilians,  who  were  very  insulting,  until  a  chaplain  came  to  my  rescue  and  told 
me  that  I  must  go  to  Manassas  again.  I  was  then  placed  behind  a  cavalry  sol 
dier  and  taken  to  Manassae,  where  I  was  taken  before  General  Beauregard  again. 
I  arrived  there  at,  perhaps,  12  o'clock  on  Wednesday.  He  kept  me  thereuntil, 
perhaps,  5  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  and  then  gave  me  a  pass  to  go  and  attend 
to  the  wounded  again.  On  my  way  back  I  was  fortunate  enough  to  get  into  a 
wagon.  It  turned  off  towards  the  other  Lewis  house,  and  I  went  in  there,  and 
saw  Dr.  Hoiniston.  On  Thursday  Dr.  Homiston  was  sent  off  with  Colonel 
Wood,  and  I  did  not  see  him  again  until  I  saw  him  in  Richmond.  The  rebels 
removed  all  their  wounded,  and  left  me  alone  entirely  with  several  of  our 
wounded — Captain  Ricketts,  Captain  Withington,  and  others.  The  food  we 
had  was  very  scanty,  consisting  principally  of  hard  crackers,  and  hardly  enough 
of  them  to  subsist  upon.  There  was  a  Major  Creecy  there,  who  was  a  relative 
of  Mrs.  Ricketts  or  some  of  her  family,  and  through  him  we  got  something  for 
our  wounded  men.  He  was  stationed  behind  the  last  house  on  the  field.  It 
was  in  that  house  that  the  operations  on  Prescott  and  others  were  performed. 


TESTIMONY.  473 

The  time  arrived  for  us  to  go  to  Manassas  and  from  there  to  Richmond.  We 
went  on — Captain  and  Mrs.  Ricketts,  Dr.  Lewis,  and  myself.  Corporal  Pres- 
cott,  Colonel  Wilcox,  and  others  had  gone  on  previously.  Upon  arriving  at  Ma- 
nasses  we  remained  there  until  evening,  and  then  proceeded  to  Richmond — being 
twenty-four  hours  on  the  way.  There  was  one  death  occurred  on  the  way  while 
in  the  cars  from  inattention,  and  was  thrown  from  the  cars  while  they  were  in 
motion.  It  is  true  they  said  they  would  see  the  body  buried.  We  arrived 
in  Richmond  at  ten  o'clock  at  night,  under  charge  of  a  second  lieutenant, 
who  took  us1  before  Adjutant  General  Cooper.  General  Cooper  told  us  to  go 
where  we  pleased,  and  to  report  ourselves  to  him  on  Monday  at  9  o'clock.  We 
left,  and  could  not  get  into  any  of  the  hotels,  they  were  so  crowded.  I  found 
my  way  down  to  a  tobacco  warehouse  at  the  foot  of  Main  street.  I  went  in 
there  and  made  arrangements  to  remain  there  altogether,  and  attended  to  the 
wounded  there  on  Sunday.  On  Monday  morning,  after  some  little  trouble,  I 
managed  to  get  to  see  General  Cooper,  who  told  me  to  come  again  on  Tuesday. 
I  did  not,  however,  go  there  again  on  Tuesday,  but  went  to  the  prison  and  re 
mained  there.  During  my  sojourn  in  the  prison  there,  I  was  sitting  one  day 
leaning  back  with  my  feet  upon  the  window  sill,  when  the  sentry  outside  called 
out  to  me  to  take  them  in ;  I  got  up  and  looked  out  of  the  window,  and  saw  the 
sentry  with  his  musket  cocked  and  pointed  towards  me.  Being  cautioned  by 
some  one  there  to  get  out  of  the  way  lest  I  should  be  shot,  I  left  the  window. 
The  commissary  and  quartermaster — one  person,  Mr.  Warner,  acting  as  both — 
who  used  to  feed  our  men,  did  as  well  as  he  could ;  but  the  quality  of  the  soup 
given  their  men  and  that  given  ours  was  very  different.  The  soup  was  made  of 
good  enough  meat,  generally,  but  they  put  no  vegetables  in  it.  After  from  the 
first  to  the  third  week  they  stopped  giving  us  coffee  altogether.  Ai'ter  some  four 
or  five  days  1  was  removed  from  the  tobacco  warehouse,  by  order  of  General 
Winder,  to  the  general  hospital,  which  was  in  charge  of  Dr.  Gibson,  surgeon 
general.  The  nurses  there  were  sisters  of  charity.  The  left  portion  of  the 
building,  as  you  entered  it,  was  set  apart  for  our  wounded,  the  right  for  theirs, 
and  the  main  body  of  the  building  was  used  as  as  an  operating  room.  I  noticed 
that  they  used  to  bring  in  for  their  wounded  nice  biscuit,  game,  soft-boiled  eggs, 
toast  with  eggs  upon  it,  &c.  This  was  done  by  the  sisters  of  charity.  I  asked 
them  to  bring  in  some  for  our  men,  and  was  told  that  they  had  none.  Of  course, 
seeing  what  I  did,  I  knew  how  much  to  believe  of  that.  As  to  the  way  in  which 
their  operations  were  performed,  I  would  mention  the  instance  of  Captain  Mc- 
Quade,  of  the  38th  New  York.  He  received  a  wound  in  the  lower  part  of  the 
left  leg,  which  rendered  amputation  necessary.  The  operation  was  performed 
in  Richmond,  by  a  surgeon  of  the  name  of  Peachy,  I  think.  The  flap  was  a 
very  good  one,  but,  in  consequence  of  inattention,  the  inside  flap  entirely  morti 
fied,  so  that  they  had  to  cut  it  completely  off,  leaving  the  bone  protruding  from 
one  and  a  half  to  two  inches.  Inflammation  set  in,  and  extended  up  the  limb, 
and  in  this  condition  he  was  taken  down  to  the  tobacco  warehouse  at  mid-day, 
his  face  exposed  to  the  hot  sun,  and  the  result  was,  what  might  have  been  look 
for,  his  death. 

Question.  How  long  were  you  on  the  battle  field  after  the  battle  ? 

Answer.  I  was  at  the  Lewis  house  from  fourteen  to  eighteen  days.  One 
afternoon  Captain  Withington  and  myself  concluded  we  would  take  a  walk  over 
the  battle  field.  This  was  some  ten  or  twelve  days  after  the  battle.  As  we 
walked  around  I  saw  some  of  our  men  still  unburied,  and  some  of  them  entirely 
naked — shoes,  stockings,  everything  they  had  had  on  stripped  from  them,  and 
their  bodies  left  exposed,  naked,  on  the  field.  Yet  I  saw  a  great  many  women, 
ladies  I  suppose  they  would  call  themselves — walking  about  the  field  at  that 
time,  apparently  entirely  unmoved. v  I  should  judge  that  I  saw  ten  or  twelve  of 
tire  14th  regiment  unburied,  many  of  the  71st  regiment,  and  a  number  of  others 
whose  regiments  I  did  not  recognize, 


474  TESTIMONY. 

Question.  You  spoke  of  going  on  the  field  at  one  time  to  get  two  wounded 
men  of  the  14th  regiment ;  did  you  find  them  1 

Answer.  No,  sir ;  as  I  have  stated,  I  was  surrounded  by  some  civilians,  and 
not  allowed  to  go  up  there 

Question.  Do  you  know  anything  of  the  manner  in  which  they  buried  our 
dead? 

Answer.  At  the  time  I  went  up  for  the  two  wounded  men,  on  the  Wednesday 
morning  after  the  battle,  I  saw  them  digging  some  trenches,  and  saw  some  two 
or  three  buried.  They  paid  no  attention  as  to  how  they  put  them  in,  but  put 
them  in  face  downwards  or  in  any  other  way,  just  as  it  happened.  They 
buried  a  number  in  a  ravine  that  had  been  washed  out  by  the  rains — throwing 
the  bodies  into  the  ravine,  and  covering  them  up  with  earth.  In  going  over 
the  battle  field  lately  I  noticed  where  some  of  the  graves  had  been  opened  by 
pushing  rails  down  under  the  bodies  and  prying  them  up.  Many  of  the  negroes 
said  they  had  seen  the  soldiers  doing  that.- 

Question.  What  was  their  Dbject  ? 

Answer.  As  1  was  informed,  it  was  to  make  drinking  cups  of  the  tops  of  the 
skulls  and  rings  of  the  bones,  sawing  pieces  off  for  that  purpose 

Question.  You  sum  it  all  up  as  very  inhuman  treatment. 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  I  do.  I  will  tell  you  how  Doctor  Ferguson,  of  New  York, 
was  treated.  He  was  taking  his  ambulance  for  the  wounded  when  he  was  fired 
into.  He  took  of  his  green  sash,  to  show  his  calling,  and  his  hankerchief,  as  a 
sort  of  flag  of  truce,  and  waved  them.  A  party  rode  up  to  him,  and  asked  him 
who  he  was.  He  told  them  that  he  was  a  surgeon  of  the  New  York  State 
militia.  They  said  they  would  take  a  parting  shot  at  him,  any  way.  They 
fired  at  him,  and  shot  him  in  the  leg.  He  was  taken  prisoner,  and  laid  in  the 
ambulance.  He  had  his  boots  on,  and  his  spurs  on  his  boots ;  and  as  they 
drove  along  his  spurs  would  catch  in  the  tail-board,  causing  him  such  agony 
that  he  screamed  out.  One  of  their  officers  rode  up  to  him,  and  placed  his  pis 
tol  at  his  head,  and  threatened  if  he  screamed  again  he  would  shoot  him. 

By  Mr.  Gooch  : 

Question.  When  was  this  ? 

Answer.  On  Sunday,  the  day  of  the  battle. 


WASHINGTON,  April  11,  1862. 

Governor  WILLIAM  SP HAGUE  sworn  and  examined. 
By  Mr.  Odell : 

Question.  What  is  your  present  position? 

Answer.  I  am  governor  of  the  State  of  Rhode  Island. 

Question.  You  have  recently  visited  the  battle  field  of  Bull  Run  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  For  the  purpose  of  recovering  the  bodies  of  some  of  your  soldiers 
who  fell  there  last  July  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Will  you  state,  in  your  own  way,  what  you  saw  and  learned 
there,  in  reference  to  the  treatment  of  our  wounded  and  dead  by  the  rebels  after 
the  battle  of  Bull  Run? 

Answer.  As  to  the  officers  ? 

Question.  Generally,  in  regard  to  all.  We  have  been  instructed  by  the 
Senate  to  investigate  the  statements  made  public,  concerning  the  cruel  and  bar 
barous  treatment  of  our  wounded  and  dead. 

Answer.   In  that  part  of  the  field  where  I  was  our  wounded  were  taken  to 


TESTIMONY.  475 

two  different  places ;  one  was  a  storehouse  at  the  point  where  the  engagement 
first  took  place ;  the  other  was  about  three-quarters  of  a  mile  in  the  rear  of  the 
battle  field.  Colonel  Slocum  and  Major  Ballou  were  taken  to  a  position  at  the 
rear.  When  the  retreat  commenced  we  had  in  this  hospital,  as  it  was  termed, 
several  wounded  rebel  officers ;  and  there  were  also  several  of  our  men  there, 
who  were  promised,  if  they  would  stay  with  them,  that  they  should  be  released. 
They  did  remain.  When  I  went  out  there  a  few  days  since  I  took  three  men 
with  me  to  designate  the  places  where  these  officers  had  been  buried.  On 
reaching  the  place  we  commenced  digging  for  the  bodies  of  Colonel  Slocum  and 
Major  Ballou  at  the  spot  which  was  pointed  out  to  us  by  those  soldiers.  While 
we  were  digging  there  some  negro  women  came  up  and  asked  who  we  were 
looking  for;  and,  at  the  same  time,  said  that  "Colonel  Slogan"  had  been  dug 
up  by  the  rebels,  some  men  of  a  Georgia  regiment,  his  head  cut  off,  and  his 
body  taken  to  a  ravine  some  thirty  or  forty  yards  below,  and  there  burned. 
We  stopped  digging  and  went  to  the  place  thus  designated,  where  we  found 
coals,  ashes,  and  bones  mingled  together.  A  little  distance  from  there  we  found 
a  shirt  and  a  blanket  with  large  quantities  of  hair  upon  it.  Everything  there 
indicated  the  buring  of  a  body  there.  We  then  returned  and  dug  down  at  the 
spot  indicated  as  the  grave  of  Major  Ballou,  but  found  no  body  there.  But  at 
the  spot  designated  as  the  place  where  Colonel  Slocum  was  burned  we  found  a 
box,  which,  upon  having  raised  and  opened,  was  found  to  contain  the  body  of 
Colonel  Slocum.  The  soldiers  who  had  buried  the  bodies  of  Colonel  Slocum 
and  Major  Ballou  were  satified  that  the  grave  that  had  been  opened  and  the 
body  taken  out,  beheaded,  and  burned,  was  that  of  Major  Ballou,  because  it 
was  not  in  the  spot  where  Colonel  Slocum  was  buried,  but  rather  to  the  right 
of  it.  They  at  once  said  that  the  rebels  had  made  a  mistake,  and  taken  the 
body  of  Major  Ballou  for  that  of  Colonel  Slocum.  The  shirt  we  found  near  the 
place  where  the  body  was  burned  I  recognized  as  one  belonging  to  Major  Bal 
lou,  as  I  had  been  very  intimate  with  him.-  We  gathered  up  the  ashes  contain 
ing  the  portions  of  his  remains  that  were  left  and  put  them  in  a  coffin,  together 
with  his  shirt,  and  the  blanket  and  the  hair  found  upon  it,  and  some  hair  also 
that  was  brought  to  us  by  a  civilian  who  had  expostulated  with  the  rebels 
against  this  barbarity. 

Question.  What  was  the  name  of  that  civilian  1 

Answer.  I  do  not  know. 

Question.  He  was  a  resident  there  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir ;  he  resided  near  Sudley  church.  After  we  had  done  this 
we  went  to  that  portion  of  the  field  where  the  battle  had  first  commenced,  and 
began  to  dig  there  for  the  remains  of  Captain  Tower.  We  had  brought  a  sol 
dier  with  us  to  designate  the  place  where  he  was  buried,  who  had  been  wounded 
at  the  battle,  and  had  seen  from  the  window  of  the  house  in  which  he  was 
placed  the  spot  where  Captain  Tower  was  buried.  On  opening  the  ditch,  or 
trench,  where  he  was  buried,  we  found  it  filled  with  bodies  of  soldiers,  all  buried 
with  their  faces  downwards.  After  taking  up  some  four  or  five  of  them,  we 
discovered  the  remains  of  Captain  Tower,  mingled  with  those  of  the  men,  and 
took  them  and  placed  them  in  a  coffin  and  brought  them  home. 

By  Mr.  Gooch : 

Question.  The  position  of  these  bodies  was  such  that  you  were  satisfied  that 
they  were  buried  intentionally  with  their  faces  downwards  ? 
Answer.  Undoubtedly;  beyond  all  controversy. 

By  Mr.  Chandler: 

Question.  Did  you  consider  that  that  was  done  as  a  mark  of  indignity  1 
Answer.  Yes,  sir;  as  an  indignity. 

Question.  What  could  have  been  their  object  in  doing  these  things,  especially 
what  they  did  with  what  they  considered  the  body  of  Colonel  Slocuin1? 


476  TESTIMONY 

Answer.  Sh eer  brutality ;  nothing  else.  They  did  it  on  accout  of  his  courage 
and  chivalry  in  forcing  his  regiment  fearlessly  and  bravely  upon  them,  and  de 
stroying  about  one-half  of  that  Georgia  regiment,  which  was  made  up  of  their 
best  citizens. 

Question.  Were  these  barbarities  perpetrated  by  that  regiment  1 
Answer.  By  that  same  regiment,  as  I  was  told.  We  saw  where  their  own 
dead  were  buried  with  marble  head  and  foot  stones,  and  the  names  upon  them, 
while  ours  were  buried,  as  I  have  stated,  in  trenches.  I  have  published  an 
order  to  my  second  regiment,  to  which  these  officers  were  attached,  that  I  shall 
not  be  satisfied  with  what  they  shall  do,  unless  they  give  an  account  of  at  least 
one  rebel  killed  for  each  one  of  their  own  number. 


WASHINGTON,  April  11,  1862. 
DANIEL  BIXBY,  jr,  sworn  and  examined. 

By  Mr.  Covode : 

Question.  Where  do  you  reside  ? 

Answer.  I  reside  in  this  city. 

Question.  Have  you  been  recently  on  a  visit  to  Manassas  and  Bull  Run? 

Answer.  I  have. 

Question.  Will  you  state  to  the  committee,  in  your  own  way,  what  you  saw 
and  learned  in  relation  to  the  condition  of  our  dead  there? 

Answer.  I  went  out  in  company  with  Mr.  Gr.  A.  Smart,  of  Cambridge,  Mas 
sachusetts,  who  went  to  look  for  the  body  of  his  brother,  who  fell  at  Black 
burn's  Ford,  in  the  action  of  the  18th  of  July.  We  took  with  us  one  who  was 
there  at  the  time,  to  point  out  where  *his  brother  fell.  We  found  a  grave  there, 
which  was  opened.  The  clothes  there  found  were  identified  as  those  of  the 
brother  of  Mr.  Smart,  and  were  recognized  from  some  peculiarities  in  the  make  ; 
they  were  made  by  the  mother.  Other  clothes  of  the  same  make,  and  with  the 
same  peculiarities,  were  taken  with  us,  with  which  to  compare  those  we  might 
find  in  the  grave.  They  were  compared,  and  found  to  correspond  exactly,  We 
found  no  head  in  the  grave,  and  no  bones  of  any  kind ;  nothing  but  the  clothes 
and  portions  of  the  flesh  of  the  body.  We  also  saw  the  remains  of  three  other 
bodies  together  that  had  not  been  buried  at  all,  as  we  concluded  from  their 
appearance.  The  clothes  were  there,  which  we  examined  by  cutting  them  open, 
and  found  some  remains  of  flesh  in  them,  but  no  bones.  A  Mrs.  Pierce  Butler, 
who  lived  near  there,  said  that  she  had  seen  the  rebels  boiling  portions  of  the 
bodies  of  our  dead  in  order  to  obtain  their  bones  as  relics,  the  rebels  not  wait 
ing  for  them  to  decay,  so  that  they  could  take  their  bones  from  them.  She  said 
she  had  seen  drum  sticks  made  of  "  Yankee  shin-bones,"  as  the  rebels  call  them. 

By  Mr.  Odell: 

Question.  Are  there  any  bones  in  a  man's  body  long  enough  to  make  drum 
sticks  1 

Answer.  The  lower  leg  bone,  the  shin-bone,  was  used  for  that. 

By  Mr.  Covode  : 

Question.  Did  you  see  more  than  the  one  grave  opened? 

Answer.  No,  sir;  that  was  the  only  grave  we  examined. 

Question.  You  were  satisfied  from  examination  of  the  remains  that  the  bones 
had  all  been  taken  away? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  we  examined  the  clothes  thoroughly  and  found  but  one 
small  piece  of  bone,  perhaps  as  large  as  your  little  finger ;  that  was  all. 


TESTIMONY.  477 

Question.  Did  the  body  appear  to  have  been  taken  up  after  it  had  been  burried  ? 

Answer.  We  could  not  tell  positively  about  that,  but  we  thought  it  probable 
that  it  had  been. 

Question.  How  deep  was  it  burried  ? 

Answer.  Two  feet,  perhaps;  just  covered  over  fairly.  Mrs.  Butler  also  said 
she  had  seen  a  skull  that  one  of  the  New  Orleans  artillery  had,  which  he 
said  he  was  going  to  send  home  and  have  mounted,  and  was  going  to  drink 
a  brandy  punch  out  of  it  the  day  he  was  married.  I  understood  Mrs.  Butler  to 
say  that  the  rebels  had  a  force  of  some  90,000  men  at  Manassas,  Centreville,  and 
Bull  Run,  until  the  middle  of  February,  when  they  began  to  leave.  The  artil 
lery  and  infantry  that  were  stationed  near  where  she  lived  she  said  went  away 
on  the  Friday  before  our  troops  went  out  there.  But  on  Friday  night  they  sent 
back  a  regiment  of  cavalry  to  do  picket  duty,  and  on  Saturday  morning  they 
went  away,  and  on  Saturday  afternoon  our  pickets  and  scouts  came  up  there. 

Question.  On  Saturday  afternoon? 

Answer.  I  will  not  be  certain  whether  it  was  Saturday  or  Sunday  afternoon. 
They  came  up  in  the  afternoon  of  the  day  the  enemy  left  in  the  morning. 

Question.  Had  you  any  converation  with  any  other  parties  relative  to  this 
matter  ] 

Answer.  No,  sir;  we  saw  none  beside  our  own  party,  except  Mr.  Butler  and 
his  family. 


BROOKLYN,  NEW  YORK,  April  16,  1862. 

LEWIS  FRANCIS,  being  sworn,  testified  that  he  resides  in  Hamilton  street, 
near  Park  avenue,  in  the  city  of  Brooklyn ;  was  at  the  battle  of  Bull  Run  as  a 
private  in  the  14th  regiment  New  York  volunteers.  As  I  was  loading  my 
musket  I  was  attacked  by  two  rebel  soldiers  and  wounded  in  the  right  knee 
joint  with  a  bayonet,  when  I  fell.  As  I  lay  on  the  ground  they  kept  bayonetting 
me  until  I  received  fourteen  wounds ;  one  of  them  then  left,  the  other  remaining 
over  me,  when  a  Union  soldier  coming  up  shot  him  in  the  breast,  and  he  fell 
dead.  I  lay  on  the  ground  until  about  10  o'clock  the  next  day.  I  was  then 
removed  in  a  wagon  to  a  building  used  as  a  temporary  hospital.  My  wounds 
were  then  examined  and  partially  dressed.  On  the  Saturday  following  we  were 
removed  to  the  Manassas  depot,  and  from  there  we  were  removed  to  the  general 
hospital  at  Richmond.  In  October,  my  leg  having  partially  mortified,  I  con 
sented  that  it  should  be  amputated,  which  operation  was  performed  by  a  young 
man.  I  insisted  that  they  should  allow  Dr.  Swalm  to  be  present.  I  wanted 
one  Union  man  to  be  present  if  I  died  under  the  operation.  The  stiches  and 
the  band  slipped  from  neglect,  and  the  bone  protruded,  and  about  two  weeks 
after  another  operation  had  to  be  performed,  at  which  time  another  piece  of  the 
thigh  bone  was  sawed  off.  About  six  weeks  after  the  amputation,  and  before  it 
healed,  I  was  removed  from  the  general  hospital  to  the  tobacco  factory.  On  my 
removal  from  the  prison  to  Fortress  Monroe  another  operation  was  performed, 
when  five  pieces  of  bone  were  removed.  I  remained  five  weeks  at  this  hospital, 
when  I  was  removed  to  Washington  and  spent  a  week  in  the  hospital  at  that 
place,  when  I  was  removed  to  Brooklyn,  where  an  operation  was  performed  by 
Dr.  Lewis  Bauer,  who  removed  two  splinters  of  bone  and  sawed  off  another 
piece  of  the  thigh  bone.  Whilst  at  Manassas  I  recived  for  food  but  a  small 
amount  of  boiled  rice  and  hard  bread.  At  Richmond,  whilst  in  the  general 
hospital,  I  was  well  fed;  at  the  tobacco  factory  I  had  a.  small  amount  of  sour 
bread  and  tough  fresh  beef.  I  should  have  perished  for  want,  but  a  lady 
named  Van  Lew  sent  her  slave  every  other  day  with  food,  and  supplied  me  with 
clothing  until  January,  when  the  officer  in  charge  of  the  prison  prevented  her 
from  sending  me  any  more  provisions.  After  they  had  removed  me  from  the 
general  hospital  to  the  tobacco  factory,  they  returned  and  removed  the  bed  from 


478  TESTIMONY. 

under  me,  and  removed  all  the  pillows  and  bed  clothing,  and  laid  me  on  a  blanket 
on  a  cot,  with  another  blanket  to  cover  me.  At  this  time  I  was  covered  with 
bed  sores,  having  lain  in  bed  from  July  up  to  this  time,  December. 


WASHINGTON,  April  23,  1862. 
Hon.  SIMON  CAMERON  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  chairman : 

Question.  We  have  been  directed  by  the  Senate  to  inquire  into  the  barbarous 
manner  in  which  the  wounded  and  dead  of  our  army  have  been  treated  by  the 
rebels.  Will  you  state  to  the  committee  what  you  know  in  regard  to  their 
treatment  of  your  brother,  who  was  killed  in  the  battle  of  Bull  Run  ? 

Answer.  After  my  brother  fell  in  that  engagement,  I  am  informed  that  his 
body  was  carried  off  by  some  of  his  men  from  the  battle-field  and  placed,  as  was 
supposed,  in  a  secure  place,  so  that  it  could  be  recovered  by  his  friends  after 
the  battle  was  over.  There  were  eight  men  who  took  charge  of  the  body  and 
carried  it  back  off  the  field,  four  of  whom  were  killed.  The  body  was  placed 
in  an  ambulance  and  left  there.  When  they  returned,  as  I  understand,  they 
found  that  the  body  had  been  thrown  out  of  the  ambulance  upon  the  ground, 
and  his  pockets  rifled  of  his  watch,  purse,  portraits,  &c.  The  blanket  that  had 
been  left  over  the  body  was  taken  away,  and,  as  we  have  learned  since,  the  body 
was  thrown  into  a  hole  or  ditch  with  several  other  bodies,  and  there  covered  up 
with  earth. 

The  morning  after  I  heard  of  his  death,  Mr.  Magraw,  of  Pennsylvania,  for 
merly  State  treasurer,  called  upon  me  and  told  me  that  he  had  some  acquaint 
ances  among  the  rebels  out  there,  and  offered  to  go  out  and  get  the  body  of  my 
brother.  I  told  him  that  I  thought  it  would  be  of  no  use  for  him  to  go  out  there. 
He  went,  however,  and  instead  of  being  able  to  obtain  the  body,  by  order  of 
Generals  Johnston  and  Beauregard  he  was  made  prisoner  and  sent  to  Richmond, 
where  he  was  kept  four  or  five  months. 

By  Mr.  Chandler : 

Question.  The  rebels  knew  the  body  to  be  that  of  Colonel  Cameron,  your 
brother  ] 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

By  the  chairman : 

Question.  And  they  knew  these  messengers  went  out  there  solely  for  the  pur 
pose  of  obtaining  the  body  ] 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.     They  had  no  other  object  in  going. 

Question.  And  they  took  them  prisoners  of  war  and  sent  them  to  Richmond 
and  kept  them  there  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir ;  and  part  of  the  time  close  prisoners.  The  body  of  my 
brother,  when  lately  recovered,  was  recognized  by  means  of  a  truss  which  he  wore. 


WASHINGTON,  April  24,  1862. 
JOHN  KANE  sworn  and  examined. 

By  Mr.  Gooch : 

Question.  Were  you  present  at  the  battle  of  Bull  Run  ? 
Answer.  Yes,  sir. 


TESTIMONY.  479 

Question.  What  position  did  you  occupy  there  ? 

Answer.  I  was  sergeant  in  the  1  Oth  company  of  the  79th  regiment,  and  acting 
orderly  to  Colonel  Cameron. 

Question.  Were  you  near  him  when  he  was  killed  1 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  not  more  than  15  or  20  yards  from  him. 

Question.  Will  you  state  the  circumstances  of  his  death,  and  what  was  done 
with  his  body  afterwards] 

Answer.  He  was  standing  conversing  with  a  lieutenant  of  the  10th  company  in 
relation  to  taking  off  the  wounded,  when  he  received  a  bullet  in  his  left  breast  and 
fell  while  in  the  act  of  speaking.  He  endeavored  to  say  something  after  he  was 
shot,  but  the  blood  gushed  out  of  his  mouth  and  nose,  and  he  fell,  dying  almost 
instantly.  As  soon  as  it  was  ascertained  that  he  was  dead,  some  eight  men 
placed  his  body  across  their  muskets,  and  carried  it  back  off  the  field,  and  placed 
it  in  an  ambulance  of  the  second  Maine  regiment.  The  surgeon  at  first  objected 
to  our  placing  a  dead  man  in  the  ambulance,  saying  it  was  needed  for  the 
wounded.  But  when  we  told  him  it  was  the  body  of  Colonel  Cameron,  the 
brother  of  the  Secretary  of  War,  he  said  we  could  put  it  in  there. 

At  that  time  General  McDowell  rode  up  and  told  me  to  order  our  men,  who 
were  scattering,  to  rally  on  the  hill  and  try  to  form  a  square  and  prepare  to 
repel  some  cavalry  who  were  coming.  I  replied  that  I  was  in  charge  of  Colonel 
Cameron's  body,  and  wanted  to  take  it  back  to  Washington.  He  then  told  me 
to  pass  the  order  to  the  first  officer  of  the  regiment  I  met,  when  I  could  return. 
I  mounted  Colonel  Cameron's  horse  and  rode  back,  until  I  saw  the  major  of  the 
regiment,  to  whom  I  gave  the  orders  of  General  McDowell.  General  McDowell 
coming  along  there,  I  informed  him  that  I  had  given  Jiis  orders  to  the  major  of 
the  regiment,  when  I  got  permission  to  return  to  where  I  had  left  the  body  of 
Colonel  Cameron. 

When  I  got  back  I  met  the  surgeon  of  the  regiment,  who  informed  me  that 
the  hospital  had  been  taken  possession  of  by  the  enemy,  and  several  prisoners 
taken ;  and  that  if  I  went  where  we  had  left  the  ambulance  with  the  body  of 
Colonel  Cameron  I  would  also  be  taken  prisoner.  I  replied  that  it  would  not 
much  matter  if  I  were,  and  that  I  should  try  to  find  the  body.  When  I  reached 
where  the  ambulance  was  I  found  that  some  ten  or  fifteen  of  the  rebel  cavalry — 
black  horse  cavalry,  as  I  understood — had  been  there,  thrown  all  the  bodies  out 
of  the  ambulance,  and  driven  it  off  for  their  own  wounded.  One  of  the  surgeons 
then  told  me  that  I  had  better  make  the  best  of  my  way  to  Washington,  for  if 
I  remained  there  I  should  be  taken  prisoner.  I  accordingly  returned. 

I  afterwards  went  out  with  a  flag  of  truce  from  Colonel  McCunn's  head 
quarters  to  endeavor  to  get  the  body.  I  saw  a  Lieutenant  Barbour,  who  was 
the  senior  officer  of  the  post  at  Fall's  Church,  to  whom  I  gave  my  papers.  We 
were  obliged  to  wait  there  until  he  communicated  with  Colonel  Stewart.  Towards 
evening  the  messenger  returned  and  said  that  we  could  not  have  permission  to 
go  to  Centreville,  but  they  would  forward  the  papers  to  headquarters,  and  would 
.give  me  an  answer  the  next  day.  The  next  day  we  returned,  and  were  informed 
that  we  could  not  have  the  permission  we  asked,  because  the  papers  were  ad 
dressed  "to  whom  it  may  concern;"  that  it  did  not  concern  them,  and  if  they 
were  not  officially  addressed  they  would  not  recognize  any  papers  sent  to  them. 
I  asked  Lieutenant  Barbour  to  see  that  some  mark  was  put  upon^the  grave  of 
Colonel  Cameron  so  that  it  could  be  found,  and  he  promised  that  he  would  do  so. 
When  Centreville  was  evacuated  in  March  last,  I  accompanied  a  party  down 
there  to  obtain  the  body  of  Colonel  Cameron,  but  we  could  find  nothing  to  indi 
cate  where  the  grave  was.  We  asked  one  man  living  there — Mr.  Lewis,  I 
believe — who  we  understood  knew  where  the  grave  was,  but  he  denied  having 
any  knowledge  of  it,  which  I  have  reason  to  believe  was  false.  I  took  the  party 
to  where  Colonel  Cameron  fell,  and  also  to  where  the  ambulance  was  that  his 
body  was  placed  in.  We  met  a  slave,  who  said  he  knew  where  the  body  was, 


480  TESTIMONY. 

because  he  had  heard  his  mistress — a  widow  Donn — say  it  was  his  body ;  and 
he  had  seen  a  locket,  with  a  picture  in  it,  and  some  papers  that  had  been  taken 
from  his  body.  The  negro  said  the  body  had  remained  on  the  field  from  Sunday 
till  Thursday  before  it  was  buried,  and  that  he  had  noted  the  place  where  it  was 
buried  particularly,  as  he  had  understood  that  a  reward  would  be  paid  for  finding 
the  body. 

We  went  to  the  place  pointed  out  by  the  negro  and  opened  the  grave;  we 
found  several  bodies  there ;  they  had  to  all  appearance  been  thrown  in  in  any 
way,  just  as  they  came  to  them ;  in  endeavoring  to  remove  the  remains  of  Colonel 
Cameron  without  separating  them  any,  which  we  did  by  inserting  a  board  under 
the  lower  part  of  the  body  and  pushing  it  gradually  and  carefully  up  towards 
the  head,  we  had  to  take  off  one  of  his  arms  and  the  skull  of  another  body  that 
was  lying  on  it;  we  recognized  the  body  from  the  clothing  on  it;  from  a  shirt 
that  I  had  myself  bought  for  him  in  Washington,  and  from  a  truss  that  we  found 
on  the  body ;  several  officers  with  us,  who  knew  Colonel  Cameron,  also  recog 
nized  the  body ;  we  placed  the  remains  in  a  rough  box  coffin  that  we  made  there 
and  brought  them  away  with  us ;  the  other  bodies  in  the  same  grave  or  ditch 
appeared  to  be  bodies  of  private  soldiers. 

Question.  Had  anything  been  taken  from  the  body? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  we  found  his  pockets  turned  inside  out,  and  his  watch,  ring, 
purse,  locket,  boots  and  spurs  had  been  taken  away;  he  had  over  $80  in  his 
purse,  for  on  the  morning  of  the  battle  I  had  taken  out  of  his  valise  and  given  to 
him  four  twenty  dollar  pieces  and  some  smaller  gold  pieces;  at  the  time  he  fell 
I  took  his  revolvers  and  keys,  and  brought  them  back  with  me. 

Question.  Did  you  make  any  inquiry  as  to  the  rifling  of  the  body? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  and  I  was  told  that  the  body  was  rifled  by  some  of  the 
black  horse  cavalry,  and  that  some  of  the  articles  had  been  shown  by  one  of 
Stewart's  cavalry. 

Question.  From  whom  did  you  learn  that  fact? 

Answer.  This  negro  said  his  mistress  had  told  him  so;  and  I  heard  others 
speak  of  it;  Lieutenant  Barbour  said  he  had  heard  something  of  it  from  his  own 
men. 

Question.  Who  buried  the  body  of  Colonel  Cameron?, 

Answer.  This  negro  said  that  he  and  two  other  negroes  had  buried  the  bodies 
there;  the  other  two  negroes  have  been  carried  away,  but  this  one  managed  to 
remain  some  way ;  an  order  was  given  by  some  one  that  each  resident  should 
see  that  the  bodies  near  their  houses  were  buried ;  that  is  the  way  these  negroes 
came  to  bury  them;  they  dug  the  hole  and  put  in  it  all  the  bodies  they  found 
anywhere  near. 

Question.  Did  you  ask  this  negro  who  had  rifled  Colonel  Cameron's  body  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir ;  he  said  he  did  not  know,  except  that  he  had  heard  his 
mistress  say  that  it  was  done  by  one  of  the  black  horse  cavalry  when  they  took 
it  out  of  the  ambulance  in  which  we  had  left  it;  the  negro  said  the  pockets  were 
turned  inside  out  when  he  came  across  the  body  at  the  time  they  buried  it. 


WASHINGTON,  May  7,  1862. 
JOSEPH  A.  KIRBY  sworn  and  examined. 
By  Mr.  Covode : 

Question.  Where  do  you  reside  t 

Answer.  In  Wilmore,  Cambria  county,  Pennsylvania. 
Question.  What  has  been  your  occupation  ? 

Answer.  I  have  been  engaged  in  telegraphing  for  the  Pennsylvania  railroad 
company  in  the  office  of  Colonel  Scott,  at  Pittsburg. 


TESTIMONY.  481 

Question.  Did  Colonel  Scott  make  you  an  offer  to  come  to  Washington,  to 

-engage  in  telegraphing  here  ? 

Answer.  He  telegraphed  for  me,  and  I  met  him  at  the  Continental  Hotel,  in 
Philadelphia,  on  my  way  home  in  June  last. 

Question.  Have  you  been  a  newspaper  correspondent  ? 
Answer.  Yes,  sir ;  for  the  Pittsburg  Chronicle. 
Question.  From  what  places  ? 

Answer.  All  through  the  south.  I  corresponded  on  as  far  as  Montgomery, 
Alabama,  until  communication  with  the  north  was  cut  off  after  the  fall  of  Fort 
.Sumter.  * 

Question.  Did  you  go  to  Pensacola  1 

Answer.  Yes,  sir ;  but  I  was  at  Montgomery  when  the  order  was  sent  to 
Beauregard  to  commence  firing  upon  Fort  Sumter. 

Question.  How  did  you  get  your  information  of  the  attack  ? 
Answer.  I  roomed  in  the  Exchange  Hotel,  in  Montgomery,  right  opposite  the 
room  of  the  confederate  postmaster  general,  Reagan  ;  and  a  young  man  who  was 
with  him  told  me  that  that  day  the  ball  would  open  at  Fort  Sumter.     That  was 
the  first  information  I  had  of  it.     I  waited  until  the  next  morning,  and  then  we 
heard  the  news  at  Montgomery.   As  I  supposed  that  the  next  attack  would  be  upon 
Fort  Pickens,  that  evening  at  four  o'clock  I  took  the  boat  to  Mobile,  and  from 
there  went  to  Pensacola,  where  I  arrived  at  twelve  o'clock  on  Saturday.     I  was 
within  sight  of  Fort  Pickens,  and  spent  Sunday  and  two  days  thereafter  in  the 
rebel  camp.     I  walked  through  all  their  fortifications — every  one  of  them — was 
in  Fort  Barrancas,  saw  where  preparations   were  being  made  for  new  batteries, 
and  then  returned  to  Pensacola,  nine  miles  from  the  navy  yard.     The  telegraph 
office  was  close  by  the  hotel  where  I  stopped,  and  by  going  near  I  could  tell  by 
the  sound  of  the  instrument,  being  an  old  telegraphic  operator  myself,  what  was 
passing  over  the  line,  and  I  heard  some  conversation  which  led  me  to  believe 
that  an  attack  was  to  be  made  on  Fort  Pickens.     Cooper,  from  Montgomery, 
telegraphed  to  Bragg  that  Fort  Sumter  had  surrendered,  and  asked  when  he 
was  going  to  make  the  attack.     Bragg  did  not  himself  send  word  ;  but  one  of 
the  officers  at  Pensacola  telegraphed  to  a  friend  in  Macon,  Georgia,  that  they 
were  to  land  on  Santa  Rosa  island  in  a  few  days.     That  night  I  disguised 
myself  as  a  fisherman,  and  got  a  boat  with  a  negro  man  to  row  it,  and  went 
over  to  Fort  Pickens,  in  an  open  boat,  and  gave  Colonel  Brown,  Captain  Clitz, 
and  Lieutenant  Slemmer  information  of  the  intended  attack.     I  had  intended 
to  return  to  Pensacola  again,  and  go  home  through  the  rebel  lines  up  through 
Virginia ;  but  Captain  Clitz  told  me  it  would  be  dangerous  for  me  to  do  so.    He 
said  the  information  I  had  given  him  was  important,  and  wanted  to  know  what 
he  could  do  for  me.     He  offered  to  send  me  home.     Colonel  Brown  did  send  me 
home,  and  I  returned  to  New  York  in  company  with  Lieutenant  Slemmer. 
Question.  You  say  you  took  a  negro  along  to  row  you  over  to  Fort  Pickens  1 
Answer.  Yes,  sir ;  but  he  did  not  know  who  I  was  until  we  had  got  into  the 
middle  of  the  bay.     I  came  to  New  York,  and  then  met  Colonel  Scott  by  ap 
pointment  in  Philadelphia.     I  then  went  on  to  Pittsburg,  to  see  my  friends,  in 
tending  to  come  on  to  Washington  to  accept  an  appointment  in  the  telegraph 
department  here.     But  while  on  my  way  here  I   heard  of  the  battle  of  Bull 
Run,  and  that  spoiled  all  my  plans  about  coming  here. 

I  then  went  direct  to  Harper's  Ferry,  and  offered  my  services  to  General 
Banks  as  a  spy,  and  was  making  arrangements  to  enter  the  rebel  lines  and  go 
on  to  Manassas,  or  to  Richmond,  or  wherever  else  it  was  thought  necessary. 
One  evening  two  of  us  went  across  the  river,  and  we  got  rather  too  far  into  the 
rebel  lines.  My  companion  laid  down  to  rest  himself,  while  I  went  on  ahead 
alone.  In  a  short  time  I  met  three  rebel  scouts,  who,  when  they  saw  me,  fired  upon 
me,  but  did  not  hit  me.  I  ran  and  got  to  the  river,  but  could  not  cross,  and  they 
came  up  and  captured  me.  I  pretended  to  be  very  glad  when  I  discovered  they  were 
Part  iii 31 


482  TESTIMONY. 

the  confederate  scouts,  and  told  them  I  was  a  Baltimorean,  and  was  on  my  way 
south.  They  asked  me  why  I  ran  when  I  saw  them.  I  said  I  supposed  they 
were  federal  scouts,  which  seemed  to  satisfy  them,  as  they  knew  the  federal  sol 
diers  were  close  by.  They  took  me  before  General  Beauregard,  at  Manassas, 
who  asked  me  two  or  three  questions.  I  remained  there  a  few  days.  I  was  on 
the  battle-ground  at  Bull  Run  on  the  Sunday  two  weeks  after  the  battle.  On 
the  Tuesday  after,  I  was  sent  to  Fredericks  burg,  and  from  there  went  on  to 
Eichmond. 

Question.  What  did  you  notice  on  the  battle-ground  at  Bull  Run,  in  regard 
to  the  treatment  of  our  dead  by  the  rebels  who  were  there? 

Answer.  There  were  a  captain  of  the  rebel  army,  and  two  or  three  privates, 
teamsters,  along  with  me.  They  all  admitted  that  bodies  of  federal  soldiers 
had  been  burned  on  the  same  pile  with  dead  horses ;  they  all  admitted  that. 
Some  of  them  thought  it  was  very  hard,  very  wrong.  And  I  saw  at  least  ten 
bodies  that  were  not  more  than  half  buried,  and  I  did  riot  go  over  all  the  battle 
field.  1  saw  arms  and  legs  and  heads  sticking  up  out  of  the  ground ;  they  had 
only  a  little  earth  thrown  over  them,  and  a  little  brush  thrown  over  that.  The 
stench  from  the  decaying  bodies  was  very  bad. 

Question.  Did  you  see  where  any  bodies  of  our  soldiers  had  been  burned  1 

Answer.  I  saw  piles  of  ashes  and  bones,  but  I  could  not  tell  what  the  bones 
were. 

Question.  You  heard  them  say  that  they  had  burned  the  bodies  of  our  sol 
diers  1 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  I  heard  them  talking  about  it  while  I  was  there. 

Question.  You  say  you  went  to  Richmond? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  I  had  an  opportunity  to  escape,  while  I  was  at  Fredericks- 
burg,  but  I  did  not.  I  told  them  I  was  a  Marylander  and  a  secessionist,  and  by 
talking  to  them  made  them  believe  I  was  a  secessionist.  But  when  they  got  me  to 
Richmond,  they  put  me  in  one  of  their  tobacco  warehouses,  with  some  Union 
men  who  had  been  brought  from  Western  Virginia.  HoAvever,  they  let  me  out 
when  I  had  been  there  about  five  weeks,  as  I  offered  to  do  soldier's  duty,  and  I 
went  to  work  on  some  fortifications  near  the  James  river,  and  acted  as  a  guard 
to  some  free  negroes  they  had  at  work  on  the  fortifications.  The  guns  were 
not  mounted  then.  I  was  there  a  little  over  three  weeks,  when  I  was  taken  sick 
and  was  relieved.  I  went  to  a  private  house  on  Main  street,  in  Richmond,  to 
board,  and  was  there  Jwo  or  three  weeks  without  any  money  or  medical  attend 
ance  or  care  whatever. 

As  soon  as  I  got  well  enough  to  be  able  to  go  out,  I  walked  to  Petersburg, 
as  I  could  not  leave  the  city  by  railroad  without  a  pass.  At  Petersburg  I  got 
on  the  train  and  went  to  Norfolk,  intending  to  try  and  escape  from  there.  I 
was  there  two  nights  and  one  day,  but  found  I  could  not  get  away,  as  so  strict 
a  watch  was  kept  in  consequence  of  so  many  negroes  escaping.  I  then  re 
turned  to  Richmond  and  worked  in  the  laboratory  there  until  the  10th  of  Janu 
ary.  Being  out  of  money,  I  enlisted  in  the  third  Maryland  battery  as  a  substi 
tute,  receiving  $180  in  confederate  money,  which  was  as  good  as  any  other 
there.  I  joined  that  battery  because  I  expected  it  would  be  sent  to  join  the 
army  of  the  Potomac ;  and  I  intended,  after  finding  out  all  I  could  about  the 
fortifications  at  Manassas  and  Centreville,  to  make  my  way  to  the  Union  lines. 
But  after  Zollicoffer's  defeat  we  were  sent  to  East  Tennessee  to  replace  the  ar 
tillery  he  had  lost.  I  do  not  recollect  how  long  I  was  at  Knoxville.  I  was 
sent  on  one  expedition  up  to  Clinton,  on  Clinch  river  ;  then  on  another  expedi 
tion  to  Kingston,  on  Holston  river ;  and  then  I  was  sent  by  General  E.  Kirby 
Smith  to  Cumberland  Gap  with  a  pay-roll,  to  get  certain  men  there  to  sign  it, 
and  then  to  return  with  it.  When  I  arrived  at  Cumberland  Gap,  one  evening 
I  could  see  from  a  hill  there  the  camp  fires  of  the  Union  troops,  and  I  made  up 
iny  rnind  to  escape  there.  The  next  morning  a  regiment  passed  down  the  val- 


TESTIMONY.  483 

ley  to  drill,  and  I  mixed  in  with  the  soldiers  and  passed  the  inner  pickets  with 
them.  When  they  became  engaged  in  their  drill  I  walked  off,  and  after  some 
time  I  reached  General  Carter's  camp.  I  gave  him  information  of  every  regi 
ment  in  East  Tennessee,  the  number  of  men,  the  name  of  the  commanding 
officer,  and  the  number  and  situation  of  the  guns  at  Cumberland  Gap.  I  was 
sent  home  at  the  expense  of  the  United  States  government,  and  came  on  here 
about  five  days  ago  to  get  some  employment  from  the  government. 

Question.  What  means  of  information  had  you  concerning  the  strength  of  the 
rebels  at  Centreville  and  Manassas  ? 

Answer.  There  were  three  young  men  in  oar  company  who  had  belonged  to 
Calhoun's  battery,  of  South  Carolina ;  they  were  at  Manassas  and  were  dis 
charged,  and  then  joined  our  company  in  January.  They  told  me  that  there 
were  not  more  than  40,000  men  at  Manassas  in  December,  and  after  that.  All 
admitted  that  there  were  not  more  than  that. 

By  Mr.  Chandler : 

Question.  Does  that  include  their  troops  at  Centreville  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  that  includes  all  except  those  at  Aquia  creek  and  those 
under  Jackson  over  the  ridge. 

By  Mr.  Covode : 

Question.  That  includes  Manassas,  Centreville,  and  all  around  there  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir ;  it  included  what  they  called  the  army  of  the  Potomac 
proper — not  the  Aquia  army  or  the  Shenandoah  army.  Having  seen  and 
talked  with  hundreds  of  persons  who  had  been  there,  I  was  satisfied  all  the 
time  that  there  were  not  more  than  40,000  or  50,000  men  there.  That  seemed 
to  be  the  understanding  of  all  with  whom  I  talked  upon  the  subject. 

Question.  What  knowledge  had  you  of  the  armament  at  Manassas  and  Cen 
treville — of  the  number  of  cannon  there  ? 

Answer.  I  knew  nothing  except  what  I  was  told,  that  they  had  excellent 
fortifications  at  Centreville,  much  better  than  they  had  at  Manassas. 

Question.  Did  you  hear  anything  about  their  wooden  guns] 

Answer.  I  knew  that  they  had  wooden  guns  at  Munson's  Hill ;  that  they  had 
been  using  wooden  guns  and  stovepipes  all  along.  I  got  that  information  from 
men  who  had  been  there.  I  knew  an  aide-de-camp  who  had  been  in  the  army 
that  had  retreated  before  Patterson  at  Winchester.  He  told  me  about  them. 
They  fully  expected  an  attack  at  Manassas.  I  am  confident  of  that  from  what 
they  told  me. 

By  Mr.  Chandler : 

Question.  Do  you  mean  that  they  expected  an  attack  upon  Manassas  last 
falU 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Covode  : 

Question.  You  think  your  sources  of  information,  that  there  were  not  more 
than  forty  thousand  troops  at  Manassas  and  Centreville,  are  perfectly  reliable? 

Answer.  I  have  no  doubt  of  it.  I  talked  with  a  great  many  who  had  been 
there,  and  that  appeared  to  be  the  general  impression  of  them  all.  I  thought 
you  folks  here  knew  all  the  time  that  there  were  only  about  forty  thousand 
men  there. 

Question.  What  treatment  did  the  Union  men  receive  from  the  rebel  army 
where  you  have  been,  in  Tennessee,  &c.? 

Answer.  When  General  Carter  made  an  advance  on  Big  Creek  Gap,  Lead- 
better's  brigade,  consisting  of  about  three  thousand  five  hundred  men,  went 
there.  We  were  to  go  up  to  Clinch  river  and  meet  General  Carter's  force, 


484  TESTIMONY. 

while  G-eneral  E.  Kirby  Smith  was  to  bring  up  a  force  and  get  in  his  rear. 
The  horses  for  the  cavalry  and  artillery  of  our  army  were  supplied  almost  al 
together  from  the  Union  men  along  the  route.  We  never  gave  them  any  re 
ceipts  for  them.  We  took  every  wagon  arrd  every  horse  from  every  Union  man 
we  came  across,  and  all  the  corn  and  hay  they  had — everything  that  we 
wanted. 

Question.  Did  the  rebel  army  ever  plunder  their  houses  1 

Answer.  I  went  with  one  of  the  quartermasters  who  was  a  captain,  and  ho, 
with  two  others,  went  into  the  house  of  a  man  who  had  been  obliged  to  leave 
for  Kentucky  on  account  of  his  Union  sentiments.  I  was  ordered,  and  did  so, 
to  go  into  a  field  and  tell  a  negro  who  was  ploughing  there  to  bring  down  the 
four  mules  he  had  and  hitch  them  up  in  a  wagon ;  and  we  went  into  the  smoke 
house  and  took  every  bit  of  bacon  the  woman  had.  She  said  it  was  all  she  had 
to  keep  her  alive.  We  took  her  two  negroes  and  blankets  off  the  bed  in  the 
house  and  carried  them  off.  There  was  no  receipt,  or  order,  or  paper  of  any 
kind  given  her  to  show  that  this  property  had  been  appropriated  by  the  rebels, 
and  no  report  was  made  of  it  through  the  proper  authorities.  I  helped  to  carry 
the  meat  and  put  it  into  the  wagon.  The  woman  was  crying  and  the  children 
were  crying  as  we  were  doing  this.  When  I  came  across  the  mountains  into 
General  Carter's  camp,  I  inquired  for  the  man.  He  was  a  captain  in  the  Union 
army.  I  told  him  what  had  been  done. 

I  was  on  two  of  these  expeditions.  On  one  we  went  to  the  house  of  an  old 
man  who  had  his  wife  with  him.  She  was  an  old  lady  of  sixty  years  of  age  ; 
he  was,  I  should  think,  seventy-five  years  of  age.  They  had  one  negro  boy  to 
cut  wood,  bring  water,  and  do  everything  of  that  kind  for  them.  He  offered  us 
dinner.  A  commissioned  officer  who  was  with  us  asked  him  if  he  was  a  Union 
man.  He  said  he  was,  and  that  he  could  not  deny  it.  The  only  thing  he 
regretted  was  that  he  had  not  died  before  Tennessee  went  out  of  the  Union. 
The  officer  said  he  was  a  damned  old  fool,  and  without  saying  another  word  to 
him,  he  turned  around  and  took  his  wagon,  two  horses,  and  his  negro  away  from 
him,  so  that  the  old  folks  had  no  means  to  help  them  get  along. 

Question.  Are  the  officers  and  the  masses  of  the  army  informed  as  to  the  results 
of  the  battles  that  have  been  fought  ? 

Answer.  I  held  a  position  as  gunner  in  the  battery  to  which  I  belonged,  and 
when  I  left  I  did  not  believe  that  Manassas  had  been  evacuated. 

Question.  How  long  ago  was  that '? 

Answer.  About  four  weeks  ago.  We  had  heard  that  Columbus  had  been 
evacuated  by  Beauregard,  but  were  told  that  he  brought  away  with  him  all  his 
supplies,  every  gun,  and  without  the  loss  of  a  man.  We  did  not  know  anything 
of  the  troops  leaving  Pehsacola.  They  claimed  a'  victory  for  a  while  at  Pea 
Ridge,  and  then  afterwards  said  nothing  about  it.  The  battle  at  Winchester 
they  told  us  was  a  drawn  battle.  The  men  are  kept  in  complete  ignorance  of 
everything  that  is  going  on,  especially  in  the  army.  They  never  know  how 
badly  they  have  been  whipped. 

Question.  Did  you  know  anything  about  the  condition  of  affairs  at  Winchester 
when  Patterson  was  before  it  with  his  army  1 

Answer.  Only  from  what  I  heard  from  one  of  the  aides-de-camp  of  one  of  the 
rebel  generals  who  was  there. 

Question.  Did  they  admit  that  Patterson  could  have  taken  Winchester  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir ;  and  they  expected  he  would  take  it  when  he  advanced 
within  a  few  miles  of  it.  The  people  there  had  pulled  down  all  the  secession 
flags,  and  the  Union  people  had  got  Union  flags  to  raise  as  soon  as  our  troops 
should  come,  and  were  very  much  disappointed  when  Patterson  turned  away 
and  left. 

Question.  Did  you  find  many  Union  men  in  the  secession  army  1 

Answer.    Yes,  sir ;  there  are  a  great  many  of  them,  particularly  among   the 


TESTIMONY.  485 

Virginians,  Tennesseeans,  and  North  Carolinians.  I  do  noi  recollect  of  seeing 
any  from  other  States  whom  I  thought  to  be  Union  men,  except  some  few  for 
eigners  from  New  Orleans.  They  have  so  many  Union  men  in  the  secession  army 
in  East  Tennessee  that  they  are  afraid  to  give  them  arms  of  any  kind  in  some 
places,  except  squirrel  rifles,  and  they  even  took  them  away,  and  gave  them  axes 
and  picks  to  clear  away  the  woods,  &c.,  so  that  they  could  get  a  range  for 
their  cannon. 

Question.  You  found  a  great  many  Union  men  in  East  Tennessee  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  I  found  very  few  secessionists  in  East  Tennessee.  It 
was  a  very  rare  thing  to  find  a  secessionist  there.  I  was  intimate  with  Parson 
Brownlow's  family,  and  was  one  of  the  guard  set  over  his  house  for  a  time.  I 
knew  Mr.  Maynard's  family,  and  was  acquainted  with  his  brother.  I  am  ac 
quainted  with  the  whole,  country  all  through  East  Tennessee,  and  also  all  about 
Richmond,  Virginia,  and  from  there  out  to  East  Tennessee.  We  were  over  a 
week  going  from  Richmond  to  East  Tennessee.  The  Union  men  threw  the 
train  we  were  on  off  the  track  in  Southwestern  Virginia,  near  East  Tennessee. 
That  is  rather  a  common  occurrence  there.  The  secession  troops  never  pass 
through  that  country  without  loading  their  guns  before  they  get  to  Southwestern 
Virginia  and  into  East  Tennessee. 

Question.  What  is  the  feeling  in  the  southern  army  in  regard  to  our  com 
manders  ?  Are  there  any  of  them  that  they  fear  more  than  others,  or  do  they 
appear  to  know  much  about  them  1 

Answer.  From  what  I  have  heard  the  officers  and  men  in  the  army  say,  I  am 
of  the  opinion  that  they  would  all  be  very  sorry  to  hear  that  General  McClellan 
had  resigned,  or  left  the  army.  They  admire  him  very  much;  but  they  were 
very  much  rejoiced  when  they  learned  that  Secretary  Cameron  had  resigned. 

Question.  Why  would  they  dislike  to  have  General  McClellan  resign  1 

Answer.  It  is  principally  on  the  negro  question.  They  would  fear  that  some 
one  else  would  take  his  place  who  would  work  more  against  him.  They  regard 
him  as  the  best  friend  they  could  have  as  a  general,  and  think  they  could  get 
along  better  with  him  than  any  other  general.  They  are  very  much  afraid  of 
General  Fremont. 

Question.  On  account  of  his  fighting  qualities,  or  on  account  of  his  opinions 
on  the  negro  question  1 

Answer.  On  account  of  the  negro  question. 

Question.  It  would  appear  from  that  that  they  are  more  alarmed  about  the 
negroes  than  about  the  fighting  1 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  They  are  very  much  afraid,  all  through  the  south,  that 
the  federal  government  will  make  some  use  of  the  negroes;  that  the  negroes  will 
be  interfered  with  and  they  be  ruined ;  and  they  admit  that  would  have  been  done 
before  this  time  but  for  General  McClellan. 

Question.  It  is  on  account  of  the  negro  question  that  they  feel  so  much  in 
terest  about  who  commands  our  armies  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 


WASHINGTON,  March  26,  1863. 
Mr.  S.  A.  PANCOAST  sworn  and  examined. 
By  Mr.  Gooch  : 

Question.  Where  is  your  present  residence,  and  where  has  your  residence 
been  ? 

Answer,  In  Hampshire  county,  Virginia.  I  am  a  New  Jerseyman  by  birth, 
but  have  lived  in  Hampshire  county  for  the  last  fifteen  years. 

Question.  What  has  been  your  occupation  or  employment } 


486  TESTIMONY. 

Answer.  Manufacturer  of  iron. 

Question.  Have  you  been  arrested  by  the  rebels  at  any  time;  and  if  so,  when? 

Answer.  I  was  first  arrested  and  taken  to  Winchester,  Virginia,  before  the 
rebel  General  Carson.  I  was  kept  there  three  or  four  days,  and  then  told  by 
him  that  there  was  no  evidence  against  me,  and  I  was  released.  Before  I  left  I 
asked  him  if  it  would  be  considered  wrong  for  me  to  go  north  and  get  some 
groceries,  salt,  sugar,  &c.,  as  we  should  suffer  very  much  there  on  account  of 
the  blockade  during  the  fall  and  winter.  He  said  no,  that  that  must  be  winked 
at.  I  then  came  on  here  and  saw  the  President  of  the  United  States,  and  he 
gave  me  a  letter  to  General  Scott,  who  gave  me  a  permit  to  take  over  those 
things.  I  then  went  home,  and  saw  General  Carson,  Colonel  McDonald,  and 
all  the  confederate  officers  within  fifty  miles  of  me,  and  got,  in  writing,  their 
permit  to  go  on  and  buy  these  groceries,  and  the  confederate  army  should  not 
take  them  from  me  when  I  brought  them  on.  I  came  on  here  again.  By  that 
time  General  Scott  had  resigned,  and  General  McClellan  had  taken  his  place. 
I  got  General  McClellan's  name  to  my  paper,  and  went  home  again. 

The  night  I  got  home — the  10th  of  November,  1861 — I  was  arrested,  and 
carried  to  Winchester  on  the  charge  of  having  carrier  pigeons  with  me.  I  had 
four  little  tumblers  and  a  pair  of  ruff-necked  pigeons,  which  my  little  son  had 
got  in  Baltimore.  I  was  for  a  week  kept  there  on  parole.  The  provost  marshal 
was  acquainted  with  me,  and  resigned  his  situation  because  Jackson  demanded 
that  I  should  be  put  in  prison.  I  was  put  in  the  guard-house,  and  remained 
there  ten  days,  suffering  every  indignity  that  could  be  put  upon  me.  1. applied 
for  a  writ  of  habeas  corpus,  and  was  taken  to  Richmond  the  next  night.  The 
lawyer  whom  I  had  employed  said  that  there  was  no  charge  against  me;  it  was 
not  what  1  had  done,  but  what  I  might  do;  that  it  was  in  my  power  to  injure 
them,  and  therefore  I  was  sent  to  Richmond.  In  Richmond  I  was  kept  in  the 
Main  Street  prison  for  three  months,  with  the  officers  of  the  north.  When  they 
were  released  I  was  put  in  prison  with  the  citizen  prisoners.  There  were  from 
500  to  700  citizens,  with  some  soldiers  there.  For  a  week  or  two  we  had  no 
privy  there,  except  by  going  down  three  flights  of  stairs.  I  have  seen  old  men 
of  seventy  or  eighty  years  of  age  stand  from  7  o'clock  in  the  morning  until  12 
o'clock  the  next  day  before  they  had  an  opportunity  of  going  down  stairs. 
Fifty  cents  and  a  dollar  was  frequently  paid  by  those  who  had  money  for  the 
privilege  of  going  down.  That  was  the  cause  of  our  greatest  suffering  there. 

While  in  the  Libby  prison  we  had  soup  and  beef  once  or  twice  a  week. 
When  the  soup  was  brought  into  the  room  I  have  seen  them  pick  the  maggots 
out  of  it  before  they  ate  it.  If  they  did  not  eat  that,  they  would  have  to  go 
without.  After  the  battle  of  Williamsburg  they  picked  out  eight  or  ten  of  us — 
the  worst  Union  men  there — and  carried  us  to  Salisbury,  North  Carolina,  where 
we  remained  about  ten  months.  When  we  got  there  we  were  put  into  a  small 
building,  and  kept  there,  without  being  allowed  the  privilege  of  going  out  for  any 
purpose ;  and  there,  again,  our  greatest  sufferings  were  caused  by  the  difficulty 
of  attending  to  the  calls  of  nature.  We  had  a  box  in  the  room,  which  we  were 
compelled  to  use  until  the  stench  became  awful  We  s'uffcred  very  much  during 
the  warm  weather.  We  were  often  compelled  to  lie  so  thick  on  the  floor  that 
one  could  not  turn  over  without  all  turning  over.  After  a  while  they  allowed 
us  a  yard  containing  five  or  six  acres,  where  we  were  allowed  to  go  in  the  day 
time.  At  five  o'clock  we  were  compelled  to  return  to  the  prison,  which  was  then 
closed,  and  we  remained  in  a  close  room  until  eight  or  nine  o'clock  the  next  mom- 
ing.  We  could  cook  only  in  the  yard :  there  was  no  chance  to  do  so  in  the 
prison.  On  our  way  from  Richmond  to  Salisbury  we  were  hurried  off  one 
morning  because  we  had  shown  very  great  anxiety  for  McClellan  to  come  to 
Richmond  after  the  battle  of  Williamsburg,  and  we  talked  pretty  loudly  and 
freely  about  it.  We  started  on  the  15th  of  May,  and  arrived  at  Salisbury  CHI 
the  17th  of  May,  being  fifty-three  hours  on  the  road.  We  were  seated  011 


TESTIMONY.  487 

benches  without  backs,  (among  us  old  men  seventy  to  eighty  years  of  age,) 
and  compelled  to  sit  there  for  all  those  fifty-three  hours,  for  the  guard  had  pos 
itive  orders  to  shoot  any  of  us  Avho  should  stand  up.  I  think  that  ride  sent  a 
great  many  old  men  to  their  graves ;  they  never  recovered  from  it.  With  the 
exception  of  the  chills  and  fever  of  the  country,  we  got  along  a  great  deal 
better  than  we  did  in  Richmond.  The  deaths  were  not  near  so  frequent.  After 
Mr.  Wood,  superintendent  of  the  Old  Capitol  prison  here,  returned  from  his 
visit  to  Salisbury,  we  were  made  to  suffer  very  much,  because  we  acknowledged 
•that  we  were  Union  men.  We  were  kept  in  close  confinement  from  five  o'clock 
in  the  evening  until  eight  or  nine  o'clock  the  next  morning,  without  any  fire,  all 
through  the  cold  weather  of  the  falj.  From  that  exposure  I  was  taken  with 
the  inflammatory  rheumatism,  and  suffered  very  much ;  and  at  last  a  surgeon 
who  was  very  kind  to  me  had  me  placed  in  a  building  out  in  the  yard ;  but  this 
was  not  done  until  they  said  there  was  no  hope  of  my  living  long.  For  six 
or  eight  weeks  I  could  not  get  up,  or  dress  or  undress  myself  without  assist 
ance.  At  Richmond  we  had  a  loaf  of  bread  a  day,  and  it  was  always  good; 
but  at  Salisbury  the  bread  was  always  sour ;  but,  with  the  exception  of  the 
bread,  our  food  at  Salisbury  was  better  than  at  Richmond.  We  had  a  small  al 
lowance,  however — from  seven  to  fourteen  ounces  of  food  for  the  twenty-four 
hours.  If  we  got  fourteen  ounces  we  thought  we  were  doing  very  well  indeed. 
While  in  prison  in  Richmond  a  lot  of  "Louisiana  Tigers,"  sentenced  to  confine 
ment  with  ball  and  chain,  were  put  in  the  prison  with  us,  and  they  abused  us 
most  shamefully.  And  at  Salisbury,  where  we  had  a  yard,  the  guard  around 
the  fence  would  strike  and  punch  at  us  with  their  bayonets  if  we  got  near 
enough  the  fence  for  them  to  reach  us.  This  they  would  do  every  chance  they 
could  get.  And  while  in  the  prison  the  guard  below  would,  at  times,  discharge 
their  muskets  up  at  the  floor  under  our  feet,  and  the  balls  would  pass  up  among 
us.  This  was  done  several  times.  Since  the  1st  of  August,  a  year  ago,  until 
we  came  away,  we  have  buried  167  of  our  Union  prisoners. 

Question.  What  caused  the  deaths  of  those  men '! 

Answer.  Mostly  want  of  suitable  provisions.  There  was  nothing  for  them 
when  they  were  sick  that  was  fitted  for  them.  I  think  the  most  of  them  died 
from  want  of  proper  food.  We  had  a  surgeon  there,  but  he  had  not  much  medi 
cine  to  give  us.  And  when  a  father  was  taken  out  to  be  buried  it  was  seldom 
that  the  son,  if  he  had  one  there,  was  allowed  to  go  to  his  funeral.  We  were 
abused  the  most  by  the  refugees  placed  over  us  from  Maryland  and  Washing 
ton.  When  we  were  taken  to  Salisbury  from  Richmond  they  told  us  that  we 
need  not  take  anything  with  us,  and  they  would  not  allow  us  to  doit;  and 
when  we  got  to  Salisbury  we  were  compelled  to  sleep  on  the  bare  floor  all  the 
•time  we  were  there,  except  some  feAv  of  us  who  had  ticks  furnished  to  sleep 
on. 

Question.  How  many  prisoners  were  kept  in  the  prison  at  Salisbury  ? 

Answer.  Generally  from  200  to  300.  The  clerk  once  told  me  that  out  of 
400  names  on  the  prison  book  mine  was  the  only  one  that  had  no  charge 
against  it. 

Question.  When  were  you  discharged  ? 

Answer.  We  left  on  the  5th  of  March,  1863. 


WASHINGTON,  March  26,  1863. 
JAMES  M.  SEEDS  sworn  and  examined. 

By  Mr.  Gooch  : 

Question.  Where  do  you  reside  ? 
Answer.  In  Cincinnati. 
'Question.  When  and  where  were  you  arrested  by  the  rebel? 


488  TESTIMONY. 

Answer.  I  was  arrested  on  the  6th  of  November,  1861,  at  Columbia,  Soutk 
Carolina.     When  I   was  first  arrested  they  took  of  the  money  I  had  on  my 
person  $635.     A  few  minutes  after  I  was  searched  we  started  on  the  cars  for 
Richmond.      I  was  arrested  on  suspicion   of  being;   General   Rosecrans   going 
through  the  country,  and  was  searched  for  important  papers  which  it  was  sup 
posed  I  had  upon  me.     The  next  morning  after  we  started,  after  we  had  passed 
Salisbury,  North  Carolina,  I  jumped  off  the  train  and  made  my  escape,  and 
took  what  is  called  the  Western  Extension  train,  and  went  as  far  as  that  went, 
74  miles,  and  then  took  the  stage.     I  took  the  stage  at  Morganton,  Buncombe 
county,  North  Carolina.     An  extra  train  followed  right  on  after  me,  and  I  was 
again  arrested  just  on  the  other  side  of  the  Blue  Ridge.     I  was  taken  out  of 
the  stage  by  a  mob,  and  it  was  with  great  difficulty  that  some  men,  who  were 
friendly  toward  me,  saved  my  life.     I  was  then  tied  with  my  hands  behind  me^ 
and  made  to  walk  17  miles  to  a  town  called  Marion.     There  I  again  came  very 
near  being  hung.    I  was  there  searched  very  closely  and  thoroughly,  by  pulling  off 
my   clothes   and  boots   and  searching  them   all,   and  $620    more    was    taken, 
from  me,  partly  paper  and  partly  gold.     I  was  then  put  in  the  countv  jail,  in 
an  iron  cage,  and  locked  up  there  that  night  with  three  thieves  and  two  negroes. 
The  next  morning  T  was  taken  out,  again  tied  with  a  rope,  and  put  in  a  two- 
horse  barouche  and  taken  back  to  Morganton.     There  three  dollars  of  stage- 
fare  was  paid  back  to  me,  and  then  they  took  that  from  me.     That  night  I  was 
made  to  walk  six  miles  with  my  hands  tied  behind  me,  down  to  what  is  called 
the  head  of  the  road.     I  was  treated  very  well  there.     The  men  working  on  the 
road  there  took  the  rope  off  me  and  gave  me  a  comfortable  bed.     I  found  them. 
all  Union  men.     My  arrest  and  re-arrest  had  been  made  by  Georgia  men — some 
men  of  a  Georgia  regiment.    I  was  then  taken  to  Salisbury,  North  Carolina,  where, 
for   the    third   time,  I    came   near   being  hung.     At  Salisbury  I  was  put  in 
irons  and  taken  to  Richmond.     On  the  way,  above  Raleigh,  a  mob  wanted  to 
take  me  out  of  the  cars  and  hang  me,  but  they  did  not  do  it.     I  arrived  in 
Richmond  on  the  night  of  the  12th  of  November,  1861,  and  was  put  in  a  build 
ing,  called  by  them  "No.  7,"  with  some  federal  prisoners  of  war.     The  next 
morning,  still  handcuffed,  I  was  taken  out  of  that  building  and  put  in  the  Heia- 
rico  county  jail.     A  few  days  afterwards  I  had  an  examination  before  James 
Lyons,  and  there  they  swore  that,  from  all  the  evidence  they  could  get,  they 
believed  me  to  be  General  Rosecrans.     Lyons  himself  told  me  that  I  ought  to 
have  been  hung;  that  they  never  ought  to  have  brought  me  there.     After  that 
examination  I  was  taken  back  to  the  county  jail.     Lyons  reported  to  their  sec 
retary  of  war  that  he  believed  me  to  be  a  spy,  and  recommended  the  govern 
ment  to  hold  me  as  such  until  he  could  get  evidence  enough  to  hang  me.    Some 
time  in  February  I  sued  out  a  writ  of  habeas  corpus,  employing  as  my  lawyers 
Messrs.  Nance  &  Williams,  a  legal  firm  there.     The  suit  was  brought  before 
Judge  Meredith,  I  think.     He  said  that,  according  to  the  evidence,  he  would 
have  to  discharge  me  from  prison.     A  man  named  Patrick  Henry  Elliott  was 
the  lawyer  for  the  government,  and  had  put  in  the  plea  that  the  government, 
should  hold  me  as  a  spy.     When  the  judge  made  this  remark,  and  he  found 
that  I  was  about  to  be  discharged,  Elliott  said  he  thought  the  secretary  of  war 
would  discharge  me  if  my  attorneys  would  go  before  him.     My  attorneys  were 
to  meet  Mr.  Elliott,  and  did  go  before  the  secretary  of  war.     Mr.  Nance  came 
to  the  county  jail  afterwards,  and  told  me  that  the  secretary  of  war  did  make 
out  my  discharge  for  release  from  prison,  and  that  General  Winder  put  in  ob 
jections  to  my  being  discharged  upon  the  ground  of  being  a  Union  man ;  and 
stated  that  when  I  was  arrested  there  was  a  letter  found  on  me,  written  by  a 
clergyman  in  Kentucky  to  a  clergyman  in   Columbia,  South'  Carolina,  recom 
mending  me  as  a  good  and  reliable   Union  man.     That  is  what  Mr.  Nance  told, 
me  was  done  at  the  war  office.     The  secretary  of  war  then  said  that  he  would 
hold  me  three  or  four  clays  longer,  and  give  General  Winder  a  chance  to  pro- 


TESTIMONY.  489 

cluce  that  letter.  Mr.  Nance  came  to  see  me  about  it,  and  I  told  him  that  there 
was  no  such  paper  about  me,  and  never  had  been.  On  the  18th  of  March  I, 
with  others,  broke  out  of  the  county  jail  at  Richmond  and  tried  to  make  our 
escape.  But  I  was  recaptured  on  the  Pamunkey  river,  and  taken  back  and  put 
in  the  county  jail  again,  and  there  heavily  ironed.  They  did  not  iron  me  quite 
so  heavily  as  they  did  some,  but  more  heavily  than  they  did  others.  We  were 
confined  in  jail  with  negroes,  thieves,  and  all  kinds  of  criminals.  We  were  fed 
pretty  well.  But  there  were,  at  times,  from  eighteen  to  twenty  negroes  there, 
and  never  less  than  four  or  five.  On  the  morning  of  the  loth  of  May  we  were 
hurried  off :  to  Salisbury,  North  Carolina,  on  the  cars,  as  Mr.  Pancoast  has  de 
scribed,  v  thout  the  privilege  of  getting  up  from  the  seat  under  penalty  of  being 
shot,  and  without  anything  to  eat  until  along  in  the  afternoon  of  the  16th  of 
May.  While  we  were  at  Raleigh  1  got  a  man  named  Kaschmier,  one  of  the 
police,  to  allow  me  to  send  out  and  get  some  cakes.  That  evening  they  gave 
each  of  us  half  a  loaf  of  bread,  and  a  slice  of  meat,  both  raw  and  fat.  That  is 
all  they  ga~re  us  from  the  time  we  left  Richmond  until  we  got  to  Salisbury.  And  as 
near  as  I  can  recollect,  we  were  fifty-three  hours  on  the  road.  When  we  left 
Richmond  they  lied  to  me,  and  took  from  me  my  cot  bed  and  cover,  and  said 
they  were  not  going  to  take  us  off,  but  were  going  to  move  us  up  in  town ;  that 
they  were  going  to  burn  the  tobacco  warehouses  there,  and  were  afraid  we  would 
be  smothered  to  death  by  the  smoke  if  we  remained  in  the  jail.  When  we 
reached  Salisbury  we  were  put  in  this  little  building  described  by  Mr.  Pancoast,. 
and  allowed  no  privileges  of  going  out.  One  day  while  we  were  in  that  build 
ing  a  sentinel  commenced  raising  a  fuss  with  one  of  the  prisoners,  and  ordered 
him  to  shut  his  mouth,  and  at  the  same  time  fired  at  him ;  the  charge,  (a  ball  and 
three  buckshot)  passed  over  his  head  and  went  into  a  joist  above.  He  seized 
another  gun  to  fire  at  him,  but  was  stopped. 

I  think  we  were  ten  days  in  that  building  and  were  then  moved  into  what  was 
called  the  yard,  with  some  brick  houses  about  it,  where  our  privileges  were 
much  greater.  At  that  time  our  provisions  were  about  a  half  a  pound  of  pork 
and  perhaps  a  pound  of  sour  bread  a  day.  This  yard  was  afterwards  enlarged 
to  about  100  yards  square.  Some  time  in  June  there  were  135  civilian  prisoners 
brought  there,  and  the  yard  was  then  enlarged  to  take  them  in.  There  was 
nothing  transpired,  other  than  sickness  and  death,  until  after  the  prisoners  of 
war  were  carried  off.  Then  they  we're  very  severe  on  us  for  a  while;  but  by 
giving  a  written  parole  that  we  would  not  violate  any  of  the  regulations  of  the 
prison,  we  were  allowed  to  go  back  into  this  yard  again.  After  being  there  a 
while  Mr.  Wood,  of  the  Old  Capitol  prison  here,  came  on  as  a  commissioner  on 
the  part  of  the  United  States  government  to  intercede  for  our  exchange.  They 
had  hoped  to  get  some  of  us  for  the  rebel  army.  After  Mr.  Wood  and  all  the 
officers  of  the  federal  army  went  away,  we  were  treated  very  severely,  for  we 
had  declared  ourselves  to  be  Union  men.  They  cursed  us  and  called  us  all  the 
names  they  could  think  of,  and  our  rations  were  not  much  more  than  two-thirds 
of  what  they  had  been  at  first.  Our  rations  had  been  decreasing  gradually  from 
the  start ;  still,  I  think  they  were  about  as  much  as  their  private  soldiers  got,  as 
far  as  I  could  judge.  They  furnished  me  no  bed  from  the  time  I  went  into  that 
prison  until  I  came  out.  When  I  left  Richmond  I  had  some  spreads  which  had 
cost  me  about  $750.  When  I  went  out  they  told  me  they  were  contraband, 
and  took  them  away  from  me ;  and  as  far  as  I  know  they  served  all  the  pris 
oners  in  the  same  manner.  I  had  on  an  oil-cloth  cape,  and  they  raised  that  up 
to  see  if  I  had  any  blankets  hid  under  it.  One  night,  while  a  Mr.  Allen  Leonard 
was  sitting  at  the  prison  window  in  Salisbury,  singing  Union  songs,  they  shot 
at  us,  and  the  ball  passed  in  the  window  over  our  heads,  and  up  through  the 
ceiling  and  floor  above  us,  and  missed  the  feet  of  one  of  the  prisoners,  as  he  was 
lying  on  the  floor,  by  only  about  four  or  five  inches.  Captain  Waters,  the  com 
mander  there,  was  very  abusive  to  the  Union  prisoners.  When  I  was  retaken 


490  TESTIMONY. 

after  ray  escape  from  the  Richmond  jail,  they  took  $75  from  me,  giving  me  a 
receipt  for  only  $65.  They  explained  that  by  saying  that  it  would  cost  $10  to 
fix  the  lock  of  the  jail.  Out  of  all  the  money  they  took  from  me  I  received 
about  $315  in  confederate  money.  The  money  they  took  from  me  was  gold 
and  silver  and  some  paper,  mostly  Louisiana  paper,  some  North  and  South  Car 
olina  paper.  After  they  had  kept  my  money  for  some  time,  they  sent  me  word 
that  there  was  $21  or  $22  of  the  gold  that  was  counterfeit. 

By  Mr.  Odell : 

Question.  Did  they  have  the  means  of  treating  you  better  in  the  way  of  food, 
&c.,  than  they  did!  ... 

Answer.  I  think  they  had.  At  the  Libby  prison  the  meat  was  bad  while  the 
bread  was  good.  I  do  not  know  as  they  could  have  furnished  us  more,  but  they 
could  have  furnished  us  better  food.  At  Salisbury  we  got  more  provisions 
than  at  Richmond. 


HEADQUARTERS  ARMY  OF  THE  SOUTHWEST, 

Camp  near  Batesville,  Arkansas,  May  21,  1862. 

SIR  :  The  absence  from  my  immediate  command  of  those  men  and  officers 
who  are  best  acquainted  with  the  facts  in  regard  to  the  employment  of  Indian 
savages  has  delayed  my  reply  to  your  communication  of  April  2,  1861,  until 
this  time. 

I  have  the  honor  to  now  lay  before  the  committee  the  statements  and  affidavits 
enclosed,  from  which  it  will  appear  that  large  forces  of  Indian  savages  were  en 
gaged  against  this  army  at  the  battle  of  Pea  Ridge,  and  that  the  warfare  was 
conducted  by  said  savages  with  all  the  barbarity  their  merciless  and  cowardly 
natures  are  capable  of. 

Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

S.  R.  CURTIS,  Major  General 
Hon.  B.  F.  WADE, 

Chairman  of  Committee  on  Conduct  of  the  Present  ,War. 

HEADQUARTERS  ARMY  OF  THE  SOUTHWEST, 

Forsyth,  Missouri,  April  12,  1862. 

SIR  :  In  compliance  with  your  request,  conforming  to  the  wish  of  the  joint 
committee  of  Congress  "to  inquire  into  the  fact  whether  Indian  savages  have 
been  employed  by  the  rebels  in  their  military  service,  and  how  such  warfare  has 
been  conducted  by  such  savages  against  the  government  of  the  United  States," 
I  hereby  certify  upon  honor  that  I  was  present  at  the  engagement  near  Leetown, 
Arkansas,  on  the  7th  of  March  ultimo,  when  the  main  charge  of  the  enemy's 
cavalry  was  made  upon  our  line;  that  there  were  Indians  among  the  forces 
making  said  charge ;  and  that  from  personal  inspection  of  the  bodies  of  the  men 
of  the  3d  Iowa  cavalry,  who  fell  upon  that  part  of  the  field,  I  discovered  that 
eight  of  the  men  of  that  regiment  had  been  scalped.  I  also  saw  bodies  of  the 
same  men,  which  had  been  wounded  in  parts  not  vital  by  bullets,  and  also  pierced 
through  the  heart  and  neck  with  knives — fully  satisfying  me  that  the  men  had 
first  fallen  from  the  gun-shot  wounds  received,  and  afterwards  brutally  murdered. 

The  men  of'  the  3d  Iowa  cavalry,  who  were  taken  prisoners  by  the  enemy, 
and  who  have  since  returned,  all  state  that  there  were  great  numbers  of  Indians 
with  them  on  the  retreat  as  far  as  Elm  Springs.  Their  affidavits  will  be  fur 
nished  to  you  as  soon  as  possible. 

Respectfully  submitted . 

JOHN  W.  NOBLE, 
Regimental  Adjutant  3d  Iowa  Cavalry. 

Major  General  SAMUEL  R.  CURTIS,  Commanding. 


TESTIMONY  491 


UNITED  STATES  OF  AMERICA, 

Southwestern  District  of  Missouri : 

1,  Daniel  Bradbury,  on  my  oath,  say  that  I  am  orderly  sergeant  of  company 
A,  3d  Iowa  cavalry,  and  that  I  war*  present  at  the  battle  of  Pea  Ridge,  near 
Leetown,  Arkansas,  on  the  7th  of  March,  1862,  and  I  then  and  there  saw  about 
three  hundred  (300)  Indians  scattered  over  the  battle-field,  without  commanders, 
doing  as  they  pleased.  On  the  8th  of  March  I  saw  what  I  would  judge  to  be 
about  thousand  (3,000)  Indians  marching  in  good  order  towards  the  battle-field, 
under  the  command  of  Albert  Pike. 

DANIEL  BRADBURY, 
First  Sergeant  Company  A,  3d  Iowa  Cavalry. 

Subscribed  and  sworn  to  before  me  this  the  30th  day  of  April,  1862. 

GLENN  LOWE, 
Adjutant  3d  Iowa  Cavalry. 

UNITED  STATES  OF  AMERICA, 

Southwestern  District  of  J\Iissouri : 

I,  John  H.  Lawson,  on  my  oath,  say  that  I  am  a  private  in  company  D,  3d 
Iowa  cavalry,  and  that  I  was  present  at  the  battle  of  Pea  Ridge,  near  Leetowu, 
Arkansas,  on  the  7th  of  March,  1862,  and  I  then  and  there  saw,  as  near  as  I 
could  judge,  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  (150)  Indians  scattered;  they  were 
afterwards  formed  into  companies  and  marched  out  of  my  sight  in  good  order. 
On  the  8th  of  March  I  saw  about  two  thousand  (2,000)  Indians,  said  to  be  under 
the  command  of  Albert  Pike  and  Martin  Green,  marching  towards  the  battle 
ground  in  good  order.  These  were  all  mounted — armed  with  shot-guns,  rifles, 
and  large  knives. 

JOHN  H.  LAWSON. 

Subscribed  and  sworn  to  before  me  this  the  30th  day  of  April.  1862. 
*  GLENN  LOWE, 

Adjuta.7it  3d  Iowa  Cavalry. 

HEADQUARTERS  THIRD  IOWA  CAVALRY, 

Jacksonporf,  Arkansas,  May  11,  1862. 

GENERAL:  On  the  morning  of  the  7th  of  March  I  was  on  the  battle-field  of 
Pea  Ridge.     While  my  command  was  engaging  the  enemy  near  Leetown,  I  saw 
in  the  rebel  army  a  large  number  of  Indians,  estimated  by  me  at  one  thousand. 
After  the  battle  I  attended  in  person  to  the  burial  of  the  dead  of  my  command. 
Of  twenty-five  men  killed  on  the  field  of  my  regiment,  eight  were  scalped,  and 
the  bodies  of  others  were  horribly  mutilated,  being  fired  into  with  musket-balls, 
and  pierced  through  the  body  and   neck  with  long  knives.     These  atrocities 
I  believe  to  have  been  committed  by  Indians  belonging  to  the  rebel  army. 
Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

CYRUS  BUSSEY,  Colonel, 
Major  General  S.  R.  CURTIS, 

Commanding  Army  of  the  Southwest. 


492  TESTIMONY. 

WOUNDED  FROM  FRONT  ROYAL,    VIRGINIA. 


IN  THE  HOUSE  OF  REPRESENTATIVES, 

June  16,   1862. 

On  motion  of  Mr.  Shellabarger, 

Resolved,  That  "  the  committee  upon  the  conduct  of  the  war  "  be  directed  to 
inquire  and  report  to  this  house  whether  our  soldiers  who  were  wounded  at 
the  battle  of  Port  Republic  upon  the  Sth  and  9th  instant  were  subjected  to  any 
unnecessary  neglect,  either  by  refusal  by  any  officer  or  surgeon  to  permit  them 
to  receive  surgical  attendance  or  medical  supplies  from  other  than  their  own 
brigade  or  division,  or  from  any  other  cause.  Also,  whether  they  were  subjected 
to  ariy  such  neglect  by  being  left  upon  the  cars,  or  otherwise,  after  their  arrival 
in  this  city ;  and  if  any  such  neglect  occurred,  that  they  ascertain  and  report 
the  cause  thereof. 
Attest : 

EM.  ETHERIDGE,   Clerk. 


WAR  DEPARTMENT, 
Washington  City,  D.  C.,  June  18,   1862—  12J. 

SIR  :  In  answer  to  your  note  of  this  date,  just  received,  I  transmit  a  commu 
nication  from  the  surgeon  general,  which  is  all  the  information  in  possession  of 
this  department  in  relation  to  the  alleged  neglect  of  our  soldiers  wounded  in  the 
action  of  Port  Republic. 

Your  obedient  servant, 

EDWIN  M.  STANTON, 

Secretary  of  War. 
Hon.  B.  F.  WADE. 


MEDICAL  DIRECTOR'S  OFFICE, 
Military  District  of  Washington,  June  15,  1862. 

GENERAL  :  I  have  the  honor  to  invite  your  attention  to  the  conduct  of  Sur 
geon  David  S.  Hays,  110th  Pennsylvania  volunteers.  He  stated  to  me  that 
he  arrived  here  last  night,  between  8  and  9  o'clock,  in  charge  of  about  four 
hundred  sick  and  wounded  men  from  Front  Royal.  He  did  not  report  his  ar 
rival  at  this  office  until  after  9  o'clock  this  morning.  Ambulances  were  at  once 
sent  to  convey  the  men  to  hospitals  j  and  I  also  sent  my  assistant,  Dr.  Sheldon, 
78th  New  York,  to  superintend  their  removal,  which  he  did  well.  As  this  is 
the  second  time  that  men  have  been  neglected  in  this  way  by  the  medical  of 
ficer  in  charge,  I  respectfully  request  that  efficient  measures  may  be  taken  to 
prevent  its  repetition.  The  conduct  of  Surgeon  Hays  is,  I  think,  highly  cul 
pable,  and  without  excuse.  It  is,  I  feel  assured,  only  necessary  to  bring  the 
facts  to  your  notice  to  have  him  dealt  with  as  he  deserves. 

1  am,  general,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

JONA.  LETTERMAN, 

Assistant  Surgeon  U.  S.  A.,  Medical  Director, 
Brigadier  General  W.  A.  HAMMOND, 

Surgeon  General  U.  S.  A  ,  Washington,  D.  C. 


TESTIMONY.  493 

[Indorsement.] 

SURGEON  GENERAL'S  OFFICE,  June  16,  1862. 

Respectfully  transmitted  to  the  Secretary  of  War.  Surgeon  Hays  has  ex 
hibited  a  total  want  of  comprehension  of  his  duties,  if  not  the  grossest  inhu 
manity.  Whilst  the  men  were  being  removed  to  the  hospitalshe  absented  him 
self,  leaving  the  whole  duty  of  taking  care  of  these  wounded  soldiers  to  the 
medical  officers  having  charge  of  the  ambulances. 

I  therefore  respectfully  recommend  that  severe  and  summary  punishment  be 
awarded  to  Surgeon  Hays.  This  is  the  second  time  within  a  short  period 
that  surgeons  bringing  sick  and  wounded  to  this,  city  have  neglected  them. 
An  example  would  be  highly  beneficial. 

WILLIAM  A.  HAMMOND, 

Surgeon  General. 

Referred  to  the  adjutant  general,  with  instructions  to  dismiss  Surgeon  Hays 
for  iieglect  of  duty. 

EDWIN  M.  STANTON, 

Secretary  of  War. 


SURGEON  GENERAL'S  OFFICE, 
Washington  City,  D.  C.,  June  22,  1862. 

DEAR  SIR:  I  enclose  you  for  the  committee  all  the  telegrams  received  at  and 
Bent  from  this  office  relative  to  the  sick  brought  by  Dr.  Hays.  I  also  enclose 
a  copy  of  an  order  I  had  issued  to  Brigade  Surgeon  Cox  for  not  having  hos 
pitals  and  stores. 

The  watchmen  will  report  to-morrow.      They  both   say  positively  that  Dr. 
Hays  never  came  to  the  office  till  Sunday  morning. 
Yours,  truly, 

WILLIAM  A.  HAMMOND. 
Hon.  Mr.  ODBLL,  M.  C.,  Wittardt'  Hotel 

[Received  June  13,  1862.] 

FRONT  ROYAL,  June  13 — 11.20. 

SIR:  One  hundred  and  eighty  (180)  wounded  of  Shields's  division  have  just 
arrived  here.     We  are  without  hospitals  or  other  means  for  their  comfort.     I 
desire  your  orders  with  regard  to  them. 
Respectfully, 

ABRAM  L.  COX,  Brigade  Surgeon. 
WM.  A.  HAMMOND,  M.  D.,  Surgeon  General. 

[Received  June  13,  1862  ] 

FRONT  ROYAL,  June  13 — 3.50.^?.  m. 

SIR  :  I  arrived  here  this  morning  with  two  hundred  and  eighty  (280)  sick 
and  wounded  from  Shields's  division  in  charge.  I  reported  to  senior  medical 
officer  at  this  place,  but  General  Ricketts,  first  brigade,  second  division,  refuses 
to  allow  him  to  act.  1  am,  therefore,  without  any  medicines  or  dressings,  which 
Dr.  Cox  is  not  permitted  to  furnish.  Please  telegraph  me  what  disposition  I 
shall  make  of  them. 

I  am,  sir,  your  obedient  servant, 

D.  S.  HAYS,  Surgeon  in  Charge. 
Surgeon  General  HAMMOND,  U.  S.  A. 


494  TESTIMONY. 


SURGEON  GENERAL'S  OFFICE, 
Washington  City,  D.  C.,  June  13,  1862. 

Send  your  sick  on  to  this  city.     Telegraph  when  they  leave.     You  will  be 
ordered  to  report  in  person  to  the  surgeon  general. 

WILLIAM  A.  HAMMOND, 

Surgeon  General. 
Dr.  A.  L.  Cox, 

Brigade  Surgeon,  U.  S.  F.,  Front  Royal,  Va. 

[Received  June  14,  1862.] 

MANASSAS,  June  14,  1862 — 4.14^.  m. 

The  train  will  arrive  at  Washington  by  8  or  9  o'clock  p.  m. 

D.  S.  HAYS,  Surgeon  in  Charge. 
Surgeon  General  HAMMOND. 

[Extract.] 

SURGEON  GENERAL'S  OFFICE, 
Washington  City,  D.  C.,  June  13,  1862. 

SIR  :          *          *         *          *  And  that  Brigade  Surgeon  A.  L.  Cox, 

United  States  volunteers,  be  directed  to  report  to  the  surgeon  general  in  this 
city,  to  account  for  his  neglect  in  not  having  provided  proper  hospitals  and 
other  accommodations  for  the  sick  and  wounded  at  Front  Royal. 
I  am,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

WILLIAM  A.  HAMMOND, 

Surgeon  General. 
Brigadier  General  L.  THOMAS, 

Adjutant  General  United  States  Army. 


WASHINGTON,  June  20,  1862. 
Dr.  DAVID  S.  HAYS  sworn  and  examined. 
By  Mr.  Gooch : 

Question.  What  has  been  your  position  and  rank  in  the  army? 

Answer.  Surgeon  of  the  110th  regiment  of  Pennsylvania  volunteers. 

Question.  Will  you  state,  as  concisely  as  possible,  the  history  of  your  con 
nexion  with  the  sick  and  wounded  who  came  to  this  city  under  your  charge  from 
Front  Royal? 

Answer.  After  the  battle  of  Winchester,  on  the  23d  of  March,  I  was  in  charge 
of  a  hospital  in  that  place,  and  I  retreated  with  General  Banks's  column  at  the 
time  they  left.  I  belonged  to  General  Shields's  division,  and  Dr.  King,  at 
Williamsport,  relieved  me,  and  directed  me  to  rejoin  my  regiment  as  soon  as  I 
could.  The  rebels  were  then  in  Winchester,  and  I  rode  to  Frederick  on  horse 
back,  and  there  got  into  the  cars  and  came  to  Washington,  and  went  from  here 
to  Alexandria,  and  from  there  to  Manassas.  I  was  ordered  from  there  to  Front 
Royal.  When  I  got  to  Front  Royal  I  learned  of  this  fight  on  Monday.  I  got 
on  my  horse,  and,  with  two  other  surgeons,  rode  to  Luray,  where  we  arrived 
about  2  o'clock  in  the  day.  Our  medical  director  was  not  there.  There  were 
a  number  of  surgeons  there,  and  there  were  several  hospitals  opened.  Several 
of  us  went  to  a  hospital  on  the  hill,  where  there  were  quite  a  number  of  wounded 


TESTIMONY.  495 

[yho  had  just  been  brought  in.  We  were  there  with  them  that  day,  and  the 
nost  of  the  night,  dressing  their  wounds.  The  next  morning  (Wednesday 
nomirig)  our  medical  director,  Dr.  Bryant,  placed  me  in  charge  of  a  hospital 
uhere.  I  had  not  then  received  any  orders  from  him,  and  was  going  on  to  join 
oay  regiment,  but  he  stopped  me  and  put  me  in  charge  of  a  hospital  there.  There 
were  no  supplies  or  anything  there.  I  sent  to  the  provost  marshal,  and  had 
ittendants  sent  down,  and  also  a  steward,  and  proceeded  to  organize  the  hospital 
as  soon  as  I  could.  I  drew  rations  and  had  them  cooked,  and  proceeded  to 
Iress  the  wounds  and  take  the  names  and  regiments  of  the  wounded.  About 
9  o'clock  that  night  I  received  orders  from  Dr.  Bryant  to  have  my  wounded 
ready,  with  two  days'  rations,  to  leave  for  Front  Royal,  there  to  report  to  the 
senior  medical  officer.  I  was  up  at  work  the  most  of  that  night.  I  again  drew 
rations  for  two  days  for  the  wounded.  It  took  us  the  most  of  the  night  to  dress 
their  wounds,  and  arrange  all  the  other  matters.  We  had  to  send  around  to  the 
bouses  there  to  get  kettles,  &c.,  to  cook  the  rations  in.  And  I  got  some 
^heets  from  houses  there  to  make  bandages  and  dressings  for  the  wounded 
men.  Our  orders  were  to  be  ready  by  9  o'clock  the  next  morning  to  pro 
ceed  to  Front  Royal,  but  we  could  not  get  the  wagons  ready  until  about 
coon.  We  started  about  noon  on  Thursday,  and  drove  fourteen  miles,  and  en 
camped  in  a  clover  field  for  the  night.  We  had  the  rations  in  the  wagons;  and 
each  surgeon  also  received  orders  to  have  rations  prepared  for  his  own  men. 
I  received  an  order  to  have  rations  prepared  for  the  men  in  my  own  hospital. 

I  then  rode  on,  leaving  three  surgeons  with  the  wounded,  to  report  and  pro 
vide  hospital  accommodations  at  Front  Royal.  I  rode  on  about  four  miles,  and 
as  it  was  then  getting  dark,  and  as  we  were  told  that  the  rebels  had  fired  upon 
our  prisoners,  we  stopped  at  a  house  some  five  or  six  miles  from  Front  Royal. 

The  next  morning  I  rode  into  town  and  reported  to  General  Ricketts.  He 
told  me  that  Dr.  Cox,  his  brigade  surgeon,  was  the  senior  medical  officer  there, 
but  he  was  sick.  I  then  went  to  the  provost  marshal  to  get  hospital  accommo 
dations.  With  his  assistance  I  obtained  one  hospital.  I  found  Dr.  Cox  a  short 
time  afterwards,  and  reported  to  him.  He  directed  me  to  prepare  hospitals  for 
the  wounded,  and  I  went  to  work  and  got  three  churches,  into  which  I  had  the 
straw  from  the  wagons  carried,  and  then  the  sick  taken  in.  It  took  some  time 
to  make  these  preparations.  I  then  drew  rations  again,  and  as  there  were  no 
accommodations  for  cooking  there,  I  had  to  get  camp-kettles  and  do  the  best  I 
could. 

Dr.  Cox  in  the  mean  time  had  received  orders  from  General  Ricketts  to  join 
his  brigade,  and  I  had  then  to  continue  in  charge.  I  had  no  dressings  there, 
arid  there  were  none  in  town,  as  Dr.  Magruder  had  broken  up  the  hospitals 
there.  I  sent  around  to  the  houses,  and  got  some  sheets  to  make  bandages  of. 
About  dusk,  Dr.  Mosely,  a  brigade  surgeon,  sent  me  in  some  assistants. 

As  soon  as  I  had  reported  to  Dr.  Cox,  he  telegraphed  to  the  surgeon  general 
to  learn  what  should  be  done  with  the  wounded.  That  was  in  the  morning, 
some  time  before  12  o'clock.  No  answer  coming,  about  3  o'clock  that  evening 
I  telegraphed  again.  The  next  morning  Dr.  Cox  received  a  despatch  from  the 
surgeon  general,  directing  that  the  wounded  should  be  brought  to  this  city. 

By  Mr.  Covode  : 

Question.  How  many  wounded  had  you  there? 

Answer.  Before  we  went  to  Front  Royal  I  made  out  the  list  in  my  hospital, 
and  one  of  the  surgeons  in  charge  of  another  hospital  made  out  his  list.  But 
the  other  surgeons  had  not  time  to  do  so.  When  I  got  to  Front  Royal  I  set  my 
steward  to  find  that  out,  and  he  made  it  out  to  be  325  sick  and  wounded. 

Question.  How  many  surgeons  had  you  along  to  take  care  of  them  ? 

Answer.  There  were  four  assistant  surgeons  besides  myself. 


496  TESTIMONY. 

Question.  Was  that  enough  to  dress  and  take  care  of  that  number  of  sick  and 
wounded  men  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir ;  I  do  not  think  it  was.  Oa  Saturday  morning,  about  eight 
o'clock,  Dr.  Cox  received  a  despatch  from  the  surgeon  general  directing  him  to 
have  the  men  brought  to  this  city,  and  to  report  to  his  office. 

By  Mr.  Gooch : 

Question.  Have  you  that  despatch  r 
Answer.  Yes,  sir  ;  here  it  is  : 

"  Send  your  sick  to  this  city.     Telegraph  when  you  leave.     You  will  be  or 
dered  to  report  in  person  to  the  surgeon  general." 
That  is  signed  "  Win.  A.  Hammond." 

As  soon  as  Dr.  Cox  handed  me  that  despatch,  which  was  a  short  time  after 
he  received  it,  I  immediately  sent  a  despatch  to  the  surgeon  general's  office, 
stating  that  we  would  leave  about  11  o'clock  that  morning  for  Washington  city. 
I  then  went  10  work  to  have  the  men  put  on  the  cars.  They  could  furnish  us, 
I  think,  with  only  seven  cars.  There  were  a  few  mattresses  and  some  straw. 
The  worst  cases  I  put  upon  the  mattresses.  I  got  them  all  loaded,  and  started 
the  train  at  about  twenty  minutes  past  11  o'clock. 

We  came  on  to  Manassas,  and  I  got  off  the  train  there  and  immediately  went 
to  the  telegraph  office,  and  telegraphed  to  the  surgeon  general  that  the  train 
would  reach  this  city  between  8  and  9  o'clock  that  night.  We  were  at  Manassas 
about  an  hour,  I  suppose.  I  had  dinner  cooked  and  served  there,  and  then 
started  on  again. 

A  short  time  after  we  started  the  train  stopped,  and  one  of  the  assistants  came 
to  me  and  reported  that  two  cars  with  sick  had  been  attached  to  the  train  at 
Manassas,  and  that  two  of  them  had  died.  I  had  known  nothing  about  that  be 
fore  ;  no  one  had  reported  to  me  that  those  two  cars  were  to  be  attached  to  the 
train.  I  sent  ray  assistant  to  see  about  it,  and  it  was  reported  to  me  that  the 
two  had  died  of  fever. 

At  a  station  between  Manassas  and  Alexandria  I  went  into  the  telegraph 
office  to  telegraph  to  the  superintendent  that  we  wished  to  cross  Long  Bridge. 
The  conductor  said  he  would  attend  to  that  himself. 

We  then  came  on  to  Alexandria,  and  I  immediately  went  to  the  superintend 
ent's  office.  They  asked  me  there  if  it  was  known  in  Washington  that  1  was 
coming.  I  told  them  that  I  had  telegraphed  twice  to  the  surgeon  general,  and 
I  supposed  they  knew  we  were  coming. 

It  was  after  dark  when  we  started  from  Alexandria,  and  when  we  got  across 
Long  Bridge  I  suppose  it  was  between  9  and  10  o'clock.  I  expected  to  find 
ambulances  and  surgeons  in  attendance,  but  there  were  none  when  we  got  here. 
We  waited  for  some  time,  and  could  not  tell  whether  the  cars  were  going  to  run 
down  to  the  depot  or  not.  I  inquired  of  the  conductor,  but  he  could  not  tell. 
I  told  my  assistant  surgeons  that  I  would  go  down  and  see  if  I  could  find  out 
anything  about  it,  and  would  be  back  in  a  short  time.  Dr.  Stidger  and  myself 
then  walked  down  to  Willards'.  Colonel  Lewis  and  Captain  Marshall,  quarter 
master,  were  with  us.  When  we  got  there  I  asked  what  time  it  was,  and  found 
it  was  very  near  10  o'clock.  Supper  was  over  at  the  hotel,  but  Colonel  Lewis 
and  Captain  Marshall  asked  us  to  take  some  tea  with  them.  Dr.  Stidger  and 
myself  went  in  and  took  some  tea.  It  was  raining  when  I  came  out.  Some 
•  one  told  me  that  I  should  find  the  surgeon  general's  ofiice  in  the  War  Depart 
ment.  I  drove  around  to  the  War  Department  and  went  into  the  hall.  There 
was  a  man  there  sleeping  on  the  floor,  and  I  proceeded  to  wake  him  up.  Dur 
ing  the  noise  I  made  for  that  purpose  some  one  came  down  the  stairs.  I  told 
him  I  wanted  to  find  the  surgeon  general's  office,  and  he  directed  me  to  the 
place.  I  drove  around  there  and  went  in,  and  found  a  watchman  sitting  there 
I  inquired  if  the  surgeon  general  was  in.  He  said  he  was  not.  I  asked  if  any 


TESTIMONY.  497 

of  his  clerks  were  in,  and  lie  said  there  was  no  one  there.  I  then  asked  if  he 
would  take  a  note  to  his  house  if  I  would  write  one.  He  said  he  did  not  know 
where  he  lived,  and  that  there  were  some  despatches  waiting  for  him  there  then. 
Not  finding  any  preparations  made,  and  no  one  about,  I  concluded  that  it  was 
not  the  intention  to  do  anything  with  the  men  I  had  brought  in  before  morning. 
I  then  got  into  a  carriage  and  drove  out  to  the  train  again. 

By  Mr.  Covode : 

Question.  At  what  time  was  that  1 

Answer.  I  do  not  know  the  time.  When  I  got  back  there  I  found  that  the 
citizens  had  been  there  and  had  got  suppers  for  the  men.  They  told  me  that  all 
had  had  their  suppers.  Some  of  them — I  do  not  know  how  many — had  been 
taken  from  the  cars  and  carried  into  some  churches,  and  into  a  house  just  oppo 
site  the  cars.  I  told  Dr.  Stidger  that  we  better  stay  there  until  morning.  "No," 
said  he,  "they  are  pretty  comfortable  now.  The  citizens  will  have  them  taken 
over  to  the  churches,  and  you  had  better  go  and  get  some  sleep,  and  report  as  soon 
as  you  can  in  the  morning."  I  then  went  down  to  the  hotel  and  went  to  bed. 
That  was  about  4  o'clock  in  the  morning,  for  when  I  went  in  I  inquired  of  the 
man  there  what  time  it  was,  and  he  said  it  was  about  4  o'clock.  I  do  not  know 
how  long  I  slept,  but  as  soon  as  I  got  my  breakfast  I  went  around  to  the  sur 
geon  general's  office.  I  am  not  quite  certain,  but  I  think  he  was  not  in  when  I 
first  got  there.  However,  when  I  saw  him  I  reported  to  him.  I  gave  him  my 
order,  in  the  first  place,  to  take  my  wounded  to  Front  Royal  and  report  to  the 
senior  medical  officer  there,  and  I  also  gave  him  General  Rieketts's  letter.  I 
told  him  I  could  not  have  got  along  at  all  had  it  not  been  for  Dr.  Mosely,  who 
sent  me  some  assistants,  the  night  I  got  to  Front  Royal,  to  dress  the  wounds  of 
the  men.  The  surgeon  general  remarked :  "  Dr.  Mosely,  and  you,  too,  deserve 
credit  for  the  way  you  have  acted;"  and  he  told  me  to  call  around  again  the 
next  morning,  as  he  wanted  to  see  me  about  Dr.  Cox  not  receiving  the  wounded 
men  when  they  got  to  Front  Royal. 

He  then  sent  me  to  the  medical  director's  office,  and  I  went  there  and  reported 
to  him.  I  then  told  him  that  I  had  got  in  the  night  before,  but  had  not  found 
any  ambulances  or  surgeons  in  attendance,  and  had  gone  to  the  surgeon  gen 
eral's  office,  but  had  not  been  able  to  find  him.  He  told  me  that  he  had  not 
received  any  despatches.  He  made  out  orders  for  ambulances  to  be  sent  over 
there,  and  I  went  over  immediately  to  the  cars  again.  I  found  that  nearly  all 
the  men  had  been  taken  out  of  the  cars  and  carried  into  the  churches  and  some 
houses  there,  and  the  citizens  were  engaged  in  preparing  breakfast  for  them.  I 
asked  for  some  bandages  and  some  warm  water,  and  proceeded  to  dress  the 
stumps  of  some  of  those  who  had  had  limbs  amputated.  I  suppose  it  was  a 
half  an  hour  or  so  after  I  got  there  before  the  ambulances  arrived.  The  medical 
director  came  over  there  and  told  me  to  set  my  medical  assistants  at  work  to 
move  the  men,  but  to  leave  the  worst  cases  in  the  churches.  I  set  my  assistants 
at  work.  A  surgeon  came  there  and  took  charge.  After  all  had  been  got  off 
but  four  of  the  worst  cases,  I  told  the .  assistant  medical  director  that  I  would 
then  go  down  and  get  my  dinner,  leaving  my  assistant  surgeons  there,  and  if 
they  needed  me  for  anything  they  could  let  me  know.  I  then  went  down  to 
the  hotel.  The  next  morning  I  went  around  and  reported  again  to  the  surgeon 
general.  Said  he,  "  I  am  going  to  have  you  dismissed."  I  asked  him  upon 
what  grounds  he  was  going  to  have  it  done.  He  just  handed  me  the  charges 
and  told  me  to  look  them  over.  I  glanced  at  them,  and  asked  him  if  he  would 
not  bring  charges  against  me,  and  allow  me  an  opportunity  to  defend  myself. 
"  No,"  said  he,  "  that  is  too  tedious  a  process."  He  then  told  me  that  he  was 
going  to  send  the  charges  right  over  to  the  Secretary  of  War,  and  I  could  go 
and  see  him  about  it.  I  then  went  up  to  the  War  Department,  and  went  into 
the  Secretary's  office.  The  Secretary  took  up  the  paper  and  proceeded  to  read 
Part  iii 32 


498  TESTIMONY. 

it  to  ine.  I  told  him  I  had  glanced  over  it,  and  asked  him  to  allow  me  to  make 
some  explanations.  He  asked  me  if  I  did  go  to  bed."  I  told  him  I  had  towards 
morning,  and  was  proceeding  to  explain,  when  he  told  me  he  would  not  hear  me ; 
not  to  interrupt  him.  He  then  immediately  wrote  an  order  to  the  adjutant  gen 
eral  to  strike  me  from  the  rolls.  That  is  about  as  near  as  I  can  state  the  cir 
cumstances  of  the  case. 

By  Mr.  Gooch  : 

Question.  You  say  you  arrived  here  between  nine  and  ten  o'clock,  Saturday 
night,  with  your  train  ? 
Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  And  it  stopped  this  side  of  Long  Bridge,  on  the  Island  ? 
Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  And  you  left  the  sick  and  wounded  in  the  train,  and  went  with  Dr. 
Stidger  to  find  the  surgeon  general  ? 
Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  And  you  went  to  Willards'  Hotel  and  got  supper  there  ? 
Answer.  No,  sir ;  supper  was  over.     I  got  some  tea  there. 
Question.  How  long  were  you  there  1 

Answer.  Not  long,  because  I  wished  to  get  away  as  soon  as  I  could. 
Question.  About  how  long  ?     Fix  some  outside  limit  to  the  time  you  were 
probably  there. 

Answer.  I  went  into  Willards'  Hotel,  and  went  into  the  wash-room  and 
washed  my  face  and  'hands,  and  then  immediately  went  in  to  tea.  It  was  a 
very  short  time  I  was  there. 

Question.  Was  it  a  half  an  hour,  or  an  hour,  or  two  hours  that  you  were 
there  1 

Answer.  I  was  not  there  over  half  an  hour. 
Question.  And  you  went  from  there  to  the  War  Department  ? 
Answer.  Yes,  sir ;  it  was  there  I  was  directed  to  go.     I  think  it  was  Dr. 
Stidger  who  told  me  that  the  surgeon  general's  office  was  in  the  War  Department  1 
Question.  You  found  a  man  in  the  War  Department  who  told  you  where  the 
office  of  the  surgeon  general  was  ] 
Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  You  went  to  the  surgeon  general's  office  and  found  a  messenger  or 
a  watchman  there  1 
Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  What  information  did  you  obtain  from  him  ? 

Answer.  I  asked  him  if  the  surgeon  general  was  in,  and  he  said  he  was  not. 
I  asked  if  any  of  his  clerks  were  there,  and  he  said  not.  I  then  asked  if  I  should 
write  a  note  or  a  despatch  would  he  take  it  to  the  surgeon  general's  house. 
He  said  he  did  not  know  where  he  lived,  and  that  there  were  some  despatches 
there  waiting  for  him  then.  When  I  found  that  there  were  no  ambulances 
there  to  receive  the  wounded  and  sick,  and  that  I  could  find  no  one,  I  con 
cluded  that  they  did  not  intend  to  do  anything  until  morning. 

Question.  You  made  no  further  effort  to  find  the  surgeon  general  that  night  ? 
Answer.  No,  sir  ;  I  went  immediately  from  his  office  back  to  the  train  again, 
Question.  At  what  time  did  you  get  back  to  the  train  ? 

Answer.  I  do  not  know.     I  went  immediately  out  there.     I  cannot  tell  ex 
actly  what  time  it  was,  but  it  was  in  the  morning  when  I  came  in  again. 
*  Question.  I  want  to  know  how  long  a  time  you  think  it  was  from  the  time 
you  left  Willards'  till  you  got  back  to  the  train  1 

Answer.  I  should  suppose  it  was  an  hour  and  a  half  or  two  hours. 
Question.  That  would  make  it  about  one  o'clock  when  you  got  back  there  ? 
Answer.  Yes,  sir ;  I  should  think  it  was  something  like  that. 
Question.  How  long  did  you  remain  there  ? 


TESTIMONY.  499 

Answer.  I  was  not  there  a  great  while.  I  went  from  car  to  car  and  saw  Dr. 
Stidger  and  some  citizens  there,  and  then  I  came  back  to  the  hotel. 

Question.  Did  you  look  after  your  sick  and  wounded  when  we  went  over  to 
the  cars  that  time  ? 

Answer.  I  went  to  the  cars  and  was  told  that  a  number  of  them  had  been 
taken  from  the  cars  and  carried  into  the  churches  and  some  houses  there.  When 
I  went  back  to  the  train  that  night  I  went  back  to  see  what  could  be  done,  and 
I  was  then  told  that  they  would  be  made  as  comfortable  as  possible  there  till 
morning,  and  I  concluded  that,  as  they  were  comfortable  there,  and  had  had 
some  supper,  I  would  wait  until  morning,  as  I  was  almost  entirely  broken  down 
and  prostrated. 

Question.  When  you  went  back  to  the  train  did  you  see  your  assistant  sur 
geons  and  the  people  moving  any  of  them? 

Answer.  I  did  not  see  them  moving  any,  but  was  told  they  were  doing  so. 

Question.  Did  you  go  into  any  of  the  houses,  or  into  any  of  the  places  into 
which  they  were  being  carried,  to  see  to  any  of  them  1 

Answer.  No,  sir ;  I  did  not.  I  stated  to  Dr.  Stidger  that  I  proposed  staying 
there  all  night.  But  he  said  I  had  better  go  back  to  the  hotel  and  get  some 
rest,  and  he  would  remain  there. 

Question.  Did  Dr.  Stidger  remain  there? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir ;  so  I  was  told. 

Question.  Did  the  other  assistant  surgeons  remain  there  ? 

Answer.  When  I  went  back  there  I  was  told  they  were  in  the  churches.  I 
did  not  see  them. 

Question.  Dr.  Stidger  went  to  the  hotel  with  you  the  first  time  that  you  went 
there  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  and  when  I  started  out  to  find  the  surgeon  general  I  told 
him  he  had  better  go  to  the  train,  while  I  went  to  look  up  the  surgeon  general. 

Question.  And  you  found  him  at  the  train  when  you  went  back? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  You  saw  no  other  of  the  assistant  surgeons  there  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir ;  I  did  not  see  them. 

Question.  You  were  told  there  that  the  men  were  being  moved  into  the  churches 
and  houses  ? 

Answer.  Y.  es,  sir ;  and  that  they  would  see  that  they  were  comfortable. 

Question.  Who  told  you  that,  besides  Dr.  Stidger? 

Answer.  I  cannot  recollect  who  they  were ;  they  were  citizens  there,  and 
strangers  to  me. 

Question.  Did  you  have  any  persons  very  badly  wounded  or  dangerously 
sick  on  that  train  ? 

Answer.  There  was  one  there  badly  wounded,  and  another  there  who  had  had 
his  leg  amputated.  There  was  one  man  who  had  been  shot  through  the  leg, 
who  died  in  the  morning.  I  was  of  the  opinion  that  he  died  of  gangrene,  and 
that  was  also  the  opinion  of  Dr.  Stidger. 

Question.  Did  any  die  on  your  way  down  here,  except  the  two  who  died  near 
Manas  sas  ? 

Answer.  That  was  all  that  was  reported  to  me. 

Question.  You  had  charge  of  the  whole  of  these  men  ? 

Answer.  I  presume  I  took  it  because  I  ranked  the  other  surgeons  there.  But 
our  orders  were  all  alike. 

Question.  Were  you  present  during  the  time  of  the  removal  of  these  men  on 
Sunday  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  I  stayed  there  until  about  two  o'clock;  I  think  it  was  after 
two  o'clock  when  I  left  there.  The  assistant  surgeons  were  divided  around  to 
the  different  hospitals,  to  see  to  and  direct  the  loading  of  the  ambulances.  I  went 
to  all  the  hospitals,  and  at  the  one  I  left  last  they  reported  to  me  that  they  had 


f)00  TESTIMONY. 

got  them  all  moved.  The  medical  director  told  me  to  leave  the  worst  cases 
there;  not  to  remove  them.  There  were  two  wounded  men  and  two  typhoid 
cases  that  I  concluded  to  leave  there.  The  assistant  medical  director  was  there, 
and  assisting.  I  said  to  him  that  they  were  all  removed  from  the  churches, 'and 
I  would  go  down  to  the  hotel,  and  he  could  send  for  me  if  he  wanted  me.  Dr. 
Stidger,  Dr.  King,  and  myself  then  went  to  the  hotel.  It  was  not  earlier  than 
two  o'clock. 

Question.  When  did  your  duties  in  connexion  with  this  train  cease  ? 
Answer.  I  presumed  they  ceased  as  soon  as  I  delivered  them  into  the  hands  of 
the  authorities  here. 

Question.  At  what  time  did  you  consider  that  to  be  ? 

Answer.  As  soon  as  the  gentleman  reported  there  I  reported  to  him,  and  sup 
posed  that  he  then  took  charge.  The  man  did  not  come  there  for  some  time 
after  I  went  out  in  the  morning. 

Question.  About  what  time  did  he  get  there  ? 

Answer.  I  should  think  that  it  was  about  eleven  o'clock.  The  medical  director 
was  there  before  that  time,  I  believe;  and  I  supposed  that  they  then  took 
charge  of  the  men  in  the  train. 

Question.  When  he  got  there  did  he  assume  charge  of  the  men,  or  did  you 
still  retain  the  charge  ? 

Answer.  I  presumed  he  did.  He  had  some  attendants  there  whom  I  supposed 
he  brought  with  him,  and  had  them  carry  out  the  wounded.  I  was  assisting, 
myself. 

Question.  Did  you  understand  that  he  had  the  control  from  that  time  1 
Answer.  Yes,  sir? 

Question.  Did  you  return  again  after  you  went  to  the  hotel,  at  two  o'clock. 
Answer.  No,  sir. 

Question.  You  considered  your  duties  ended  then  ? 
Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  And  that  the  sick  and  wounded  men  had  been  passed  over  to  the 
proper  authorities  here  ? 
Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Do  any  of  the  persons  at  the  hotel  know  at  what  time  you  returned 
there  in  the  morning  1 

Answer.  There  is  one  person  there  who,  I  think,  does. 
Question.  Who  went  with  you  there  ? 

Answer.  I  returned  alone  about  four  o'clock  Sunday  morning.  Colonel 
Lewis  had  engaged  a  room  for  me. 

Question.  You  had  a  room  at  the  hotel  when  you  went  there  ? 
Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  From  whom  did  you  learn  that  your  conduct  was  disapproved  ? 
Answer.  On  Sunday  morning,  when  I  reported  to  the  surgeon  general,  he 
asked  me  why  Dr.  Cox  had  not  received  these  men  at  Front  Royal.  I  handed 
him  the  letter  of  General  Ricketts,  which  he  said  he  would  keep.  I  also  handed 
him  my  orders  to  take  the  men  to  Front  Royal,  and  told  him  that  Dr.  Mosely 
had  assisted  me  greatly.  He  then  said,  "  Dr.  Mosely  and  you,  too,  deserve 
credit  for  what  you  have  done."  And  I  heard  nothing  more  until  the  next 
morning  about  ten  o'clock.  I  had  been  directed  by  the  surgeon  general  to  call 
at  his  office  on  Monday  morning  to  tell  him  about  Dr.  Cox.  I  do  not  think  he 
was  there  when  I  first  went  in.  I  found  him  there  about  ten  o'clock.  Dr. 
Stidger  went  with  me.  The  surgeon  general  had  a  paper  in  his  hand.  Said 
he,  "  I  am  going  to  have  you  dismissed  from  the  service."  It  astonished  me, 
and  I  asked  him  on  what  grounds.  He  commenced  to  read  the  paper,  and  then 
handed  it  to  me.  I  glanced  over  it,  and  then  asked  if  he  would  not  bring 
charges  against  me  in  the  usual  manner,  and  allow  me  an  opportunity  to  defend 


TESTIMONY.  501 

myself.  He  said  that  was  too  tedious  a  process.  That  was  the  first  intimation 
I  had  of  any  such  thing. 

Question.  And  you  followed  th&  letter  over  to  the  office  of  the  Secretary  of 
War? 

Answer.  The  surgeon  general  said,  "  You  can  see  the  Secretary  ;  I  am  going 
to  send  this  to  him."  I  went  over  to  the  War  Department  and  saw  one  of  the 
Assistant  Secretaries  first.  He  had  a  paper  there,  which  he  commenced  to  read. 
As  I  supposed  it  was  the  one  relating  to  me,  I  told  him  what  it  was,  and  said 
that  I  would  like  to  explain  the  matter.  He  said  he  would  take  it  in  to  the 
Secretary,  and  I  followed  him  into  the  Secretary's  office.  The  Secretary  took 
the  paper  and  commenced  reading  it.  I  told  him  I  had  read  a  portion  of  it  at  the 
surgeon  general's  office.  He  asked  me  if  it  was  correct.  I  told  him  I  could  ex 
plain  it  if  he  would  allow  me.  He  asked  me  if  I  went  to  bed  on  Saturday  night. 
I  told  Liin  I  did  go  to  bed,  but  I  did  not  go  to  bed  that  night,  but  late  in  the 
morning.  I  then  told  him  I  would  explain  if  he  would  let  me  have  a  little  time. 
He  told  me  not  to  interrupt  him,  and  immediately  wrote  an  order  to  the  adju 
tant  general  to  strike  me  from  the  list. 

Question.  Did  your  assistant  surgeons  stay  with  the  wounded  during  Saturday 
night  ? 

Answer.  I  know  that  Dr.  Stidger  did. 

Question.  Do  you  know  whether  the  other  assistant  surgeons  stayed  with 
them  that  night  'I 

Answer.  1  do  not. 

By  Mr.  Odell : 

Question.  Have  you  heard  that  they  did  not  remain  there  ] 
Answer.  I  heard  to-day,  for  the  first  time,  that  two  of  them,  I  think,  went 
into  one  of  the  houses  there. 

By  Mr.  Gooch : 

Question.  When  you  went  back  to  the  train  you  saw  none  of  the  assistant 
surgeons  but  Dr.  Stidger? 

Answer.  He  was  the  only  one  I  saw. 

Question.  Did  you  leave  any  directions  with  Dr.  Stidger  1 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  But  in  the  first  place,  before  I  left  the  train  the  first  time 
to  hunt  up  the  surgeon  general,  I  told  the  other  assistants  to  remain  there. 
When  I  got  back  I  said  to  Dr.  Stidger  that  we  better  remain  there  all  night. 
He  said,  "No;  you  go  and  get  some  sleep,  and  report  as  early  as  possible  in 
the  morning,  and  I  will  stay  here  and  take  the  direction."  I  told  him  to  do  so, 
and  to  take  the  worst  cases  to  a  house  there.  The  men  had  all  had  their  sup 
pers.  That  is  often  done  by  surgeons.  I  supposed  when  I  gave  Dr.  Stidger 
charge  there  that  that  was  enough. 

Question.  When  you  went  back  again  did  you  not  deem  it  your  duty,  before 
you  left  for  the  night,  to  see  that  the  men  were  properly  cared  for,  and  that  the 
assistant  surgeons  were  there  on  the  ground? 

Answer.  Dr.  Stidger  is  a  very  competent  surgeon,  and  I  supposed  when  I 
gave  him  these  instructions  that  he  would  assume  the  whole  charge,  which  he 
did. 

Question.  You  and  the  other  surgeons  had  had  substantially  the  same  duties 
to  perform? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  about  the  same. 

Question.  And  their  labors  had  been  as  arduous  as  yours  had  been  1 

Answer.  I  do  not  think  they  had.  I  was  the  one  who  made  the  arrangements 
for  the  hospitals  at  Front  Royal,  and  had  the  superintendence  t>f  the  whole 
matter.  I  gave  them  instructions.  I  was  running  from  place  to  place  in  Front 


502  TESTIMONY. 

Royal  all  the  time,  and  I  did  all  the  business  connected  with  the  train.  I  gave 
directions  for  the  whole  thing. 

Question.  Do  you  know  whether  Dr.  Stidger  stayed  there  all  night  ? 

Answer.  I  am  confident  that  he  did.  He  told  me  that  he  did,  and  some  of 
the  attendants  remarked  to  me  that  he  had  stayed  there. 

Question.  Two  of  the  assistant  surgeons  went  to  bed? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir ;  at  least  I  have  been  told  so  lately  ? 

Question.  And  the  third  one  you  do  not  know  anything  about] 

Answer.  No,  sir.  But  when  I  gave  them  directions  first  to  remain  there,  I 
supposed  they  would  do  so.  Dr.  Stidger  told  me  he  would  take  charge  there. 

Question.  Who  were  those  three  other  assistant  surgeons  ? 

Answer.  Dr.  McCune,  assistant  surgeon  of  the  14th  Indiana  ;  Dr.  Redlick, 
assistant  surgeon  of  the  84th  Pennsylvania,  and  Dr.  Barrow,  assistant  surgeon 
of  the  29th  Ohio. 

Question.  Were  not  these  sick  and  wounded  men  in  such  a  condition  that 
they  needed  the  attendance  of  every  one  of  the  surgeons  there  1 

Answer.  I  do  not  think  so.  There  were  quite  a  number  of  men  put  on  who 
were  sick,  but  the  majority  of  them,  I  believe,  were  convalescent.  My  impres 
sion  was,  when  I  left  that  night,  that  they  were  all  very  comfortable,  and  that 
they  would  be  properly  cared  for.  I  had  every  confidence  in  Dr.  Stidger. 

Question.  Was  it,  or  not,  your  opinion  that  tfiose  men  needed  the  attendance 
of  all  the  surgeons  there  that  night? 

Answer.  I  did  not  think  so.  If  there  had  been  that  number  of  men  badly 
wounded,  four  or  five  surgeons  would  not  have  been  enough.  But  the  majority 
of  the  wounds  were  slight  ones. 

Question.  Were  there  not  enough  of  badly  wounded  men  there  to  require  the 
attendance  of  all  the  surgeons  there1? 

Answer.  No,  sir;  I  do  not  think  they  required  it  that  night. 

Question.  Is  it'  not  necessary  that  the  surgeon  should  be  there  on  the  ground 
to  see  that  the  attendants  perform  their  duty  ? 

Answer.  It  is  presumed  that  when  you  have  attendants  appointed  that  they 
come  there  with  instructions,  and  that  they  carry  them  out.  Besides  that,  I  left 
Doctor  Stidger  in  charge  over  the  whole  matter.  The  cooks,  nurses,  and  stew 
ards  were  there  with  their  directions. 

By  Mr.  Odell: 

Question.  You  say  that  you  arrived  in  this  city  with  the  train  between  9  and 
10  o'clock  at  night? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Did  you  make  any  provision  for  these  men  to  have  their  supper 
before  you  left  the  train  to  find  the  surgeon  general  ? 

Answer.  Not  the  first  time  ;  I  did  not. 

Question.  Then  you  went  and  got  your  own  supper,  and  went  to  looking 
around  ?  ,  t 

Answer.  I  got  some  tea ;  I  had  no  intention  to  take  supper  when  I  went 
there. 

Question.  And  you  got  back  to  the  train  after  some  two  or  three  hours,  more 
or  less  ? 

Answer.  I  do  not  recollect  how  long  it  was. 

Question.  You  had  no  idea,  when  you  left  the  first  time,  that  these  men 
would  be  cared  for  by  the  people  on  the  Island  ? 

Answer.  There  were  some  citizens  there  while  we  were  there.  We  came 
there  and  waited  some  time  before  I  left. 

Question. 'Had  you  any  idea  that  they  would  take  care  of  these  sick  and 
wounded  men? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  There  was  a  Mr.  Lloyd  there,  I  think.  He  said  that  there  was 


TESTIMONY.  503 

ci  church  there  that  he  would  get  the  key  of,  and  also  that  there  was  a  hall  below 
that  they  would  open.  I  said,  "Very  well,  do  so;  I  will  go  down."  Before  I 
left  the  first  time  there  were  ladies  there  with  coffee,  &c.,  for  the  men.  We  had 
got  dinner  for  them  at  Manassas,  at  perhaps  one  or  two  o'clock. 

Question.  Did  it  not  occur  to  you  that  it  would  be  proper  for  you  to  go  to  see 
the  surgeon  general  at  his  residence  ? 

Answer.  This  is  just  the  impression  I  had  about  the  matter  :  When  I  found 
no  ambulances  there — supposing,  of  course,  that  they  had  got  my  telegraphic 
despatches — I  thought  that,  as  it  was  so  late,  they  would  not  be  removed  to 
the  hospitals  that  night.  We  talked  with  one  another  about  it  there.  There 
were  some  gentlemen  there,  and  we  asked  whether  the  cars  would  run  on  down 
to  the  depot.  The  conductor  told  me  they  would  not.  By  that  time  the  citi 
zens  had  got  there,  and  I  started  down  to  report  to  the  surgeon  general.  At 
the  hotel  I  told  Doctor  Stidger  to  go  out  to  the  train  and  superintend  the  whole 
matter  there.  When  I  did  not  find  the  surgeon  general  at  his  office,  or  any  one 
there  to  attend  to  this  matter — believing  that  they  knew  from  my  despatches 
that  we  were  coming — I  supposed  it  was  the  intention  to  let  the  men  remain 
there  all  night.  We  all  concluded  so  out  there  when  I  got  back  there.  It  was 
then  that  Doctor  Stidger  told  me  that  I  had  better  go  to  bed  and  get  some  sleep,  and 
he  would  stay  there  and  take  charge  of  them.  I  never  yet  have  neglected  men 
placed  in  my  care.  I  can  get  the  testimony  of  all  the  surgeons  in  my  division 
to  that  fact. 

By  Mr.  Gooch : 

Question.  Have  you  made  any  publication  in  the  newspapers  in  regard  to 
your  case  1 

Answer.  I  have  authorized  one  to  be  made — but  one. 
Question.  Have  you  a  copy  of  that  statement  with  you? 
Answer.  Yes,  sir  ;  here  it  is,  [handing  it  to  Mr.  Gooch.] 
Mr.  Gooch  proceeded  to  read  it  as  follows : 

"  THE  CASE  OF  DR.  HAYS  AND  THE  SICK  AND  WOUNDED  SOLDIERS. — Doctor 
Hays  makes  the  following  statement  in  relation  to  the  charges  against  him  of 
neglecting  the  sick  and  wounded  soldiers  under  his  care  : 

"  On  Tuesday,  the  10th  instant,  I  rode  to  Luray,  Virginia,  from  Front  Royal, 
a  distance  of  twenty-five  miles,  reaching  Luray  about  2  o'clock  in  the  afternoon. 
The  wounded  from  the  battle  at  Port  Republic  were  then  being  brought  in,  and 
I  immediately  entered  upon  the  most  arduous  labors  of  attending  to  the  necessi 
ties  of  the  wounded.  Through  that  afternoon,  and  the  night  following,  my  la 
bors  were  almost  incessant.  My  labors  of  Wednesday  were  equally  fatiguing 
with  those  of  Tuesday  night,  having  the  entire  duty  of  establishing  a  hospital 
thrown  upon  me.  In  the  midst  of  this  care  and  anxiety  I  received  orders  to 
have  all  the  wounded  under  my  care,  that  could  be  transported,  ready,  with  two 
days'  rations  each,  at  9  o'clock  the  following  morning,  to  be  transported  to  Front 
Royal.  This  order  was  received  by  me  about  9  o'clock  on  Wednesday  night, 
and  the  time  allotted  me  in  which  to  make  these  preparations  allowed  me  but 
little  rest  or  sleep. 

"  After  preparing  the  train,  rations,  and  what  few  hospital  stores  could  be  ob 
tained,  the  labor  of  loading  these  wounded  men  into  the  wagons  can  be  better 
imagined  than  described.  The  train  was  not  ready  to  start  until  noon  on  Thurs 
day,  and  that  day  we  drove  over  the  most  wretched  roads  a  distance  of  fourteen 
miles.  We  stopped  for  the  night  in  a  clover  field,  where  rations  were  cooked 
and  distributed.  We  reached  Front  Royal  on  Friday,  about  noon,  with  325  sick 
and  wounded  soldiers.  Here  they  were  unloaded  from  the  wagons.  Hospitals 
were  prepared,  rations  cooked,  and  the  wounds  of  all  dressed." 

Question.  You  have  said  that  you  did  not  stop  with  your  wounded  men  that 


504  TESTIMONY. 

Thursday  niglit,  but  you  rode  on  some  five  or  six  miles  towards  Front  Royal, 
in  advance  of  them,  and  slept  in  a  house  there  that  night  1 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  My  medical  director  told  me  to  ride  on  and  report  in  Front 
Royal,  and  get  things  ready  there  as  soon  as  I  could. 

Question.  You  did  not  go  into  Front  Royal  that  night  1 

Answer.  No,  sir;  but  I  got  in  there  the  next  morning  before  the  wagons  got  in. 

Question.  Why  did  you  not  go  in  that  night  1 

Answer.  That  was  my  intention,  and  I  started  on  for  that  purpose,  but  some 
persons  told  me  that  day,  as  they  were  bringing  prisoners  from  Luray,  they 
were  fired  on  by  some  parties. 

Question.  And  that  was  the  reason  you  stopped  in  that  house  over  night  1 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  and  also  because,  as  we  came  up  towards  the  house  about 
dark,  we  saw  several  people  standing  on  the  porch  of  the  house — a  number  of 
men  whom  I  supposed  might  be  confederate  soldiers.  They  came  out  and  went 
down  by  the  side  of  the  house.  It  startled  us  somewhat,  and  I  said  to  the 
other  doctor  who  was  with  me  that  we  would  ride  up  and  see.  He  rode  down 
to  see  where  they  came  out  at,  but  we  could  not  see  them.  We  went  to  the 
house,  and  the  man  there  told  us  that  they  were  some  of  our  men. 

Question.  Did  you  stay  at  that  house  that  night  1 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Did  you  consider  it  safe  to  remain  over  night  in  a  house  from  which 
you  had  seen  leave  what  you  supposed  might  be  confederate  soldiers,  then  to 
ride  on  and  take  your  chances  ? 

Answer.  I  told  them  at  the  house  that,  some  of  our  men  were  back  a  piece 
and  would  be  coming  on.  I  told  them  this  to  produce  an  effect  on  them,  should 
the  men  I  saw  be  confederate  soldiers,  who  might  otherwise  come  back  that 
night.  They  were  in  citizen's  clothes,  and  I  suppose  may  have  been  farmers 
about  there.  But  I  was  frightened  and  uneasy  about  it  all  that  night,  and  went 
into  town  the  next  morning  as  early  as  I  could. 

Question.  What  time  did  you  get  into  Front  Royal  1 

Answer.  1  started  pretty  early,  and  suppose  that  I  got*  in  there  about  eight 
o'clock  in  the  morning. 

Question.  What  time  did  you  start  ? 

Answer.  We  rode  very  slowly ;  my  horse  had  pretty  nearly  given  out. 

Question.  Well,  what  time  did  you  start  1 

Answer.  Between  six  and  seven  o'clock. 

Question.  How  long  did  you  get  into  the  town  ahead  of  your  soldiers  ? 

Answer.  I  cannot  tell  you  the  time  exactly,  but  I  will  tell  you  what  I  did  ; 
I  went  to  the  provost  marshal's  office  and  was  told  that  he  was  out.  I  then 
inquired  for  General  Ricketts's  headquarters,  and  was  directed  to  them.  But  I 
was  directed  wrongly  the  first  time  and  rode  to  the  wrong  place.  I  was  then 
directed  correctly,  and  rode  out  to  General  Rricketts's  headquarters,  about  a  mile 
out  of  town,  and  reported  to  him  that  I  had  some  sick  and  wounded  soldiers 
there. 

Question.  Can' you  not  tell  us  the  time  the  soldiers  got  in  without  going  over 
all  that  1 

Answer.  I  suppose  the  first  wagons  got  in  about  11  o'clock. 

Question.  How  long  after  you  had  got  in  there] 

Answer.  Some  two  or  three  hours  after  I  got  in.  I  had  time  enough  to  make 
all  the  arrangements  I  could  make. 

By  Mr.  Odell: 

Question.  What  were  your  orders  ? 

Answer.  To  leave  the  men  at  Front  Royal  and  then  to  return  to  my  regi 
ment  as  soon  as  possible. 

Question.  By  whose  authority  did  you  bring  the  men  on  here  ? 


TESTIMONY.  505 

Answer.  Nothing  more  than  this :  Dr  Cox  telegraphed  to  the  surgeon  general 
and  got  the  despatch  which  has  been  read  here.  He  then  wrote  me  a  note  to 
act  upon  that  despatch  in  his  place,  as  he  was  required  at  headquarters. 

Mr.  Gooch  resumed  the  reading  of  the  published  statement  of  Dr.  Hays,  as 
follows : 

"My  orders  were  to  report  to  the  senior  medical  officer  at  Front  Royal,  leave 
the  sick  and  wounded  at  the  hospitals  there,  and  rejoin  my  regiment  as  soon  as 
possible.  I  reported  to  Brigade  Surgeon  Cox,  and  he  declined  receiving  the 
sick  and  wounded,  having  received  orders  from  General  Ricketts  requiring  his 
services  at  the  headquarters  of  his  brigade.  After  reporting  to  Surgeon  Cox, 
perhaps  my  duty  required  me  to  return  to  my  command — humanity  demanded 
that  I  should  remain  and  care  for  the  wounded,  and  remain  I  did. 

"Immediately  on  arriving  at  Front  Royal  I  reported  to  Surgeon  Cox,  and  he 
telegraphed  to  the  surgeon  general  at  Washington.  I  also,  on  the  same  day, 
(Friday,)  telegraphed  to  the  surgeon  general  for  orders.  On  Saturday,  about 
8  o'clock,  Surgeon  Cox  received  a  reply  from  the  surgeon  general,  when  I 
immediately  telegraphed  to  the  surgeon  general  at  Washington,  stating  the 
hour  when  the  train  would  leave  Front  Royal  for  Washington.  We  left  Front 
Royal  about  twenty  minutes  after  eleven  a.  m.  At  Manassas  we  gave  the  men 
their  dinner;  and  here  I  again  telegraphed  the  surgeon  general,  saying  the 
train  would  arrive  at  Washington  with  the  sick  and  wounded  that  evening  be 
tween  eight  and  nine  o'clock.  At  Alexandria  we  were  delayed  about  one  hour 
waiting  for  an  engine,  and  did  not  reach  Washington  until  between  nine  and 
ten  o'clock  Saturday  night. 

•'Here,  to  my  utter  astonishment,  I  found  neither  ambulance  nor  wagon,  surgeon 
or'attendauts  in  waiting.  In  fact,  not  the  slightest  evidence  of  preparation  for 
our  arrival  had  been  made. 

"A  stranger  in  a  strange  city,  I  made  all  the  haste  possible  to  find  the  office 
of  the  surgeon  general.  That  I  found  closed,  and  was  unable  to  ascertain  the 
locality  of  his  residence.  After  making  every  search  in  my  power  for  some  one 
in  authority  to  take  charge  of  the  sick  and  wounded,  I  returned  to  the  train." 

By  Mr.  Gooch : 

Question.  Did  you  make  any  effort  to  find  the  residence  of  the  surgeon 
general  ? 

Answer.  I  inquired  of  the  watchman  at  the  office  if  he  could  take  a  message 
from  me  to  the  house  of  the  surgeon  general ;  he  said  he  did  not  know  where 
the  surgeon  general  lived,  and  that  there  were  some  despatches  there  waiting 
for  him  then. 

Mr.  Gooch  concluded  the  reading  of  the  published  statement,  as  follows  : 

"Here  I  found  the  kind  people  of  the  neighborhood  in  attendance,  doing  all  in 
their  power  to  make  the  poor  fellows  under  my  charge  comfortable  as  possible 
under  the  circumstances.  Many  were  then  being  taken  to  the  churches  and 
houses  that  had  been  so  generously  opened  for  them.  They  were  made  as 
comfortable  as  it  was  in  my  power  that  night  to  make  them.  My  assistant  sur 
geons  urged  me  to  get  to  bed  and  get  some  rest,  and  report  as  early  as  possible 
in  the  morning.  They  said  (and  I  knew  it)  there  was  no  use  in  my  remaining 
longer,  and  about  four  o'clock  in  the  morning  I  went  to  bed.  Before  the 
surgeon  general  was  at  his  office  in  the  morning  I  was  there  to  make  my  report 
and  receive  my  orders.  Immediately  upon  making  my  report  and  receiving  my 
orders  (which  to  me  appeared  strange  when  considering  that  the  surgeon  general 
was  telegraphed  of  their  coming — my  orders  from  the  surgeon  general  were  to 
find  and  report  to  the  medical  director,  and  he  would  send  ambulances,)  I  re 
turned  to  my  charge  and  found  them  exceedingly  comfortable  and  cheerful. 

"This  morning  (Monday)  charges  were  preferred  against  me  by  the  medical 
director  and  surgeon  general,  (without  notifying  me  of  the  fact,)  alleging  gross 


506  TESTIMONY. 

neglect  of  duty,  and  the  Secretary  of  "War  ordered  my  name  to  be  struck  from 
the  rolls,  without  allowing  me  to  make  either  argument  or  defence.  Under  these 
circumstances,  with  these  facts  existing,  I  ask  my  friends,  I  ask  the  public,  if 
I  am  not  being  sacrificed  in  order  to  shield  some  one  in  a  position  much  higher 
than  I  from  charges  of  gross  negligence  1  Am  I  not  made  the  scape-goat  of 
other  men's  sins  1  Who  are  the  men  in  lucrative  offices  who  should  have  pre 
pared  most  bountifully  for  the  reception  of  these  sick  and  wounded  soldiers  ? 
Ask  the  sick  men,  the  wounded  men  themselves,  if  I  neglected  them.  Ask  the 
assistant  surgeons  and  attendants.  They  know  if  I  shirked  my  work  or  shun 
ned  any  responsibility  ;  and  let  them  and  the  world  say  if  the  man  who  watched 
over  these  poor  fellows,  day  and  night,  for  almost  a  week,  ought  to  be  disgraced 
because  somebody  failed  to  provide  for  their  comfort  here. 

«  D.  S.  HAYS, 
"  Surgeon  110^  Regiment  Pennsylvania  Volunteers" 

Question.   Were  there  any  private  houses  open  for  these  soldiers  when  you 
got  back  to  the  train  ? 

Answer.    Yes,  sir ;  there  was  one  below  the  church. 
Question.    Do  you  know  of  any  others  ? 
Answer.   No,  sir ;  only  that  one. 


WASHINGTON,  June  21,  1862, 
Dr.  DAVID  S.  HAYS  recalled  and  examined. 
By  Mr.  Gooch : 

Question.  We  understand  that  you  desire  to  make  some  additions  to  your 
statements  of  yesterday  before  this  committee. 

Answer.  I  wish  to  state  in  regard  to  the  treatment  of  wounded  men :  When 
men's  wounds  have  been  once  properly  dressed,  they  do  not  require  the  attend 
ance  of  a  surgeon  all  the  time.  Such  I  have  found  to  be  the  practice  since  I 
have  been  in  the  service.  The  principal  surgeon  gives  this  instructions  to  his 
assistant  surgeons,  and  also  to  the  attendants.  After  the  wounds  have  been 
once  dressed,  all  that  is  necessary  to  be  done  is  to  keep  the  wounds  wet,  moist, 
apply  cold  water  to  them  every  half  hour  or  hour,  until  the  time  comes  to  dress 
them  again.  The  great  labor  is  usually  the  first  treatment — in  amputating  and 
dressing  the  wounds  the  first  time.  After  that  the  labor  required  is  slight  com 
pared  with  the  first  dressing. 

The  night  we  arrived  here  from  Front  Royal,  when  I  left  the  train,  Dr. 
Stidger,  one  of  my  assistant  surgeons,  told  me  that  he  would  take  charge  and 
see  that  the  men  were  all  comfortable.  And  there  was  really  no  necessity  for 
my  remaining  there.  And  more  than  that,  a  physician  needs  sleep  and  rest  as 
well  as  other  persons. 

I  can  prove  by  all  the  surgeons,  our  medical  directors,  and  officers,  with  whom 
I  have  been  connected  since  I  have  been  in  the  division,  that  I  have  never 
neglected  my  duty,  never  shirked  it.  And  I  can  prove  by  the  surgeon  general 
of  Pennsylvania,  who  was  in  our  division  on  the  23d  of  March,  that  I  worked 
very  hard  there,  and  was  commended  for  it. 

I  really  think,  too,  that  the  night  I  left  these  men  they  were  more  comfortable 
than  they  could  have  been  in  any  hospital  in  town — at  least  the  majority  of 
them.  Dr.  Stidger  said  that  he  would  take  charge  and  see  they  were  carried  to 
the  houses  and  churches.  The  usual  custom  among  surgeons  i?  for  the  surgeon 
in  charge  to  give  directions  to  the  others,  and  if  those  directions  are  not  exe 
cuted,  the  surgeon  in  charge  is  not  responsible.  If  I  give  directions  and  they 
are  not  carried  out  I  have  my  redress. 


TESTIMONY.  507 

By  Mr.  Odell  : 

Question.  What  redress  ? 

Answer.  I  can  bring  charges  against  those  who  fail  to  carry  out  my  directions. 

Question.  What  good  does  that  do  the  wounded  men  who  have  been  neglected  I 

Answer.  It  does  not  do  the  wounded  men  any  good,  that  is  true ;  but  I  can 
have  those  punished  who  have  not  followed  my  directions. 

Dr.  Fais,  the  brigade  surgeon  of  General  KimbalPs  brigade,  left  town  this 
morning.  Before  he  did  so,  he  gave  me  this  letter,  which  I  should  like  to  have 
read  to  the  committee. 

The  letter  was  read,  as  follows  : 

"  WASHINGTON  CITY,  D.  0.,  Ju^e  20,  1862. 

"  This  is  to  certify  that  I  am  personally  acquainted  and  have  been  an  asso 
ciate  with  Dr.  D.  S.  Hays,  of  the  110th  Pennsylvania  regiment  United  States 
volunteers,  under  command  of  Generals  Kelley,  Lander,  and  Shields,  embracing 
a  period  of  eight  months,  and  that  during  the  above  time  I  have  invariably 
found  Surgeon  Hays  ready  and  willing  to  perform  all  the  duties  assigned  to 
him.  I  furthermore  declare  that  during  the  above  acquaintance  with  Dr.  Hays 
he  has  at  all  times  manifested  a  laudable  ambition  to  excel  in  promptness  and 
compliance  with  all  orders  from  his  superiors. 

"  On  Tuesday,  June  10,  in  company  with  Surgeon  Hoop,  of  the  84th  Penn 
sylvania  regiment,  and  Surgeon  Hays,  I  was  ordered  to  attend  the  wounded 
brought  from  the  battle-field  of  Port  Republic,  and  I  am  happy  to  state  that 
Dr.  Hays,  among  other  surgeons,  did  not  leave  the  hospital  until  the  wounded 
were  cared  for ;  that  he  labored  incessantly  the  greater  part  of  the  night ;  and 
that  on  the  following  morning  he  was  at  his  post  awaiting  orders.  Prior  to  his 
leaving  Luray  for  this  city  he  remarked  to  me  that  '  he  was  worn  out ;  that  he 
preferred  I  would  accompany  the  sick ;  but  that  he  was  willing  to  undergo  any 
fatigue  or  any  privation  that  would  benefit  our  men.'  With  such  feelings  he 
gathered  up  his  wounded  and  took  up  his  march  to  Front  Royal. 

"  That  Dr.  Hays  has  discharged  his  duties  faithfully  and  cheerfully,  in  camp 
and  on  detailed  duty,  is  a  fact  so  apparent  and  plain  to  the  whole  medical  corps 
of  Shields's  division,  that  it  would  be  absurd  to  intimate  that  he  has  been  or 
that  he  could  be  guilty  of  dereliction. 

********* 

"  JAS.  H.  FAIS, 
"Brig.  Surg.  1st  Brig,  com 'd by  Gen.  N.  Kimball,  Shields's  Division." 

The  witness  :  Here  is  another  letter,  from  the  surgeon  general  of  the  State  of 
Pennsylvania,  which  I  would  like  to  have  read. 
The  letter  was  read,  as  follows  : 

"  WILLARDS'  HOTEL,  June  21,  1862. 

"  SIR  :  Having  since  last  November  frequent  opportunities  of  judging  of  your 
professional  skill  and  actions  as  a  medical  officer  of  Pennsylvania  volunteers,  I 
cheerfully  testify  to  my  high  appreciation  of  the  manner  in  which  your  duties 
have  been  performed.  After  the  battle  at  Winchester,  March  23,  1862,  I  per 
sonally  Avitnessed  your  untiring  devotion  to  your  duties  in  the  Union  Hotel 
hospital,  and  on  my  return  to  Pennsylvania  I  repeatedly  spoke  of  them  in  terms 
of  praise. 

"  The  charge  recently  made  against  you  of  "gross  neglect  of  your  wounded 
and  inhumanity  "  has  surprised  me  and  all  who  know  your  energetic  habits,  and, 


508  TESTIMONY. 

I  trust  may  be  entirely  disproved  before  a  court  of  inquiry,  as,  I  doubt  not,  they 
will. 

"Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

"HENRY  H.  SMITH, 
"  Surgeon  General  of  Pennsylvania. 
"Surgeon  D.  S.  HAYS, 

"  110M  Regiment  Pennsylvania  Volunteers" 

The  witness :    I  can  prove  by  the  surgeons  in  General    Shields's  division 
now,  and  by  the  wounded  men  themselves,  how  I  labored  for  them,  and,  posi 
tively,  I  never  had  the  slightest  idea  that  I  neglected  my  duty  during  that 
journey  until  the  subject  was  mentioned  to  me  by  the  surgeon  general. 
By  Mr.  Gooch: 

Question.  How  many  attendants  had  you  for  these  men  ? 

Answer.  I  had  seven  attendants  for  the  forty-four  that  were  in  my  own  hos 
pital. 

Question.  How  many  had  the  others  1 

Answer.  That  I  do  not  know;  I  had  no  charge  of  the  other  hospitals.  There 
was  a  surgeon  appointed  for  each  hospital.  After  the  train  was  loaded  I  super 
intended  the  whole  thing. 

Question.  Did  you  have  especial  charge  of  your  own  forty-four  men,  and  each 
of  the  others  have  charge  of  the  men  from  his  hospital  ] 

Answer.  I  had  charge  of  my  own  men  at  Luray.     All  our  orders  read  alike. 

Question.  No  matter  about  the  orders.  Did  you  have  special  charge  of  the 
forty-four  men  from  your  own  hospital  ?  • 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  and  I  presume  I  had  the  oversight  of  all  the  others. 

Question.  But  they  were  not  your  special  charge  ] 

Answer.  I  presume  I  had  the  oversight  merely  from  the  fact  that  I  ranked 
them. 

Question.  Did  you  continue  to  take  charge  of  your  own  men  from  your  hos 
pital,  and  each  of  the  other  surgeons  of  the  men  from  his  hospital  ? 

Answer.  I  paid  attention  to  the  men  of  my  own  hospital  on  the  train. 

Question.  You  acted  as  their  surgeon? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  The  other  surgeons  did  not  interfere  with  them  at  all1? 

Answer.  They  attended  to  mine  as  to  their  own.  But  I  kept  my  own  attend 
ants  and  nurses  with  my  own  wounded. 

Question.  Did  you  know  the  men  were  to  be  removed  from  the  cars  into  the 
houses  before  you  left  them  that  night  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  When  we  first  got  there  we  stayed  around  there  and  waited 
to  see  if  we  could  get  any  information.  A  short  time  after  I  got  off  the  car  a 
gentleman  came  up  and  said  that  there  was  a  church  there  for  them. 

Question.  Yrou  knew  they  were  to  be  removed  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  When  you  went  back  there  how  many  of  your  assistant  surgeons 
did  you  see  there  ? 

Answer.  I  saw  only  Dr.  Stidger. 

Question.  Did  he  tell  you  where  the  others  were  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir. 

Question.  Did  you  know  that  they  had  gone  to  bed  1 

Answer.  I  did  not  know  it  at  that  time.  I  was  informed  yesterday,  for  the 
first  time,  by  Dr.  Burrows,  that  he  himself  and  Dr.  Redlick,  of  the  84th  Penn 
sylvania,  went  to  bed.  I  am  not  certain  whether  he  said  the  other  one  had 
gone  to  bed  or  not. 


TESTIMONY.  509 

Question.  What  do  you  say  about  these  assistant  surgeons  going  to  bed  and 
leaving  their  wounded  ? 

Answer.  I  say  that  they  disobeyed  my  orders. 

Question.  Did  you  give  them  orders  to  remain  there  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir ;  before  I  left  the  first  time  I  gave  them  orders  to  remain 
there  till  I  returned. 

Question.  Did  you  give  those  orders  to  each  of  those  assistant  surgeons  ? 

Answer.  They  were  all  standing  together  when  I  gave  the  orders. 

Question.  You  gave  the  orders  to  all  of  them  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  And  each  man  knew  what  your  orders  were  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  And  those  surgeons  who  went  to  bed  disobeyed  your  orders  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Did  you  not  consider  it  necessary  that  there  should  be  surgeons  in 
attendance  when  those  300  or  400  wounded  and  sick  men  were  being  removed 
from  the  cars  to  the  churches  and  houses  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir ;  and  I  supposed  they  were. 

Question.  When  you  went  back  did  you  go  around  and  see  the  men  ] 

Answer.  I  went  to  some  of  the  cars. 

Question.  You  did  not  go  through  all  the  cars  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir ;  I  went  through  some  of  them. 

Question.  You  saw  but  Dr.  Stidger,  and  you  inquired  for  none  of  the  other 
assistant  surgeons  ? 

Answer.  The  first  time  I  came  I  inquired  where  the  three  assistant  surgeons 
were. 

Question.  What  were  you  told  ? 

Answer.  Dr.  Stidger  told  me  that  he  had  not  seen  them  yet.  I  think  lie 
said  they  were  then  probably  at  the  houses  and  churches.  I  know  that  was 
my  impression,  and  that  they  were  supervising  the  carrying  in  of  the  wounded. 

Question.  You  did  not  look  around  to  see  that  they  were  there  1 

Answer.  No,  sir;  because  Dr.  Stidger  said  he  would  take  charge  and  see 
that  the  men  -were  properly  cared  for.  It  has  been  supposed  that  those  men 
who  died  were  my  men.  That  is  not  so.  A  great  portion  of  iny  men  were 
only  slightly  wounded.  Where  men  are  badly  wounded,  the  dressing  requires 
a  great  deal  of  time  and  a  number  of  attendants ;  but  after  that  is  once  done, 
nothing  is  required  but  for  the  attendants  to  keep  the  wounds  moist.  The 
greater  part  of  my  men  were  but  slightly  wounded,  and  a  great  many  of  them 
walked  from  the  hospitals  to  the  cars  and  sat  up. 

Question.  Still  there  were  men  who  were  so  badly  Avounded  or  so  sick  that 
they  died  on  the  road  and  here  1 

Answer.  No,  sir ;  they  were  not  my  cases ;  I  knew  nothing  about  them. 

By  Mr.  Odell: 

Question.  Did  they  not  become  your  cases  when  you  took  charge  of  them  ? 

Answer.  They  were  not  reported  to  me.  The  person  who  attached  those 
cars  to  the  train  should  have  reported  to  me.  I  knew  nothing  about  it  until  it 
was  reported  to  me  that  two  men  had  died  in  the  cars.  There  was  one  who 
died  the  next  morning  of  hospital  gangrene.  He  was  shot  in  the  leg. 

Question.  Would  it  not  have  been  well  for  that  man  to  have  had  surgical 
attendance  the  night  before1? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir ;  and  I  supposed  he  had.  But  surgeons  will  testify  that 
when  gangrene  once  attacks  a  limb  it  is  usually  fatal.  But  my  principal  duties 
were  to  superintend  the  arrangements,  and  my  assistants  were  to  attend  to  the 
wounded  ;  and  the  men  themselves  have  told  me  that  they  never  were  better 
treated  than  they  were  on  that  trip.  A  number  of  them  met  me  on  the  street 


510  TESTIMONY. 

yesterday,  and  stopped  me,  and  told  me  that  that  night  their  accommodations 
were  good,  and  that  they  got  better  suppers  that  night  than  they  had  had  before 
since  they  had  been  in  the  service.  I  had  had  almost  nothing  to  eat  since  early 
in  the  morning  of  that  day.  The  men  had  their  dinners  at  Manassas  about  two 
o'clock  that  day.  Wherever  I  have  been  the  post  surgeons  would  give  direc 
tions  to  the  surgeons  of  the  hospitals ;  the  post  surgeon  would  supervise,  and 
the  others  would  carry  out  his  directions.  That  I  considered  to  be  my  duty  in 
this  case. 


WASHINGTON,  June  21,  1862. 
Major  JOHN  0.  JOHNSON  sworn  and  examined. 
By  Mr.  Gooch : 

Question.  What  is  your  rank  and  position  in  the  army  ? 

Answer.  I  am  major  of  the  110th  regiment  of  Pennsylvania  volunteers. 

Question.  Do  you  know  Dr.  D.  S.  Hays  1 

Answer.  Yes,  sir ;  very  well. 

Question.  Did  you  come  to  this  city  with  him  when  he  brought  some  wounded 
men  from  Front  Royal  1 

Answer.  No,  sir. 

Question.  Then  you  know  nothing  about  that  matter  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir.  I  only  knew  him  while  acting  surgeon  of  our  regiment.  I 
always  found  him  a  good  and  attentive  surgeon — faithfully  looking  after  the 
wants  of  the  men.  He  was  considered  one  of  the  best  surgeons  in  all  the  Penn 
sylvania  regiments.  He  was  never  absent  from  his  post ;  he  was  always  there 
rendering  all  the  assistance  he  could.  After  the  battle  of  Winchester,  the  23d 
of  last  March,  he  was  detailed  from  his  command,  and  placed  in  charge  of  the 
Union  Hotel  hospital. 

Question.  Is  that  his  general  reputation  in  the  regiment  ] 

Answer.  As  a  good  surgeon. 

Question.  That  is  his  general  reputation  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 


WASHINGTON,  June  21,  1862. 

Lieutenant  HENRY  C.  SPILMAN  sworn  and  examined. 
By  Mr.  Gooch : 

Question.  What  is  your  rank  and  position  in  the  army  ? 

Answer.  I  am  a  lieutenant  and  adjutant  of  the  110th  Pennsylvania  volunteers. 

Question.  Do  you  know  Surgeon  D.  S.  Hays  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Do  you  know  his  reputation  in  the  regiment  as  a  surgeon  1 

Answer.  I  do. 

Question.  Will  you  please  state  what  it  is  ? 

Answer.  He  has  been  connected  with  us  for  several  months  past.  I  have 
always  considered  him  a  first  rate  surgeon  1 

Question.  Is  that  his  general  reputation  in  the  regiment  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  How  long  has  he  been  with  you  ? 

Answer.  He  has  been  with  us  some  seven  months. 

Question.  Did  you  come  to  this  city  with  him  when  he  brought  some  wounded 
men  here  from  front  Royal  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir. 


TESTIMONY.  511 


WASHINGTON,  June  21,  1862. 

Captain  S.  L.  HEWITT  sworn  and  examined. 
By  Mr.  Groocli : 

Question.  What  is  your  rank  and  position  in  the  army] 

Answer.  I  am  captain  of  company  D,  110th  regiment  of  Pennsylvania  vol 
unteers. 

Question.  Do  you  know  Surgeon  D.  S.  Hays  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  I  do.  I  have  known  him  for  a  long  time;  I  knew  him 
before  he  entered  the  army. 

Question.  What  is  his  reputation  and  character  in  your  regiment  as  a  sur 
geon? 

Answer.  It  is  very  good — excellent. 

Question.  You  did  not  come  to  Washington  with  him  when  he  came  here  in 
charge  of  the  sick  and  wounded  from  Front  Royal  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir.  In  regard  to  his  reputation,  I  have  always  thought  he  had 
a  reputation  beyond  that  of  many  other  surgeons.  After  the  battle  of  Win 
chester  he  was  the  head  of  the  hospitals  there.  He  not  only  had  his  own  regi 
ment  to  attend  to,  but  a  half  a  dozen  others  to  see  to  at  the  same  time.  Among 
the  men  of  our  regiment  his  reputation  is  very  good ;  and  we  all  are  very  sorry, 
and  regret,  exceedingly,  the  misfortune  that  has  happened  to  him. 

By  Mr.  Covode  : 

Question.  Do  you  know  why  he  was  transferred  from  his  regiment  to  the 
hospital  in  Winchester  ? 

Answer.  I  do  not  know.  I  thought  it  was  because  he  was  a  more  thorough 
going  surgeon  than  the  others. 

Question.  Have  you  not  often  heard  it  remarked  that  he  was  one  of  the  best 
surgeons  in  your  regiments,  and  that  it  was  for  that  reason  that  he  was  placed 
at  the  head  of  the  hospital  ? 

Answer.  I  do  not  remember  hearing  that  remark  exactly.  I  thought  so  my 
self,  I  know.  The  men  of  our  regiment,  the  110th,  thought  he  was  more  com 
petent  than  other  surgeons.  Of  course,  they  had  more  dependence  upon  and 
more  confidence  in  him  than  in  any  other  surgeons. 


WASHINGTON,  June  21,  1862. 
Colonel  E.  S.  SANFORD  sworn  and  examined. 

By  Mr.  Gooch : 

Question.  Will  you  state  your  position  here  in  connexion  with  the  telegraph  ? 

Answer.  I  am  military  supervisor  of  army  intelligence. 

Question.  Do  all  telegraphic  communications  sent  from  officers  in  the  field, 
and  from  the  army  generally,  come  to  you  ? 

Answer.  They  come  to  the  War  Department  office ;  they  are  under  my  su 
pervision. 

Question.  Do  you  recollect  receiving,  a  week  ago  to-day,  a  telegraphic  de 
spatch  from  Surgeon  D.  S.  Hays  1 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  How  many  did  you  receive  ? 

Answer.  I  think  there  were  two. 

Question.  Can  you  state  the  time  when  you  received  them  ? 

Answer.  One  was  received  in  the  morning.  I  cannot  say  at  what  hour  it 
was  received,  because  that  message  does  not  happen  to  have  been  "timed,"  as  it 


512  TESTIMONY. 

is  termed ;  that  is,  it  did  not  have  the  time  of  its  reception  marked  upon  it.  But, 
judging  from  its  position  in  the  message  book,  it  was,  undoubtedly,  early  in  the 
morning. 

Question.  Do  you  recollect  the  purport  of  that  despatch  ? 

Answer.  In  general  terms,  it  stated  that  he  would  leave  Front  Royal  at  II 
o'clock. 

Question.  With  a  train  of  sick  and  wounded  soldiers  for  this  city  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Did  he  state  at  what  time  he  would  probably  arrive  here  1 

Answer.  Not  in  that  message. 

Question.  At  what  time  was  the  second  despatch  received  ? 

Answer.  At  4.14  p.  m. 

Question.  What  was  the  purport  of  that  despatch? 

Answer.  It  was  dated  at  Manassas,  and  received  here  at  4.14  p.  m.  It  stated 
that  they  had  arrived  at  that  place,  and  that  the  train  would  probably  arrive  at 
Washington  between  8  and  9  o'clock  that  evening. 

Question.  To  whom  were  those  messages  directed  ? 

Answer.  To  Surgeon  General  Hammond. 

Question.   What  was  done  with  them  1 

Answer.  They  are  supposed  to  have  been  treated  as  all  other  messages  are, 
sent  out  immediately. 

Question.  Sent  immediately  to  the  surgeon  general's  office  1 

Answer.  Yes,  sir ;  it  is  supposed  so.  It  is  perhaps  proper  that  I  should  ex 
plain  more  fully  than  I  have  done  my  position  there.  Formerly  I  had  nothing 
to  do  with  the  practical  part  of  telegraphing,  that  is,  my  position  did  not  require 
that  I  should  have  anything  to  do  with  the  practical  operation  of  the  telegraph, 
simply  to  have  a  supervision  of  all  messages  and  intelligence.  But  since  Colonel 
Slager,  the  superintendent  of  military  telegraphs,  has  been  sick,  I  have  filled 
his  place.  For  that  reason  I  have  given  no  instructions  in  regard  to  the  practi 
cal  part  of  the  business  at  all,  nor  did  I  look  over  it  very  closely,  but  left  it 
with  the  assistant  superintendent,  Mr.  Eckert.  But  since  this  affair,  and  seeing 
some  comments  in  the  newspapers  about  telegraphic  despatches  not  being  de 
livered,  I  asked  if  these  messages  had  been  received.  They  turned  to  their 
books  and  said  they  had  been  received.  I  asked  what  was  done  with  them, 
and  they  said  they  were  sent  off.  I  asked  if  there  was  any  difficulty  about 
finding  the  place,  and  if  any  answer  came  bacjv,  and  they  said  no,  from  which  I 
inferred  that  they  were  promptly  delivered. 

Question.  In  the  usual  course  of  things,  how  long  after  these  despatches 
reached  the  War  Department  would  they  reach  the  surgeon  general's  office  ? 

Answer.  Not  over  from  ten  minutes  to  half  an  hour. 

Question.  Have  you  any  knowledge  as  to  the  time  when  they  did  reach 
there  ? 

Answer.  No  positive  knowledge. 

Question.  What  is  the  best  information  you  have  upon  that  point  1 

Answer.  They  have  not  been  able  to  find  yet  or  fix  positively  upon  the  or 
derly  who  delivered  them.  They  are  tracing  that  matter  out  this  morning,  and 
I  presume  they  will  be  able  to  ascertain  soon.  There  are  changes  occasionally 
made  in  the  orderlies.  Instead  of  having  a  regular  set  of  orderlies,  they  are 
taken  from  a  regiment,  and  do  not  remain  permanently,  but  when  the  regiment 
leaves  they  go  with  it,  and  they  have  to  get  a  new  set  of  orderlies. 

Question.  These  messages  have  been  received  at  the  surgeon  general's  office 
some  time,  have  they  not  1 

Answer.  We  have  no  knowledge  of  that ;  we  have  received  no  information 
about  that. 

Question.  You  only  know  the  time  at  which  they  reached  your  office,  and 
that  in  the  usual  course  of  business  in  the  office  they  would  have  been  received 


TESTIMONY.  513 

at  the  surgeon  general's  office  in  from  ten  to  thirty  minutes  after  they  were  re 
ceived  at  your  office  1 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Would  or  would  not  the  surgeon  general  have  known,  upon  read 
ing  the  first  despatch  from  Front  Royal,  if  it  was  delivered  to  him,  that  that 
train  would  probably  reach  this  city  that  evening  1 

Answer.  1  cannot  say  whether  he  would  have  known  it.  I  should  have 
known  it,  and  so  would  anybody  familiar  with  railroad  matters.  I  should  have 
presumed  that  from  the  distance. 


WASHINGTON,  June  20,  1862. 
Dr.  S.  S.  BURROWS  sworn  and  examined. 

By  Mr.  Gooch : 

Question.  What  is  your  position  in  the  army? 
Answer.  I  am  assistant  surgeon  of  the  29th  Ohio  volunteers. 
Question.  Did  you  come  from  Front  Royal,  Virginia,  last  week  with  Dr.  Hays 
and  his  train  of  sick  and  wounded  soldiers  1 
Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  At  what  time  did  you  reach  the  city  of  Washington? 
Answer.  It  would  be  a  matter  of  a  little  uncertainty  for  me  to  state  just  the 
time.     I  judge  it  was' between  9  and  10  o'clock  at  night. 

Question.  What  happened  after  you  got  here ;  what  was  done  ? 
Answer.  We  were  left  on  Maryland  avenue,  on  the  Island.  The  cars  were 
switched  off  there.  I  saw  Dr.  Hays  and  the  other  surgeons.  There  were  five 
of  us.  We  looked  about  and  inquired  to  find  who  was  to  take  charge  of  the 
wounded  there.  We  expected  to  find  some  one  there  to  whom  to  report.  After 
making  inquiries,  and  finding  out  that  the  cars  were  to  be  left  there  over  night, 
and  after  waiting  some  considerable  time,  Dr.  Hays  and  Dr.  Stidger  went  off 
together  to  see  if  they  could  find  the  officials.  I  remained  there  with  Dr.  Mc- 
Cune  and  Dr.  Redlick.  We  went  through  the  cars  and  saw  the  sick  and 
wounded.  The  citizens  came  in  about  that  time,  and  commenced  feeding  them. 
They  had  some  food  ;  not  enough  for  them,  however.  But  the  citizens  came  in, 
and  they  were  furnished  with  a  plenty  to  eat  and  drink.  Some  cases  were  taken 
to  private  houses.  After  the  shower,  I  do  not  know  exactly  at  what  time  that 
was — after  we  had  seen  to  the  soldiers  all  around,  and  had  seen  that  they  had 
plenty  to  eat  and  drink — Dr.  McCune,  Dr.  Redlick,  and  myself  went  into  a 
house  near  by  and  stopped  there  over  night.  I  saw  nothing  more  of  Dr.  Hays 
after  he  left  and  went  off  to  search  for  some  one  to  report  to. 
Question.  When  did  you  next  see  him? 

Answer.  It  was  the  next  morning,  a  couple  of  hours,  or  three  hours,  after  I 
was  there.     I  was  there  again  early  in  the  morning. 

Question.  How  many  of  the  men  stayed  in  the  cars  that  night  ? 
Answer.  I  could  not  state  how  many. 
Question.  What  proportion  of  them? 

Answer.  The  most  of  them,  unless  they  were  taken  out  after  I  left.     I  saw 
some  of  them  removed. 

Question.  How  many  did  you  see  removed  from  the  cars  that  night  ? 
Answer.  I  do  not  know  of  but  two,  really.     There  was  a  captain  who  was 
taken  to  A.  Lamon's  house,  and  another  person  whose  name  I  do  not  know. 
Question.  Did  any  surgeon  see  him  after  he  was  taken  to  the  house] 
Answer.  The  next  morning  I  went  to  all  the  houses. 
Question.  I  mean,  did  any  of  the  surgeons  see  him  that  night  ? 

Part  iii 33 


514  TESTIMONY. 

/ 

Answer.  I  do  not  know  that  they  did. 

Question.  Did  you  assist  in  the  removal  of  either  of  those  two  men  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir. 

Question.  You  had'  nothing  to  do  with  the  removal  of  any  of  the  wounded 
men  from  the  cars  1 

Answer.  Nothing  more  than  I  asked  this  man  Lamon  if  the  captain  could 
stay  with  him,  and  he  said  he  could  ;  and  as  the  captain  had  a  special  attendant 
with  him,  I  instructed  him  to  take  him  there. 

Question.  Did  the  other  surgeons  go  with  you  into  the  house  where  you 
stopped  over  night  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  two  of  them. 

Question.  Where  did  Dr.  Stidger  go*? 

Answer.  Dr.  Stidger,  I  supposed,  went  with  Dr.  Hays. 

Question.  You  left  all  the  sick  and  wounded  men  in  the  cars  except  the  two 
you  have  mentioned? 

Answer.  If  there  were  any  others  who  went  out  they  went  out  without  my 
knowledge. 

Question.  You  left  in  a  short  time  after  the  train  arrived  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir;  I  should  judge  it  was  between  11  and  12  o'clock.  We 
went  around  to  the  different  cars;  that  is,  we  did  not  all  go  into  the  same  cars ; 
some  went  in  one  car,  and  some  in  another. 

Question.  After  you  had  gone  through  the  cars  then  you  left  them  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Did  you  know  at  that  time  that  any  preparations  were  being  made 
to  take  these  sick  and  wounded  men  into  the  churches  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir;  not  at  that  time. 

Question.   No  arrangements  had  been  made  for  that  ? 

Answer.  Not  when  I  left. 

Question.  What  time  in  the  morning  did  you  get  back  to  the  train  ? 

Answer.  I  do  not  know  just  what  time  it  was ;  soon  after  sunrise — before 
breakfast. 

Question.  Give  us  the  hour  as  near  as  you  can  ? 

Answer.  I  should  judge  it  was  6  o'clock. 

Question.  Did  the  other  surgeons  go  back  with  you  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir. 

Question.  At  what  time  did  they  get  back  ? 

Answer.  A  short  time  after;  I  do  not  know  exactly  when. 

Question.  Then  the  fact  was  that  neither  of  you  three  surgeons  saw  anything 
of  these  men  from  the  time  you  left  them  at  11  o'clock  until  6  or  7  o'clock  the 
next  morning  ? 

Answer.  Not  so  far  as  I  know. 

Question.  Do  you  think  that  is  the  proper  way  to  treat  wounded  and  sick 
men? 

Answer.  We  were  expecting  Dr.  Hays  back,  and  that  they  were  to  be  re 
ported  to  the  authorities  here. 

Question.  Did  you  think  you  were  doing  your  duty  as  a  surgeon,  to  leave 
these  men  in  the  cars  in  that  way,  not  knowing  whether  Dr.  Hays  would  find 
anybody,  or  would  come  back  ?  0 

Answer.  I  thought  I  had  done  all  I  could  do  for  them ;  all  that  I  thought  I 
was  able  to  do  under  the  circumstances. 

By  Mr.  Odell: 

Question.  Would  not  your  -services  have  been  required  if  Dr.  Hays  had  suc 
ceeded  in  getting  orders  to  have'the  men  removed  ?  You  say  he  left  for  that 
purpose. 


TESTIMONY.  515 

Answer.  I  did  not  know  whether  they  were  or  were  not  to  be  removed  that 
night.  I  supposed  that  the  officials  here  knew  about  it.  I  did  not  know  what 
arrangements  were  to  be  made. 


WASHINGTON,  June  21,  1862. 
Surgeon  General  WILLIAM  A.  HAMMOND  sworn  and  examined. 

By  Mr.  Gooch  : 

Question.  What  is  your  position  ?  • 

Answer.  I  am  surgeon  general  of  the  army  of  the  United  States. 

Question.  Will  yo'u  state  to  the  committee  whether  or  not  any  telegraphic 
despatches  were  received  from  Surgeon  D.  S.  Hays  last  Saturday;  and  if  so, 
what  was  their  character,  and  at  what  time  were  they  received  by  you,  or  at 
your  office  ? 

Answer.  Perhaps  I  better  state  all  the  despatches  I  received,  in  order  to  give 
the  committee  a  proper  understanding  of  the  wThele  matter. 

Question.  You  will  please  do  so. 

Answer.  On  Friday  afternoon  or  Saturday  morning — I  think  it  was  Satur 
day,  though  it  might  have  been  Friday — I  received  a  despatch  from  Brigade 
Surgeon  Cox,  at  Front  Royal,  stating  that  he  had  received  information  that  a 
number  of  sick  and  Avounded  of  General  Shields 's  division  would  reach  Front 
Royal  in  a  short  time ;  that  he  had  no  hospitals  or  supplies  for  them,  and  asking 
what  he  should  do  with  them.  I  telegraphed  to  him  to  send  them  to  -Washing 
ton,  and  that  he  would  be  ordered  to  report  himself  under  arrest  here  for  not 
having  supplies  and  hospitals;  arid  I  immediately  applied  to  the  adjutant  gen 
eral  to  issue  that  order.  He  has  not  yet  reported  himself,  and  this  morning  I 
applied  again  to  have  a  despatch  sent  to  him  to  know  why  he  had  not  reported 
himself  under  that  order. 

I  received  a  telegram  from  Surgeon  Cox,  I  think  it  was,  that  the  men  would 
be  seat  to  Washington  Saturday  morning,  and  that  I  should  be  notified  by  tele 
graph  of  the  time  they  would  arrive  here.  I  heard  nothing  more  about  them 
until  Sunday  morning.  Some  fifteen  minutes  after  I  got  there  a  despatch  was 
handed  to  me.  I  have  every  reason  to  believe  that  Dr.  Hays  has  stated  cor 
rectly  as  to  the  time  he  sent  that  despatch.  There  was  a  storm  that  evening, 
and  I  suppose  that  delayed  it.  At  least  I  did  not  get  it  until  the  next  morning. 
A  few  minutes  after  I  received  it  Dr.  Hays  reported  himself,  and  came  into  my 
office.  He  stated  that  he  had  arrived  the  night  before,  and  had  tried  to  find  me 
and  the  medical  director,  and  had  not  succeeded.  He  had  to  report  that  the 
men  were  now  at  the  depot,  and  asked  what  he  should  do  with  them.  I  ordered 
him  to  go  to  the  medical  director  and  get  ambulances,  and  have  them  removed. 
They  were  sent  in  a  short  time,  for  the  horses  are  generally  kept  harnessed,  and 
ready  to  move  at  a  moment's  notice.  Dr.  Hays  represented  his  action  to  me  in 
such  a  light,  his  energy,  &c.,  that  I  was  so  well  satisfied,  that  I  compli 
mented  him  for  his  activity  in  the  matter.  I  know  that  he  excused  himself  for 
not  having  reported  to  me  the  evening  before,  by  saying  that  he  could  not  find 
me;  but  I  did  not  think  of  that  at  the  time.  *When  we  went  to  .Dr.  Letterman's 
office  he  stated  the  matter  to  him.  On  Sunday  afternoon  I  received  a  letter 
from  Dr.  Letterman  to  the  effect  that  Surgeon  Hays  had  neglected  his  duty  ; 
had  not  reported  the  evening  before,  as  he  should  have  done,  but  had  gone  to 
the  hotel,  and  gone  to  bed,  leaving  the  men  there,  and  recommended  that  some 
action  be  taken  in  regard  to  the  matter,  as  that  was  the  second  time  such  a  thing 
had  occurred.  I  took  Dr.  Letterman's  letter,  indorsed  upon  it  a  summary  of  its 
contents,  to  the  Secretary  of  War,  and  requested  that  he  would  inflict  severe 
punishment  upon  Dr.  Hays,  and  have  this  course  of  conduct  stopped. 


516  TESTIMONY. 

Dr.  Hays  soon  after  came  in  and  I  handed  him  the  letter  to  read.  He  read  it 
and  begged  me  not  to  send  it.  Said  I,  "You  don't  deny  anything  that  is  stated 
there?"  Said  he,  "No;  I  admit  that  I  went  to  Willard's,  but  I  came  to  this 
office  and  tried  to  find  you  and  I  could  not  do  it."  Said  I,  "You  don't  expect 
me  to  sleep  in  my  office  all  night.  It  is  utterly  useless  for  you  to  tell  me  that 
you  could  not  find  me  in  the  city  of  Washington.  They  know  at  Willard's 
where  I  live,  and  also  where  Dr.  Letterman  lives."  There  are  also  watchmen 
in  my  office  who  know  where  I  live,  for  I  have  frequently  received  despatches 
from  the  office  after  office  hours.  I  told  Dr.  Hays  that  I  should  have  to  send 
that  letter  over  to  the  Secretary.  He  begged  that  I  would  not,  but  did  not  deny 
anything  that  was  in  it,  only  asserted  that  he  bad  tried  to  find  me  the  evening 
before  and  could  not.  He  followed  niy  messenger  out  and  I  know  nothing  more 
of  what  happened,  except  from  hearsay.  I  have  seen  the  order  to-day,  officially 
published,  directing  that  Dr.  Hays  be  dropped  from  the  army  list. 

Question.  Did  you  read  to  him  the  letter  you  had  received  from  Dr.  Letter 
man  and  your  comments  upon  it  1 
Answer.  I  gave  it  to  him  to  read. 

Question.  Did  you  receive  more  than  one  despatch  from  Surgeon  Hays  while 
he  was  in  charge  of  that  train? 

Answer.  I  think  I  received  altogether  three  despatches  in  regard  to  those 
men.  I  received  one  from  Dr.  Cox  informing  me  that  the  men  were  coming  to 
Front  Royal,  one  from  Dr.  Cox  or  Dr.  Hays,  I  do  not  know  which,  informing 
me  that  the  men  had  arrived  at  Front  Royal  and  would  leave  for  Washington, 
of  which  I  would  be  advised.  After  that  I  received  nothing  until  Sunday 
morning. 

Question.  Did  you  not  receive  a  despatch  stating,  in  substance,  that  they 
would  leave  Front  Royal  for  this  city  at  11  o'clock  on  Saturday  morning? 
Answer.  No,  sir;  I  have  not  seen  any  such  despatch. 

Question.  Where  was  the  despatch  dated  that  you  received  on  Sunday 
morning  ? 

Answer.  It  was  dated  at  Front  Royal,  I  think.  I  received  none  on  Saturday 
stating  when  they  would  leave.  The  one  I  received  on  Sunday  morning  stated 
either  that  they  would  leave  there  at  a  certain  time  or  that  they  would  reach 
Washington  at  a  certain  time  ? 

Question.  Was  that  despatch  dated  at  Front  Royal  or  Manassas  ? 
Answer.  It  was  dated  at  Front  Royal,  I  think.  It  may  have  been  dated  at 
Manassas.  The  despatch  is  at  my  office.  I  know  this,  that  if  that  despatch 
had  been  received  in  time,  the  ambulances  would  have  been  there  to  receive  the 
men.  The  despatch  either  stated  when  they  would  leave  (when  by  a  simple 
calculation  I  could  have  teld  at  what  time  they  would  have  been  likely  to  arrive) 
or  it  stated  when  they  would  arrive.  If  the  despatch  had  been  received  in  tim'e 
all  would  have  been  right.  The  fault  I  found  with  Dr.  Hays  was  this :  that 
when  he  arrived  here  and  found  that  no  preparations  had  been  made  to  receive 
his  men,  he  was  bound  to  suppose  either  that  his  despatch  had  not  been  received, 
or  that  something  had  occurred  to  prevent  his  men  being  attended  to,  and  it  was 
his  duty  to  find  out  what  it  was. 

Question.  We  have  testimony  here  that  there  were  two  despatches  from  Dr. 
Hays  received  at  the  War  Department  on  Saturday,  one  early  in  the  morning 
and  the  other  in  the  evening.  Tne  first  one  was  dated  at  Front  Royal  and 
stated  that  the  train  would  leave  there  at  11  o'clock,  for  Washington,  with  these 
men.  The  other  was  dated  at  Manassas,  and  stated  that  the  train  would  arrive 
at  Washington  between  8  and  9  o'clock  that  evening.  The  first  one  was  re 
ceived  in  the  early  part  of  the  day,  the  time  not  fixed.  The  other  was  received 
between  4  and  half  past  4  o'clock  in  the  afternoon.  Have  you  received  both  of 
those  despatches  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir ;   I  think  not.     If  they  had  both  been  received  I  think  I 


TESTIMONY.  517 

should  certainly  have  seen  them,  and  have  recollected  them.  No,  sir;  I  am 
certain  I  did  not  receive  the  first  one ;  I  never  saw  it.  The  only  despatch  I 
ever  saw  relating  to  the  train  arriving  at  all  at  any  definite  period,  was  the  one 
I  saw  on  Sunday  morning.  When  that  reached  Washington  I  do  not  know, 
It  did  not  reach  my  office,  however,  certainly,  before  I  left  there,  which  was 
4  o'clock  in  the  evening. 

Question.  Did  you  return  to  your  office  again  after  leaving  it  Saturday  even 
ing  at  4  o'clock? 

Answer.  No,  sir,  I  did  not.  I  never  return  to  my  office  after  that  time  unless 
there  is  some  pressing  business  to  attend  to  there,  because  I  am  on  a  board  of 
examination  from  5  until  11  o'clock.  I  stayed  at  my  office  until  4  o'clock  on 
§aturday;  that  is  my  rule.  I  take  my  dinner  at  4  o'clock,  and  at  5  o'clock  I 
go  to  this  board  of  examination. 

Question.  What  instructions  are  left  with  the  persons  who  remain  at  the  office 
after  you  leave  ? 

Answer.  I  have  never  given  him  any  definite  instructions.  He  has  been 
acting  under  the  instructions  that  have  always  prevailed  there  I  presume.  I 
know  that  despatches  have  come  to  my  house  after  I  left. 

Question.  Does  the  watchman,  who  remains  there,  know  where  you  live? 

Answer.  I  presume  he  does.  I  have  never  asked  him  the  question.  The 
messengers  of  the  office  know  where  I  live,  because  I  have  sent  things  up  to  rny 
house  by  them. 

Question.  Does  the  man  who  was  there  last  Saturday  night  know  where  you 
live  ? 

Answer.  I  do  not  know  whether  he  does  or  does  not.     But  the  fact  that  mes 
sages  which   are  taken  to  my  office  after  I  leave  come  to  my  house  would  lead 
me  to  suppose  that  he  does  know,  because  he  must  tell  the  man  who  brings  the " 
messages  where  I  live. 

Question.  Then  you  received  no  communication  whatever  stating  when  that 
train  would  leave  Front  Royal  for  Washington  ? 

Answer.  I  saw  no  communication  whatever  that  that  train  left  Front  Royal 
for  Washington,  until  I  saw  the  one  that  was  handed  to  me  on  Sunday  morning. 

Question.  You  saw  no  communication,  and  had  no  knowledge  of  the  fact  on 
Saturday  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir.  The  rule  of  the  office  is  invariable,  that  whenever  a  despatch 
comes  announcing  the  coming  of  troops  that  are  sick  or  wounded  it  is  sent  over 
to  the  medical  director  at  once,  and  he  makes  the  necessary  preparations.  Now, 
last  night  I  received  a  despatch  from  Dr.  Bryant,  who  was  the  one  who  had 
been  derelict  before — the  case  referred  to  as  the  first  case — Dr.  Hays  being  the 
second.  Yesterday  afternoon  he  telegraphed  to  me  that  he  was  coming,  and  that 
he  would  let  me  know  when  the  sick  would  arrive.  He  telegraphed  again  as  to 
when  they  would  arrive,  and  I  got  the  despatch  at  2  o'clock  in  the  morning. 
la  the  first  despatch  he  telegraphed  me  that  they  would  leave  Front  Royal,  and 
asked  that  arrangements  be  made  to  have  them  properly  cared  for  at  Manassas 
and  Alexandria,  which  was  done,  and  those  men  were  properly  taken  care  of. 
Even  if  the  despatches  had  not  been  received  at  all,  or  even  if  they  had  been 
received  and  I  had  been  grossly  negligent ;  if  I  had  received  the  despatches 
and  had  known  perfectly  well  what  had  been  done,  and  had  not  care  enough  to 
send  the  ambulances  down  there  for  them — all  that  would  not  excuse  Dr.  Hays. 
It  was  his  business  to  have  arrangements  made,  if  he  found  none  there. 

Question.  You  deem  that  Dr.  Hays  was  negligent  in  not  finding  you  or  some 
person  to  take  charge  of  those  men  that  night  1 

Answer.  Yes,  sir  ;   I  do. 

Question.  That  is,  you  think  he  should  have  done  that  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir ;  that  is  the  point  precisely. 

Question.  He  says  he  went  to  the  war  office,  found  out  where  your  office 


518  TESTIMONY 

was ;  then  went  to  your  office  and  found  that  you  were  not  there,  and  that 
there  was  no  one  there  to  give  him  information.  His  own  statement  is  that  he 
then  concluded  that  it  was  not  proposed  that  the  men  should  be  removed  to 
the  hospitals  that  night.  He  then  returned  to  the  train,  and  after  remaining 
there  some  time  he  went  back  to  the  hotel  and  went  to  bed. 

Answer.  I  do  not  know  whether  that  is  so  or  not.  He  did  not  tell  me  that 
he  even  asked  for  me  at  the  office.  He  never  intimated  the  slightest  thing  of 
the  kind  to  me.  I  think  it  was  told  to  me  by  some  one  who  came  there  as  his 
counsel.  But  I  did  not  want  then  to  ascertain  any  more  in  regard  to  it,  as  I 
knew  this  thing  would  probably  come  up  here. 

Question.  Did  he  give  you  a  statement  of  what  he  did  do  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir ;  except  that  he  had  tried  to  find  me  and  Dr.  Letternian  and 
could  not. 

Question.  He  did  not  give  you  any  particulars  of  what  he  had  done  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir;  only  generalities  ;  and  I  told  him  it  was  utterly  useless  for 
him  to  tell  me  that  he  could  not  find  either  me  or  Dr.  Letternian,  for  they  knew 
at  Willard's  where  we  lived.  Dr.  Letterman's  office  is  at  General  Wadsworth's 
headquarters ;  he  is  on  his  staff,  and  could  have  been  found  at  any  time  by  ap 
plying  there. 

Question.  This  might  be  true,  might  it  not :  You  were  known  to  him  as  the 
proper  officer  to  whom  to  report ;  you  were  the  surgeon  general ;  you  were  his 
superior,  and  the  officer  to  whom  he  would  most  naturally  report. 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  And,  therefore,  he  hunted  for  you.  In  trying  to  find  you  he  went 
naturally,  in  the  first  place,  to  the  War  Department,  and  was  told  that  your 
office  was  not  there,  and  was  directed  to  where  it  was.  He  went  from  the 
War  Department  to  your  office,  and  there  he  saw  a  watchman,  as  he  says,  and 
inquired  for  you,  and  was  told  you  were  not  in.  He  asked  the  watchman 
whether  he  could  take  a  message  to  you  from  him,  and  the  watchman  told  him 
he  did  not  know  where  you  lived,  and  that  there  were  despatches  then  in  the 
office  waiting  for  you. 

Answer.  I  do  not  know  about  that ;  I  have  not  inquired  of  the  watchman. 
The  counsel  of  Dr.  Hays,  who  came  to  see  me,  told  me  something  about  that, 
but  I  did  not  care  to  ask  the  watchman  anything  about  it,  as  I  understood  the 
matter  was  to  be  investigated  here. 

By  Mr.  Covode  : 

Question.  Would  not  the  prompt  delivery  of  Dr.  Hays's  despatch  to  you 
have  prevented  all  this  difficulty  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir ;  it  would.  But  the  fact  of  its  not  being  delivered  does  not 
relieve  Dr.  Hays. 

Question.  Suppose  that  Dr.  Hays,  after  making  these  inquiries  and  failing  to 
find  you,  concluded  that  it  was  the  intention  not  to  have  the  men  removed  until 
morning;  what  was  then  his  duty  as  a  surgeon? 

Answer.  I  can  hardly  conceive  that  any  surgeon  could  entertain  the  idea  that 
the  men  would  be  left  there. 

Question.  I  am  assuming  that  he  did  conclude  that  you  would  take  no  steps 
in  the  matter  that  night  ? 

Answer.  Then  his  duty  as  a  surgeon  and  an  officer  was  to  remain  with  those 
men  until  he  could  find  what  was  to  be  done  with  them.  He  was  the  command 
ing  officer  of  those  men,  and  it  was  his  .duty  to  stay  with  them.  He  could  not 
delegate  that  authority  to  any  other  person. 

Question.  What  was  the  duty  of  'the  assistant  surgeons  with  him  1 

Answer.  To  remain  there  if  he  required  them  to  do  so.  He  was  the  respon 
sible  man.  He  could  dispense  with  their  services  if  he  chose,  but  they  could 


TESTIMONY  519 

not  'dispense  with  his.  He  could  say  to  them,  "  You  can  go  home  ;  I  will  stay 
tere." 

Question.  How  many  surgeons  in  reality  ought  to  have  attended  upon  that 
train  of  between  300  and  400  sick  and  wounded  men  that  night  ? 

Answer.  There  ought  to.  have  been  at  least  a  half  a  dozen  surgeons.  I  would 
say  that  those  men  were  not  properly  cared  for  at  Front  Royal,  owing  to  a  point 
between  General  Ricketts  and  his  brigade  surgeon.  The  facts  of  the  case,  as 
they  are  respresented  to  me  in  official  circles,  are  as  follows  :  I  recollect  now 
that  the  first  despatch  I  received  from  Dr.  Hays  stated  that  the  men  had  arrived 
at  Front  Royal,  and  that  General  Ricketts  refused  to  allow  his  brigade  surgeon 
to  attend  to  them ;  that  there  were  stores  there  that  he  could  not  get.  This 
brigade  surgeon  was  Dr.  Cox.  Dr.  Cox  was  the  one  who  was  not  allowed  to 
attend  to  these  men,  by  order  of  General  Ricketts,  on  the  ground  that  they 
belonged  to  General  Shields 's  division,  and  did  not  belong  to  his  brigade,  and 
his  medical  stores  should  not  be  used  for  them.  That  is  stated  officially  from 
Dr.  Hays.  And  I  also  have  a  letter  from  the  assistant  adjutant  general  to 
General  Ricketts's  brigade,  to  Dr.  Cox,  inquiring  by  what  authority  he  was 
attending  to  the  sick  and  wounded  of  General  Shields's  division.  Those  papers 
I  laid  before  the  Secretary  of  War,  with  the  request  that  he  would  have  the 
•conduct  of  General  Ricketts  investigated,  because  I  considered  it  an  outrage. 

By  Mr.  Odell : 

Question.  Is  that  General  Ricketts  the  one  who  was  in  command  of  a  battery 
at  the  battle  of  Bull  Run,  and  who  was  wounded  and  taken  prisoner  there  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir ;  the  same  officer ;  and  that  accounts,  as  I  afterwards 
learned,  for  Dr.  Cox  not  having  hospitals  and  stores  provided  for  these  men. 
He  said  he  had  no  hospitals  and  stores  for  them.  It  turns  out  that  he  had 
stores,  but  General  Ricketts  had  ordered  him  not  to  use  them  for  that  purpose. 
Dr.  Cox  has  been  ordered  to  report  himself  here,  but  he  has  not  yet  come. 
This  morning  I  again  telegraphed  for  him  to  come  here  immediately ;  and  if  he 
does  not  come  I  shall  apply  to  the  Secretary  of  War  to  have  him  dismissed  the 
service.  Dr.  Hays  also  told  me  another  thing,  which  I  have  no  reason  at  all 
to  doubt :  that  a  number  of  sick  men  were  put  on  board  of  his  train  (some 
twenty  or  more)  at  Catlett's  station,  I  believe,  with  whom  there  was  no  sur 
geon,  nurses,  or  anything  of  the  kind,  and  that  two  of  them  died  on  the  road. 
But  these  are  faults  of  the  commanding  officer.  It  is  his  duty  to  send  a  surgeon 
with  sick  or  wounded  men  whether  they  request  it  or  not. 

Question.  Do  you  know  anything  more  about  those  men  than  Dr.  Hays  told 
you? 

Answer.  No,  sir ;  they  sent  no  report — nothing  whatever  about  them. 

Question.  How  shall  we  ascertain  about  that  matter  ] 

Answer.  I  do  not  know.  The  men  were  too  sick,  the  most  of  them,  to 
answer  any  questions.  I  do  not  know  Avhere  they  came  from.  I  presume  it 
might,  perhaps,  be  ascertained  by  following  up  the  railroad  conductors.  The 
fact  is,  the  whole  organization  of  that  part  of  the  army  is  more  deplorable  than 
that  of  any  other  portion  of  the  army. 

Question.  Is  there  any  reason  why  that  should  be  so  ?  ^ 

Answer.  I  do  not  know.  I  would  not  like  to  give  my  personal  opinion  in 
regard  to  it. 

Question.  How  should  that  difficulty  be  remedied? 

Answer.  I  know  no  other  remedy  than  changing  the  commanding  officer. 

Question.  To  whom  do  you  refer  now  ? 

Answer.  I  refer  to  General  Shields. 


520  TESTIMONY. 

By  Mr.  Covocle : 

Question.  Do  you  know  whether  the  despatch  that  was  delivered  to  you  on 
Sunday  morning  had  laid  in  your  office  over  night,  or  was  it  brought  over  to 
the  office  on  Sunday  morning  ? 

Answer.  I  do  not  know.  I  was  informed  on  the  day  of  Dr.  Hays's  dismissal, 
or  early  in  the  morning  the  day  after,  that  I  would  probably  be  called  before 
this  committee,  and  I  made  no  inquiries  whatever  about  the  matter.  I  will  say 
this  :  that  Dr.  Edwards,  one  of  my  assistants,  remains  in  the  office  every  evening 
until  6  o'clock,  and  opens  all  the  despatches  that  come  there  from  the  time  I 
leave  until  he  leaves  himself.  If  any  despatch  had  come  there  before  he  left 
he  would  have  opened  it." 

Question.  Do  you  recollect  whether  any  other  despatches  were  handed  you 
on  Sunday  morning  at  the  same  time  this  one  you  refer  to  was  handed  to  you  ? 

Answer.  That  was  the  only  one  I  have  any  recollection  of.  If  there  was 
any  other  it  was  some  unimportant  one,  of  no  particular  consequence. 

Question.  From  the  despatches  you  had  received  previously,  were  you  led  to 
believe  that  that  train  of  sick  and  wounded  would  come  in  that  night  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir. 


WASHINGTON,  June  23,  1862. 
JOSEPH  H.  HILTON  sworn  and  examined. 

By  Mr.  Gooch : 

Question.  What  is  your  position  ? 

Answer.  I  am  a  watchman  in  the  surgeon  general's  and  paymaster  general's 
departments. 

Question.  Where  were  you  between  the  hours  of  six  and  twelve  o'clock  a 
week  ago  last  Saturday  night  ? 

Answer.  I  cannot  say  about  six  o'clock. 

Question.  Well,  between  eight  and  twelve  o'clock  ? 

Answer.  I  was  in  the  building  occupied  by  the  surgeon  general's  and  pay 
master  general's  departments. 

Question.  Did  any  person  come  to  the  office  that  night  in  search  of  the  sur 
geon  general,  to  your  knowledge  1 

Answer.  Not  to  my  knowledge. 

Question.  Where  were  you  ? 

Answer.  At  the  office,  at  the  door  where  I  am  regularly  stationed  all  night, 
We  receive  all  the  despatches  that  come  there.  If  there  are  any  for  the  surgeon 
general,  and  he  is  in,  I  give  them  to  him.  If  he  is  not  in,  I  leave  them  in  his 
room. 

Question.  And  they  remain  there  all  night  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  You  had  no  orders  to  send  them  to  his  house  1 

Answer.  No,  sir ;  not  until  yesterday. 

Question.  Did  any  despatches  come  for  him  that  night  ? 

Answer.  There  may  have  been  some  for  him  but  how  many  I  cannot  say. 

Question.  Are  you  sure  you  received  any  for  him  that  night] 

Answer.  I  will  not  be  sure  about  that ;  but  they  come  every  night,  and  I 
think  some  came  that  night. 

Question.  You  have  no  distinct  recollection  of  receiving  any  for  him  that 
night  1 

Answer.  No,  sir. 

Question.  If  any  person  had  come  there  that  night  and  inquired  for  the  sur 
geon  general  would  you  now  recollect  it  ? 


TESTIMONY  521 

Answer.  Yes,  sir ;  particularly  if  he  had  inquired  for  the  surgeon  general  and 
stated  what  his  business  was  ;  for  I  then  should  have  directed  him  to  Dr.  Wood, 
or  some  other  surgeon  who  could  have  told  him  where  to  find  the  surgeon  gen 
eral  ;  I  did  not  know  where  the  surgeon  general  lived  until  last  Thursday. 

Question.  Do  you  recollect  distinctly  whether  you  told  any  person  that  night, 
who  was  inquiring  if  you  could  send  a  message  to  the  surgeon  general,  that  you 
did  not  know  where  he  lived,  and  that  there' were  then  some  messages  there 
waiting  for  him  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir ;   I  am  satisfied  about  that. 

Question.  Was  there  any  time  that  night  that  you  were  absent  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir;  I  was  in  the  office  all  night,  and  until  eight  o'clock  on 
Sunday  morning. 

Question.  You  know  a  surgeon  by  his  dress  ? 

Answer.  Well,  sir,  I  cannot  say  that  I  do. 

Question.  You  would  know  an  officer — a  man  with  straps  on  his  shoulders  T 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Would  you  have  remembered  it  if  any  man  with  shoulder-straps 
had  come  to  that  door  that  night  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir ;  I  think  I  would. 

Question.  Were  there  any  other  persons  there  to  whom  any  one  would  make 
a  communication  but  yourself? 

Answer.  Nobody  but  Mr.  Kelly,  my  associate  watchman. 

Question.  Have  you  ever  seen  Surgeon  Hays  at  any  time  to  know  him  ? 

Answer.  I  wouM  not  know  him  if  he  were  standing  here  now. 

By  Mr.  Covode : 

Question.  At  which  door  are  you  stationed  ? 

Answer.  At  the  main  entrance  door  of  the  surgeon  general's  and  paymaster 
general's  offices.  «,•• 

Question.  On  which  floor  ? 

Answer.  On  the  lower  floor,  at  the  main  entrance.  I  take  all  messages  that 
come  there. 

Question.  Was  there  not  a  portion  of  that  time  that  you  were  absent  from 
the  door  up  stairs,  on  the  surgeon  general  and  paymaster  general's  floor  ? 

Answer.  1  never  go  up  stairs  without  closing  the  main  entrance  door  and 
locking  it. 

Question.  How  do  you  get  despatches  into  the  surgeon  general's  room  ? 

Answer.  I  have  the  key  of  his  room,  which  I  keep  down  stairs,  hanging  on 
a  nail  there.  When  I  have  a  despatch  for  him  I  lock  the  street  door,  to  keep 
anybody  from  coming  in,  and  then  take  down  the  key  of  the  surgeon  general's 
room,  and  go  up  stairs  and  unlock  the  door,  and  go  in  and  lay  the  despatch 
upon  the  table,  when  there  is  nobody  there  to  receive  it  from  me. 

Question.  Why  do  you  lock  the  street  door  when  you  go  up  stairs  if  you 
have 'another  watchman  on  duty  with  you? 

Answer.  Well,  sir,  that  has  always  been  my  custom. 

Question.  Was  it  you  that  handed  the  despatches  to  the  surgeon  general  the 
next  morning  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir ;  I  never  hand  them  to  him,  except  at  night,  when  he  is 
there.  His  messenger  hands  them  to  him  in  the  morning.  The  day  watchman 
relieves  me  at  6  o'clock  in  the  morning.  When  despatches  come  in  during  the 
night  I  distribute  them  around  through  the  building,  placing  them  in  the  proper 
rooms  for  the  surgeon  general,  the  paymaster  general,  and  paymasters  who  have 
offices  in  the  building,  and  in  the  morning  the  messenger  puts 'them  where  they 
belong. 

Question.  Do  you  know  of  despatches  coming  to  the  surgeon  general  some 
times  marked  "important,"  and  others  not  so  marked? 


522  TESTIMONY 

Answer.  I  have  never  seen  one  marked  "important;"  not  since  I  have  been 
in  the  building. 

By  Mr.  Gooch  : 

Question.  What  persons  came  to  the  office  inquiring  for  the  surgeon  general, 
on  the  Thursday  evening  before,  when  you  were  on  duty  there?  I  understand 
that  you  are  on  duty  there  on  alternate  nights  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  I  could  not  tell  what  persons  were  there  on  Thursday 
night.  A  great  many  persons  call  every  evening  and  inquire  for  the  surgeon 
general,  and  the  paymaster  general,  and  different  paymasters  there.  Who  came 
there  that  evening  I  could  not  tell. 

Question.  I  mean  between  the  hours  of  8  and  12  o'clock. 

Answer.  I  could  not  tell.  There  may  have  been  a  dozen  called  there,  and 
there  may  have  been  not  more  than  two  or  three. 

Question.  Did  any  officer  call  there  on  Thursday  evening  and  inquire  for  the 
surgeon  general  ? 

Answer.  As  far  as  my  recollection  serves  me,  I  do  not  think  there  was  But 
.1  cannot  tell. 

Question.  How  certain  can  you  be  about  that  ? 

Answer.  I  cannot  be  certain. 

Question.  How  certain  can  you  be  ? 

Answer.  They  may  have  come,  and  I  might  have  seen  them  and  given  them 
an  answer ;  and  they  might  not  have  come. 

Question.  Did  any  person  come  there  a  week  ago  last  Thursday  night,  be 
tween  the  hours  of  8  and  12  o'clock,  and  inquire  for  the  surgeon  general,  and 
you  tell  them  that  you  did  not  know  where  he  lived  ? 

Answer.  That  might  have  been,  for  I  did  not  know  then  where  he  lived. 

Question.  Did  any  person  come  there  and  ask  you  if  you  could  send  a  mes 
sage  to  him,  and  you  told  him  that  you  did  not  know  where  he  lived  1 

Answer.  No,  sir.  I  am  positive  about  that,  because  nobody  ever  asked  me 
that. 

Question.  On  that  Thursday  night  did  you  tell  anybody  that  there  were 
despatches  then  up  stairs  for  the  surgeon  general  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir.  No  such  question  was  ever  put  to  me  by  any  gentleman, 
in  any  shape  or  form,  either  that  night  or  any  other. 

Question.  Was  there  any  person  there  on  last  Monday '  evening,  between  the 
hours  of  eight  and  twelve  o'clock,  inquiring  for  the  surgeon  general,  and  who 
asked  you  whether  or  not  you  could  send  a  message  or  despatcn  to  him  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir ;  that  has  never  been  asked  of  me. 

Question.  Do  you  know  whether  there  was  any  message  came  there  that 
night  for  the  surgeon  general  ? 

Answer.  Despatches  came  that  night  and  I  distributed  them. 

Question.  Who  brought  them  ? 

Answer.  Orderlies  generally  bring  them;  soldiers  on  horseback. 

By  Mr.  Covode  : 

Question.  Have  you  any  recollection  at  what  time  the  assistant  surgeon  gen 
eral  left  the  office, on  Saturday  evening? 

Answer.  I  could  not  tell.  The  doctors  are  generally  coming  in  and  going 
out;  all  the  time  continually,  and  I  cannot  keep  the  run  of  them. 


TESTIMONY.  523 

WASHINGTON,  June  23,  1862. 
WILLIAM  KELLY  sworu  and  examined. 

By  Mr.  Gooch: 

Question.  What  is  your  occupation  ? 

Answer.  I  have  been  occupying  the  position  of  night  watchman  in  the  build 
ing  where  the  surgeon  general's  office  is  for  the  last  fourteen  years. 

Question.  Where  were  you  one  week  ago  last  Saturday  night,  between  the 
hours  of  eight  and  twelve  o'clock. 

Answer.  I  go  on  that  duty  about  half  past  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon, 
from  that  to  four  o'clock,  every  second  day  in  the  year;  and  I  never  leave 
there,  summer  or  winter,  until  the  next  morning.  I  bring  my  supper  with  me, 
or  have  it  brought  to  me. 

Question.  Were  you  on  duty  that  night  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  that  evening  and  night  all  through. 

Question.  Do  you  know  whether  anybody  came  to  that  building  that  night, 
between  the  hours  of  eight  and  twelve  o'clock,  and  inquired  for  the  surgeon 
general  ? 

Answer.  No  person,  to  my  knowledge  or  recollection,  on  that  evening. 

Question.  Down  to  as  late  as  twelve  o'clock? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir ;  or  through  the  night,  as  far  as  I  can  recollect  or  know.  I 
am  very  glad  that  it  has  happened,  as  I  am  called  before  you  on  this  occasion, 
that  I  recollect  what  happened  that  night. 

Question.  Why  do  you  particularly  recollect  about  that  night  1 

Answer.  Because  it  was  not  so  long  ago,  and  the  gentleman  called  upon  me 
the  next  morning. 

Question.  What  gentleman  1 

Answer.  Dr.  Hays. 

Question.  Why  did  he  call  upon  you? 

Answer.  Ev^ry  fourth  Sunday  I  am  on  duty  a  part  of  the  day.  I  went 
home  that  morning,  got  a  clean  shirt  and  a  bowl  of  coffee,  and  came  back  to  the 
building  about  eight  o'clock.  I  was  sitting  at  the  door,  as  I  usually  do  in  warm 
weather.  My  partner  had  gone  a  few  minutes  before.  This  gentleman,  dressed 
in  uniform,  came  to  the  door  as  I  was  sitting  there.  I  took  him  to  be  an  officer 
in  the  army  of  some  grade.  The  first  thing  he  said  was  to  ask  if  the  surgeon 
general  had  come  into  his  office.  That  is  what  made  me  think  that,  perhaps,  he 
had  been  there  before.  I  told  him  he  had  not  come  in.  The  next  thing  he  said 
was  "I  have  just  arrived  in  the  cars" — I  forget  whether  he  said  "this  morn 
ing"  or  "  last  night."  But  what  he  said  was  that  he  had  arrived  in  the  cars 
with  between  400  and  500,  I  think,  wounded  soldiers  in  his  charge,  and  he 
could  not  remove  them  from  the  cars  until  he  saw  the  surgeon  general.  1  said, 
"I  am  sorry  I  cannot  inform  you  where  his  residence  is,  but  there  is  a  man  up 
stairs  who  can  give  you  better  information  than  I  can."  That  was  a  laborer  up 
stairs.  He  went  up  stairs,  to  the  best  of  my  knowledge,  and  soon  came  down, 
as  if  .in  a  hurry,  and  went  right  across  the  street  from  where  I  was  sitting.  He 
was  but  a  very  few  minutes  gone  when  he  and  the  surgeon  general  returned 
together.  They  both  seemed  to  be  in  a  hurry. 

Question.  Had  you  ever  seen  that  surgeon,  Dr.  Hays,  before  that  Sunday 
morning  ? 

Answer.  Not  to  my  knowledge. 

Question.  Was  he  there  in  the  night  time  during  the  night  previous  ? 

Answer.  Not  at  all,  to  my  knowledge  or  recollection. 

Question.  Could  he  have  been  there  without  your  knowing  it  ? 

Answer.  I  believe  not  at  all." 


524  TESTIMONY. 

Question.  Do  you  and  your  partner  keep  on  the  watch  there,  both  of  you,  all 
night  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  And  I  have  had  another  man  there  with  me  all  the  time 
for  these  14  years. 

Question.  Then  you  say  you  are  confident  that  this  Surgeon  Hays  was  not 
there  ^during  that  night  ? 

Answer.  To  the  best  of  my  knowledge  and  recollection  he  was  not  there  that 
night. 

Question.  Was  there  any  other  person  in  charge  there  that  night  except  you 
and  your  partner  ? 

Answer.  There  is  no  other  man  in  charge  of  that  building  at  the  present  time 
on  those  nights  but  me  and  my  partner.     Some  time  ago  we  had  two  substitutes, 
but  they  have  been  withdrawn  to  the  War  Department. 
By  Mr.  Covode  :     . 

Question.  Did  you  say  that  you  did  not  know  where  the  surgeon  general 
lived  ? 

Answer.  I  told  this  gentleman  that  I  did  not  know  at  that  time  where  he 
lived. 

Question.  Did  you  tell  him  there  were  despatches  there  then  for  the  surgeon 
general  ? 

Answer.  I  told  him  nothing  of  the  kind.  He  did  not  ask  me  that  question. 
It  runs  in  my  mind  that  he  said  something  to  me  about  despatches,  or  a  despatch ; 
but  I  did  not  take  much  notice  of  that. 

Question.  What  is  the  laborer's  name  that  Dr.  Hays  went  up  stairs  to  see? 

Answer.  His  name  is  James  Palmer. 


WASHINGTON,  June  23,  1862. 
Dr.  JONATHAN  LETTERMAN  sworn  and  examined. 
By  Mr.  Gooch: 

Question.   What  is  your  position  in  connexion  with  the  army  ? 

Answer.  I  am  assistant  surgeon  in  the  army,  and  medical  director  of  this  dis 
trict. 

Question.  Have  you  any  knowledge  of  the  case  of  Surgeon  Hays,  who  came 
from  Front  Royal  to  this  city  with  a  train  of  sick  and  wounded  men  last  Satur 
day  night  a  week  ago  ;  if  you  have,  will  you  state  to  the  committee  all  that 
you  know  about  the  matter  ? 

Answer.  When  I  went  to  my  office  on  Sunday  morning,  as  I  entered  one 
door  Dr.  Hays  came  in  the  other.  He  told  me  that  he  had  a  nnrnber— I  forget 
now  the  exact  number  he  stated,  but  it  was  a  large  number — of  sick  and  wounded 
men  on  Maryland  avenue,  in  some  cars  there.  He  told  me  that  he  had  got  in 
here  between  9  and  10  o'clock  the  evening  before ;  that  there  were  DO  ambu 
lances  there,  and  the  men  had  not  been  taken  away.  I  asked  him  why  he  had 
not  come  to  my  office  and  let  me  know  about  it.  He  said  he  did  not  know 
where  it  was.  I  then  sent  ambulances  over  there  and  had  the  men  removed.  I 
had  received  no  telegraphic  despatches  from  him,  an<J  knew  nothing  about  the 
matter  before  that  Sunday  morning. 

Question.  Is  that  all  you  know  about  the  matter  ? 

Answer.  That  is  all,  except  some  little  outside  matters ;  those  are  all  the  ma 
terial  facts  that  I  know  in  the  case.  That  is  the  statement  Dr.  Hays  himself' 
gave  me  Sunday  morning,  when  I  asked  him  why  he  had  not  been  there  before 
to  let  me  know  about  it. 

Question.  Do  telegraphic  despatches  coming  from  surgeons  in  charge  of  trains 


TESTIMONY.  525 

of  fiick  and  wounded  come  directly  to  you,   or  do   they  conic  to  the  surgeon 
general  ? 

Answer.  Sometimes  they  come  to  the  surgeon  general  and  sometimes  to  me. 
Question.  More  usually  how  is  it  ? 

Answer.  They  come  more  generally  to  me,  I  think.  I  do  not  know  how 
many  exactly  the  surgeon  general  gets ;  but  what  he  gets  he  sends  to  me. 

Question.  At  the  time  you  saw  Dr.  Hays  and  had  this  conversation  with  him, 
to  which  you  refer,  did  he  not  state  to  you  that  he  went  to  the  office  of  the 
surgeon  general  the  night  before  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir,';  he  did,  and  said  he  could  not  find  him. 
Question.  Did  he  give  you  the  particulars  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir  ;  that  is  the  substance  of  what  he  said  in  regard  to  the  matter. 
Question.  Did  he  tell  you  that  he  went  to  the  office  of  the  surgeon  general 
and  there  saw  a  watchman  who  told  him  that  he  did  not  know*  where  the  surgeon 
general  lived  ? 
i      Answer.  No,  sir  ;  I  do  not  think  he  did. 

Question.  And  that  he  could  not  find  any  way  of  communicating  with  the 
surgeon  general  that  night  ? 

Answer.  I  think  not.  My  conversation  with  him  was  very  brief,  because  as 
soon  as  I  learned  the  men  were  over  there  I  immediately  commenced  to  write 
orders  for  the  ambulances  to  go  down  and  remove  them. 

Question.  You  addressed  a  letter  to  the  surgeon  general  on  this  subject  ? 
Answer,  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  On  what  information  did  you  base  that  letter  ? 
Answer.  On  what  Dr.  Hays  himself  told  me. 

Question.  Do  you  know  what  Dr.  Hays  did  that  night,  what  care  he  took  of 
the  men,  or  anything  about  that  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir ;  I  know  nothing  about  that. 
Question.  You  had  no  information  upon  that  point  ? 
Answer.  No,  sir. 

Question.  Would  he  have  been  derelict  in  his  duty  if  he  had  come  to  this 
city,  had  gone  to  the  surgeon  general's  office,  had  inquired  for  the  surgeon  gen 
eral,  and  been  told  he  was  not  there,  and  had  then  inquired  where  the  surgeon 
general  lived,  and  been  told  by  the  watchman  there  that  he  did  not  know ;  and 
had  then  inquired  if  a  message  could  be  sent  to  the  surgeon  general,  and  had 
been  told  that  he,  the  watchman,  did  not  know  where  he  lived,  and  that  there 
were  messages  there  for  the  surgeon  general  then;  and  had  then  gone  back  to 
the  train  ? 

Answer.  I  think  he  would.  I  think  he  should  have  inquired  of  the  military 
commander,  and  had  him  take  such  steps  as  were  necessary.  It  is  a  military 
rule  to  report  to  the  military  commander,  when  you  corne  to  a  place  where  a 
military  commander  is.  That  is  a  rule  of  the  service.  I  do  not  know  whether 
Dr.  Hays  understood  it  or  not. 

Question.  You  think  he  should  have  reported  that  night  to  the  surgeon  general, 
or  to  the  military  commander,  or  to  some  person  who  should  receive  the  report  ? 
Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  You  think  Surgeon  Hays  was  derelict  on  that  point  ? 
Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  And  it  was  on  account  of  that  fact  that  you  addressed  that  letter 
to  the  surgeon  general  1 
Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  You  know  nothing  of  his  course  during  the  night  ?  . 
Answer.  No,  sir.     The  only  conversation  I  'had  with  him  was  just  what  I 
have  stated  to  you. 

Question.  Suppose  he  had  concluded  that  it  was  not  possible  for  him  to  make 


526  TESTIMONY. 

his  report  that  night  to  any  person  who  was  authorized  to  receive  it,  what  was 
then  his  duty  as  a  surgeon  ? 

Answer.  To  remain  with  his  men. 

By  Mr.  Covode : 

Question.  Did  not  Dr.  Hays  come  to  you  and  complain  that  he  had  got  here 
with  these  men,  and  there  were  no  ambulances  there,  nor  anybody  to  receive 
them  ? 

Answer.  He  made  no  complaint  of  that  kind  on  Sunday  morning.  On  Mon 
day  morning  he  came  to  my  office  and  said  something  of  the  kind. 

Qnestion.  Was  that  before  or  after  you  wrote  that  letter  to  the  surgeon 
general  ? 

Answer.  Afterwards. 

Question.  What  time  on  Monday  morning  was  that1? 

Answer.  I  do  not  recollect;  it  was  some  time  in  the  forepart  of  the  day. 

By  Mr.  Goocl^: 

Question.  Was  it  before  or  after  ten  o'clock  in  the  morning  ? 
Answer.  Indeed,  I  cannot  say ;  we  have  so  much  to  do  there. 

By  Mr.  Covode  : 

Question.  Had  Dr.  Hays  at  that  time  received  notice  of  your  letter  ? 

Answer.  I  think  he  had. 

Question.  And  he  made  that  complaint  in  justification  of  himself? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Do  you  not  know  that  Surgeon  Hays  was  in  communication  with 
the  surgeon  general  before  he  came  here,  and  that  the  surgeon  general  had  given 
him  all  the  directions  which  he  had,  which  were  to  bring  the  sick  and  wounded 
to  Washington,  and  to  report  to  him  ?  That  the  surgeon  general  was  the  one 
that  Dr.  Hays  was  in  communication  with,  and  the  only  one  ? 

Answer.  I  have  an  indistinct  recollection  of  a  despatch  sent  by  the  surgeon 
general  up  to  my  office.  I  have  looked  for  that  despatch  and  cannot  find  it, 
and  therefore  I  think  it  must  have  been  sent  somewhere  else. 

Question.  Did  you  direct  the  surgeon  general  to  order  Dr.  Hays  at  Front 
Royal  to  bring  the  sick  and  wounded  to  Washington,  or  did  the  surgeon  gen 
eral  do  that  on  his  own  responsibility  ? 

Answer.  I  never  gave  any  such  order. 

Question.  Then  it  appears  that  Dr.  Hays,  having  had  all  his  correspondence 
with  the  surgeon  general,  reported  to  him  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  that  is  very  natural.     I  received  no  despatches. 

Question.  Dr.  Hays  did  not  come  to  you  until  he  was  sent  there  by  the  sur 
geon  general  ? 

Answer.  I  did  not  see  him  until  Sunday  morning. 

By  Mr.  Gooch : 

Question.  When  did  you  first  learn  that  these  men  were  coming  from  Front 
Royal  to  Washington  ? 

Answer.  I  am  not  certain.  I  do  not  think  I  heard  anything  of  it  until  Sun 
day  morning. 

Question.  Are  you  pretty  clear  on  that  point,  that  you  had  no  intimation  that 
this  train  of  cars  with  these  men  were  coming  here  until  Sunday  morning  ? 

Answer.  I  had  some  intimation  about  the  train  coming,  but  I  think  it  was 
from,  some  other  person  that  the  despatch  came. 

Question.  Had  you  any  expectation  of  the  train  arriving  here  that  night  ? 

Answer.  Indeed,  I  cannot  tell.  I  went  up  to  the  office  after  9  o'clock  on  Sat 
urday  night,  and  there  were  no  despatches  at  all  there  then. 


TESTIMONY.  527 

Question.  Were  you  expecting  the  arrival  of  any  train  in  this  city  at  that 
time  ? 

Answer.  I  think  not.  I  very  frequently  go  to  the  office  at  that  hour  of  the 
night. 

Question.  If  you  recollect  going  to  the  office  that  night,  do  you  not  know 
whether  you  were  expecting  any  train  here  ? 

Answer.  I  recollected  it,  because  Dr.  Hays  came  to  methe  next  morning,  and 
told  me  that  he  had  come  the  night  before ;  and  I  wondered  why  he  did  not 
come  to  my  office  the  night  before.  My  assistants  were  there  until  after  11 
:>'clock. 

Question.  Do  you  recollect  whether  you  were  expecting  any  train  that  night  ? 

Answer.  I  think  I  did  ;  but  I  do  not  recollect  whether  it  was  Dr.  Hays's 
train  or  not. 

Question.  Does  anybody  sleep  in  your  office  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 
>  Question.  What  are  your  instructions  to  him  ? 

Answer.  That  if  any  person  calls  for  me  with  business  of  importance,  he  shall 
2ome  and  wake  me  up  at  any  time  of  the  night. 

By  Mr.  Covode: 

Question.  You  always  leave  a  man  there  who  knows  where  you  live  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Would  you  think  you  were  doing  your  whole  duty  to  leave  a  man 
n  charge  of  your  business  at  your  office  who  did  not  know  where  you  live  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir;  I  should  not.  As  soon  as  I  took  the  quarters  I  now  occupy, 
[  took  my  orderly  down  there  and  showed  him  where  I  lived  ? 

Question.  So  that  he  could  go  over  and  find  you  at  any  hour  of  the  night  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  and  he  has  done  so  at  different  times. 

Question.  If  any  other  person  here  in  position  knew  of  a  train  of  sick  and 
Founded  coming  in  here,  in  charge  of  any  surgeon,  would  it  not  have  been  the 
luty  of  that  person  to  make  provision  for  receiving  them,  and  look  after  them 
.n  some  way. 

Answer.  I  think  so. 

Question.  If  you  had  ordered  that  train  loaded  with  sick  and  wounded  to  be 
nought  to  Washington  immediately,  would  you  not  have  felt  that  it  was  your 
3uty  to  look  after  them,  and  not  be  away  from  your  office  for  10  or  15  hours? 

Answer.   Yes,  sir;  I  think  it  would. 

By  Mr.  Gooch  : 

Question.  Did  you  have  any  communication  with  anybody  in  relation  to  the 
conduct  of  Surgeon  Hays  before  writing  that  letter  to  the  surgeon  general  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir. 

Question.  You  did  it  upon  your  own  motion,  and  not  at  the  instigation  of  any 
aody  else? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir ;  upon  my  own  motion. 

Question.  Had  you  heard  any  outside  clamor  raised  in  relation  to  the  treat 
ment  which  these  men  had  received  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir;  I  did  not  know  what  treatment  the  men  had  received. 

Question.  You  had  then  heard  no  complaints  about  it  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir. 

Question.  Your  letter  was  based  upon  what  Dr.  Hays  himself  stated  to  you  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  The  same  thing  had  occurred  once  before  with  a  brigade 
surgeon.  I  did  not  think  it  right,  and  that  it  should  -be  stopped  and  go  no 
further. 


528  TESTIMONY. 

WASHINGTON,  June  23,  1862. 
Dr.  FRANCIS  SALTER  sworn  and  examined. 

By  Mr.  Goocli: 

Question.  What  is  your  rank  and  position  in  the  service  ? 

Answer.  I  am  a  surgeon  of  volunteers,  of  the  7th  Ohio  regiment,  and  am 
now  in  charge  of  the  hospital  in  Hagerstown. 

Question.  What  was  your  position  prior  to  that  ? 

Answer.  I  have  been  acting  brigade  surgeon  of  the  3d  brigade,  General 
Shields's  division. 

Question.  Has  Dr.  Hays  been  under  you  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir, 

Question.  What  do  you  know  in  relation  to  him  ? 

Answer.  I  am  free  to  say  that  he  has  always  performed  his  duties  as  well 
^as  possible;  always  seemed  exceedingly  anxious  to  perform  all  his  duties  at 
'all  times.     I  have  never  known  him  to  be  absent  from  his  post  at  any  time; 
he  was  always  there  ready  for  orders. 

Question.  Is  there  anything  else  which  you  would  wish  to  state  ? 

Answer.  I  would  be  willing  to  answer  any  questions  you  may  think 
proper  to  ask  me.  I  only  desire  to  show  that  Dr.  Hays  has  never  been  in 
the  habit  of  neglecting  his  duties.  His  habit  has  been  just  the  reverse. 

Question.  Do  you  know  anything  about  the  particulars  of  this  case  where 
Dr.  Hays  is  charged  with  being  derelict  in  the  performance  of  his  duty  ? 

Answer.  I  have  heard,  indirectly,  about  it.  I  think  I  am  acquainted  with 
the  circumstances. 

Question.  You  know  nothing  about  it  of  your  own  knowledge  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir. 

Question.  If  a  surgeon  should  come  to  this  city  with  300  or  400  sick  and 
wounded  persons  in  his  charge,  and  rind  himself  unable  to  report  to  the 
authorities  here  so  as  to  have  them  taken  charge  of,  because  he  arrived 
here  in  the  night,  between  9  and  10  o'clock,  what  would  then  be  his  duty  ? 

Answer.  To  see  the  men  provided  for  and  made  as  comfortable  as  possible. 

Question.  What  do  you  mean  by  "seeing  the  men  provided  for?" 

Answer.  To  have  them  placed  in  as  comfortable  circumstances  as  possible 
in  the  then  existing  state  of  facts. 

Question.  There  being  that  number  of  sick  and  wounded  men  upon  a  train 
of  cars,  either  having  to  remain  in  the  cars  all  night,  or  be  removed  that 
night  to  buildings  temporarily  provided  for  them,  would  or  would  it  not  be 
the  duty  of  the  surgeon  in  charge  to  be  present,  and  superintend  their 
removal,  and  look  after  them  during  the  night  ? 

Answer.  During  the  most  part  of  the  night  it  would, 

Question.  At  what  time  do  you  think  it  would  be  proper  for  him  to  leave  ? 

Answer.  I  think  he  could  leave,  temporarily,  with  instructions  to  others 
to  take  his  place. 

Question.  What  do  you  mean  by  leaving  temporarily  ? 

Answer.  I  should  think  an  absence  (luring  the  night  of  three  hours  would 
be  temporary. 

Question.  Would  it  be  his  duty,  before  he  left,  to  see  to  it  that  all  his 
assistant  surgeons  were  properly  at  work  and  taking  charge  of  the  men 
in  his  care  ? 

Answer.  It  would  be  his  duty  to  have  his  assistants  ordered  and  instructed 
properly  as  to  what  course  they  should  pursue. 

Question.  And  to  see  to  it  that  they  were  doing  that  duty  before  he  left  ? 

Answer.  To  have  orders  given  to  them. 

Question.  Suppose  that  he  should  leave  his  men  for  the  purpose  of  going 
away  and  reporting,  and  finding  that  he  would  not  be  able  to  give  them  over  to 


TESTIMONY.  529 

the  authorities  here  that  night,  he  should  come  back  to  the  train,  would  it 
then  be  his  duty  to  see  to  it  that  his  assistants  were  on  the  ground  and 
doing  their  duty  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  I  think  so. 

Question.  Would  anything  excuse  his  leaving,  under  those  circumstances, 
without  seeing  to  that,  unless  it  was  a  case  of  absolute  prostration  ? 

Answer.  It  would  be  his  duty  to  remain  there,  unless  his  own  health  pre 
vented  his  doing  so. 

Question.  You  mean  by  that,  unless  he  was  physically  unable  to  remain  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  I  would  ask  how  many  assistant  surgeons  were  under 
Dr.  Hays's  command  at  that  time  ? 

Question.  There  were  four  of  them. 

Answer.  I  think,  then,  that  for  three  or  four  hours  he  might  leave,  hav 
ing  such  a  staff  under  his  command,  provided  they  were  at  their  posts  and 
doing  their  duty. 

Question.  And  it  was  his  duty  to  see  that  they  were  there  ? 

Answer.  To  issue  orders  to  them  to  be  at  their  posts. 

By  Dr.  Hays,  (who  was  present:) 

Question.  If  I  saw  one  of  the  assistants  there,  and  supposed  the  others  to 
be  in  the  churches,  as  I  had  ordered  them  to  be  there,  would  I  be  justified 
in  leaving  ? 

Answer.  I  think  an  order  issued  to  one  for  the  whole  would  be  sufficient. 

By  Mr.  Gooch: 

Question.  Do  you  mean  that,  not  finding  the  authorities  here,  and  having 
to  go  back  to  the  train  again,  it  would  be  sufficient  for  him  to  issue  his  orders 
to  one  of  the  assistant  surgeons,  or  should  he  see  them  all  ? 

Answer.  I  think  he  might  issue  his  orders  to  all  through  one. 

Question.  Would  he  be  justified  in  going  away  without  knowing  whether 
the  rest  of  the  assistant  surgeons  were  there  or  absent,  asleep  somewhere  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir;  unless  he  had  evidence  satisfactory  to  him  of  their  being 
there.  If  one  of  the  assistant  surgeons  informed  him  that  the  rest  were 
there,  I  think  that  might  satisfy  him. 

Question.  If  you  had  come  back  to  the  train  under  such  circumstances, 
you  having  charge  of  a  train  of  sick  and  wounded  men,  would  you  have  felt 
that  it  was  your  duty  to  have  given  some  personal  supervision  to  the  mat 
ter,  to  see  what  was  being  done  for  these  men  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  I  should. 


WASHINGTON,  June  2$,  1862. 

Dr.  LEWIS  A.  EDWARDS  sworn  and  examined. 
By  Mr.  Gooch: 

Question.  What  is  your  rank  and  position  in  the  service  ? 

Answer.  I  am  a  surgeon  in  the  United  States  army,  now  on  duty  in  the 
surgeon  general's  office.  I  am  at  present  the  senior  surgeon.  Dr.  Wood 
was  the  senior  surgeon  before  he  was  commissioned  as  assistant  surgeon 
general.  I  ranked  next  to  him. 

Question.  At  what  time  did  you  leave  the  office  a  week  ago  last  Saturday 
evening  ? 

Answer.  I  cannot  recollect  very  distinctly.  I  am  hardly  ever  away  from 
there  before  5  or  half  past  5  o'clock,  and  sometimes  I  remain  there  until 
7  o'clock. 

"Por-f    iii          . Q4 


530  TESTIMONY. 

Question.  What  despatches,  if  any,  were  received  that  day  from  Dr.  Hays, 
who  was  coming  in  with  a  train  of  sick  and  wounded  men  from  Front  Royal  ? 

Answer.  That  I  cannot  say.  I  was  absent  during  the  morning  of  that 
day.  I  had  been  to  Annapolis,  and  I  came  into  this  city  between  12  and  1 
o'clock,  and  went  to  the  office  and  remained  there  until  about  half  past  5 
o'clock.  Up  to  that  time  I  do  not  recollect  of  any  despatch  arriving  from 
Dr.  Hays.  Whenever  a  despatch  in  relation  to  the  transportation  of  sick 
and  wounded,  and  their  accommodation  in  this  city,  arrives,  it  is  sent  im 
mediately  to  the  medical  director  that  he  may  make  arrangements  for  them. 

Question.  To  whom  does  it  come — to  your  office  ? 

Answer.  To  the  surgeon  general.  If  he  is  not  there,  I  open  it  and  act 
upon  it. 

Question.  You  think  you  remained  there  that  day  until  half  past  5 
o'clock  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  The  surgeon  general  leaves  at  4  o'clock  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  If  a  despatch  arrives  after  the  surgeon  general  has  left,  you 
would  open  it  if  you  were  there  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Do  you  think  any  arrived  while  you  were  there  that  day  ? 

Answer.  I  do  not  think  any  did. 

Question.  You  think  you  would  have  recollected  it,  if  any  had  arrived  ? 

Answer.  There  are  so  many  despatches  arriving,  and  that  being  a  mere 
matter  of  routine,  and  one  that  would  have  been  referred  to  the  proper 
office,  if  one  had  arrived,  I  should  not,  perhaps,  have  recollected  about  it. 

Question.  If  one  had  come  what  would  have  been  done  with  it  ? 

Answer.  I  should  have  sent  it  to  the  medical  director,  at  the  military 
headquarters  of  this  district. 

Question.  Have  you  any  recollection,  one  way  or  the  other,  as  to  whether 
a  despatch  did  or  did  not  arrive  that  day,  between  the  time  the  surgeon 
general  left  and  the  time  that  you  left  that  office  ? 

Answer.  I  have  no  recollection  at  all  of  any  coming  of  any  kind,  or  from 
any  source.  If  one  had  come  from  Dr.  Hays,  or  from  any  one  in  reference 
to  the  sick,  I  might  perhaps  recollect  it,  because  the  next  morning  I  saw 
the  train  on  Maryland  avenue,  with  sick  persons  in  it,  and  I  might,  perhaps, 
have  connected  the  two  circumstances  together,  as  relating  the  one  to  the 
other. 

Question.  What  is  your  conclusion  in  relation  to  the  matter  ?  What  is 
your  belief? 

Answer.  My  belief  is  that  no  despatch  was  received. 

Question.  That  is  between  the  time  the  surgeon  general  left,  and  the  time 
of  your  leaving  . 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  there  might  have  been  one  come  in  the  morning  before 
I  arrived.  But  if  one  had  come  it  would  have  been  immediately  sent  to  the 
medical  director's  office,  and  I  would  not  charge  my  mind  with  it.  Upon 
every  letter  and  despatch  that  comes  into  the  office  is  noted  the  day  it  is 
received. 

Question.  Do  you  keep  a  letter  book  ? 

Answer.  We  note  the  time  on  the  original  letter  or  message  itself. 

By  Mr.  Covode  : 

Question.  As  that  was  Saturday,  might  you  not  have  left  a  little  earlier 
than  usual — s&y  at  5  o'clock  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir ;  it  does  not  make  an  3^  difference  about  my  leaving,  whether 
it  be  Saturday,  Monday,  or  any  other  day.  I  might  have  left  a  little  earlier 


TESTIMONY.  531 

than  half  past  five,  but  I  think  not.  I  came  over  from  Baltimore  that 
morning,  went  immediately  to  the  office,  then  over  to  the  War  Department 
and  back  to  the  office  again,  and  remained  there;  sending  word  to  my  family 
that  I  had  arrived,  and  would  be  at  home  to  dinner.  I  think  it  was  about 
half  past  five  when  I  went  home. 

By  Mr.  Gooch  : 

Question.  You  have  now  made  arrangements  to  have  all  despatches  re 
ceived  after  office  hours  sent  directly  to  the  surgeon  general  ? 

Answer.  All  despatches  received  at  the  war  office  for  the  surgeon  general 
after  office  hours  are  now  sent  to  the  surgeon  general's  residence.  The  medi 
cal  director  is  the  one  who  has  charge  of  that  matter;  our  duties  are  merely 
administrative. 

By  Mr.  Covode  : 

Question.  Did  you  know  of  that  train  being  on  its  way  here  ? 
Answer.  No,  sir;  I  did  not  hear  anything  of  it  until  Sunday  morning. 


WASHINGTON,  June  23,  1862. 
JAMES  PALMER  sworn  and  examined. 

By  Mr.  Gooch  : 

Question.  What  is  your  business  ? 
Answer.  I  am  a  laborer  in  the  surgeon  general's  office. 
Question.  Do  you  know  Surgeon  Hays  ? 
Answer.  I  know  him  now  when  I  see  him. 
Question.  When  did  you  first  see  him  ? 

Answer.  I  saw  him  for  the  first  time  last  Sunday  morning,  a  week  ago; 
did  not  know  him  then. 
Question.  Do  you  remember  of  seeing  him  a  week  ago  last  Sunday  morn 


ing  ? 


Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Did  you  have  any  conversation  with  him,  or  he  with  you  ? 

Answer.  I  was  sweeping  out  the  hall,  and  he  came  in  and  asked  if  the 
surgeon  general  was  in,  and  I  said  no.  He  asked  when  he  would  be  in,  and 
I  said  that  he  was  generally  in  about  half  past  9  o'clock.  He  then  remarked 
that  he  had  some  sick  and  wounded  soldiers  here.  I  told  him  that  he  better 
see  the  medical  director.  He  said  he  was  ordered  to  report  to  the  surgeon 
general,  and  I  said  nothing  more  to  him.  In  a  few  minutes  more  he  called 
my  attention  again,  and  asked  me  to  give  him  the  medical  director's  residence, 
and  I  did  so.  He  then  passed  out  of  the  building,  and  in  a  few  minutes 
more  he  came  back  with  General  Hammond.  General  Hammond  was  in 
rather  earlier  that  morning  than  he  usually  is;  I  suppose  that  Dr.  Hays  met 
him. 

Question.  Is  that  all  you  know  about  it  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Covode  : 

Question.  At  what  time  was  it  that  you  saw  Dr.  Hays  that  morning  ? 
Answer.  It  was  some  time  between  the  hours  of  7  and  9  o'clock.     I  could 
not  say  exactly  what  time. 

By  Mr.  Gooch  : 

Question.  Was  it  before  9  o'clock  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  but  I  was  busy,  and  I  did  not  look  at  the  clock. 


532  TESTIMONY. 

WASHINGTON,  June  24,  1862. 
WILLIAM  COOPER  sworn  and  examined. 

By  Mr.  Covode : 

Question.  Where  do  you  reside  ? 

Answer.  I  reside  in  this  city,  on  what  is  called  the  Island  here  ;  a  few 
doors  east  of  the  Island  chapel. 

Question.  What  is  your  occupation  ? 

Answer.  I  have  no  occupation  at  present  ;  I  have  been  a  police  magis 
trate,  but  I  am  not  in  commission  now. 

Question.  What  information  can  you  give  us  in  regard  to  the  case  of  Dr. 
Hays,  in  connexion  with  a  train  of  sick  arid  wounded  soldiers  that  was  brought 
in  here  on  Saturday  week  last  ? 

Answer.  My  evidence  as  to  Dr.  Hays  himself,  begins  at  a  late  period  of 
the  night. 

Question.  Just  tell  us  what  you  know  about  it. 

Answer.  I  saw  Dr.  Hays  there,  not  knowing,  however,  who  he  was  then. 
From  his  appearance,  and  his  attention  to  the  sick  and  wounded,  I  presumed 
that  he  belonged  to  the  medical  fraternity  ;  but  whether  he  was  principal  or 
secondary  there,  I  did  not  know.  He  was  very  attentive,  however  ;  I  saw 
him  very  busily  engaged.  Once  or  twice  I  entered  into  a  little  conversation 
with  him,  which  was  interrupted  by  his  going  to  see  some  patient. 

Question.  What  time  of  the  night  was  that  ? 

Answer.  I  cannot  say  ;  but  it  was  long  after  midnight.  I  did  not  look  at 
the  time  of  night  at  all  then,  because  I  was  very  busily  engaged,  in  con 
junction  with  my  family,  in  trying  to  do  the  best  I  could  for  the  soldiers, 
and  I  did  not  look  at  my  watch,  or  make  any  inquiry  as  to  the  time  of  night, 
until  this  circumstance  took  place.  My  sister  and  myself,  and  one  of  my 
next  neighbors,  a  lady,  got  into  conversation  together.  I  think  one  of  the 
soldiers  was  there  forming  a  part  of  the  group.  A  conversation  ensued  in 
which  the  word  "to-morrow"  was  used.  I  jocularly  remarked,  "what  do 
you  mean  by  '  to-morrow  ?'  It  is  time  you  ought  to  be  thinking  of  going  to 
church" — or  something  to  that  effect.  "This  is  Sunday,  recollect  ;"  and  at 
the  instant,  I  pulled  out  my  watch  and  looked  at  it ;  and  at  the  same  time 
this  lady  friend  of  mine  said  :  "  I  think  you  ought ;"  that  is,  ought  to  think 
about  going  to  church.  I  pulled  out  my  watch  at  that  time  and  looked  at 
it  ;  but  whether  it  was  twenty  minutes  past  one  o'clock,  or  twenty  minutes 
before  two  o'clock,  I  cannot  recollect  ;  but  it  was  considerably  after  one 
o'clock.  Some  minutes  after  that,  I  saw  Dr.  Hays — who,  by  the  way,  I  did 
not  know  as  Dr.  Hays  at  the  time — give  a  powder  to  one  of  the  nurses,  a 
youth  there,  whom  1  observed  to  be  very  handy,  and  it  struck  my  attention — 
and  the  youth  unfolded  the  paper,  and  poured  the  contents  of  it  into  a  spoon 
that  he  had  borrowed  of  one  of  my  family,  mixed  it  with  a  little  water,  and 
then  gave  it  to  a  patient  that  was  lying  upon  the  floor  of  Island  cbapel. 
I  was  on  the  east  side  of  the  church  when  this  conversation  took  place,  at 
the  time  I  pulled  out  my  watch,  and  it  was  some  time  after  that  conversa 
tion  that  I  saw  Dr.  Hays  give  this  powder  to  the  nurse,  who  administered  it 
to  a  patient  who  was  lying  on  the  floor  on  the  west  side  of  the  chapel.  At 
that  time  it  must  have  been  very  near  two  o'clock,  if  not  quite. 

Question.  Did  you  see  Dr.  Hays  at  any  time  after  that  ? 

Answer.  Not  that  I  remember.  I  did  not  go  to  Potomac  Hall,  where  some 
of  the  patients  were. 

Question.  What  was  the  condition  of  the  sick  and  wounded  at  that  time  ; 
had  they  been  removed  arid  all  cared  for  ? 

Answer.  As  ,well  as  circumstances  would  possibly  permit,  I  thought. 


TESTIMONY.  533 

Question.  Into  what  building  had  they  been  removed  ? 

Answer.  Into  Potomac  Hall,  at  the  corner  of  South  I)  and  llth  streets.,  and 
into  Island  chapel,  at  the  corner  of  South  D  and  10th  streets,  which  is  near 
my  house.  And  the  next  day  I  know  there  were  some  in  Grace  church, 
which  is  about  a  square  and  a  half  east  of  my  house;  but  whether  they 
were  removed  there  during  the  night  or  not,  I  have  no  means  of  knowing. 

Question.  Did  you  notice  whether  there  was  a  large  number  of  those  sick 
and  wounded  who  were  able  to  walk? 

Answer.  There  were  a  great  many  of  them  who  were  able  to  limp  about. 
My  attention  was  taken  up  with  tLose  in  Island  chapel,  and  I  did  not  go  into 
Potomac  Hall  at  all.  And  during  the  night,  I  know,  before  I  went  into 
Island  chapel  at  all,  as  I  was  standing  in  my  porch,  I  saw  several  men  in 
couplets  with  their  hands  locked  together  and  a  patient  sitting  up  on  their 
hands  apparently  unable  to  walk,  and  they  were  carrying  them  from  the 
cars  into  the  church.  «• 

It  was  a  stormy  night,  and  several  females  of  my  family,  and  my  son,  and 
others  went  over  to  give  bread  and  other  things  to  the  poor  fellows  in  the 
cars,  and  they  came  home  dripping  wet.  I  remained  at  home  getting  things 
ready  to  be  carried  over  there,  making  tea,  getting  water  ready,  and  all  that 
sort  of  thing. 

Question.  Do  you  think  that  everything  was  done  that  night  that  could 
well  be  done  for  the  relief  of  the  suffering  soldiers  before  Dr.  Hays  left  ? 

Answer.  I  have  not  the  slightest  doubt  that  everything  was  done  before 
he  left  that  we  were  able  to  do.  It  was  quite  bedtime  before  the  cars 
arrived;  indeed  it  was  after  my  bedtime,  before  anything  was  done  to  take 
the  soldiers  out  of  the  cars;  for  we  all  thought  that  ambulances  would  come 
and  take  them  away;  and  though  my  usual  time  of  going  to  bed  is  about 
nine  o'clock,  yet  having  some  curiosity  to  see  whether  the  ambulances 
would  come,  I  sat  in  a  rocking  chair  near  the  front  window  of  my  house, 
waiting  for  them.  I  had  dropped  off  asleep  in  my  chair,  when  my  daughter, 
who  is  married,  came  in  and  woke  me  up,  and  said,  "There  are  a  number  of 
poor  sick  men  here,  and  I  think  it  is  a  shame  that  they  are  not  removed;" 
and  she  said  something  about  opening  Island  chapel  for  them.  And  then  a 
number  more  of  us  got  together,  and  got  some  bread  and  butter,  and  made 
some  tea  for  the  soldiers,  which,  of  course,  took  some  time. 

Question.  You  and  others  attended  to  the  providing  of  their  wants  as 
much  as  possible  ? 

Answer.  We  did  so  to  the  best  of  our  ability,  and  on  Sunday  it  was 
rumored  there,  and  generally  believed,  that  another  train  would  be  in  in  the 
course  of  the  day,  with  a  parcel  more  of  sick  soldiers,  and  about  3  or  4  o'clock 
in  the  afternoon;  and  I  had  a  hundred  and  odd  loaves  of  bread  piled  up  in 
my  kitchen  and  about  200  pounds  of  ice;  and  I  went  over  to  Island  chapel 
and  to  Grace  church  and  told  them  that  if  they  wanted  any  bread  or  any 
thing  of  the  kind,  to  send  over  to  my  house  and  get  it.  But  no  train  arrived, 
and  after  keeping  the  bread  until  Tuesday,  I  sent  it  back.  The  ice,  of  course, 
all  melted  away. 

Question.  Have  you  any  knowledge  of  the  number  that  were  carried  into 
the  churches  ? 

Answer.  I  have  no  idea. 

Question.  Was  there  a  considerable  number  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  I  went  into  Island  chapel,  but  I  did  not  go  much  about 
the  church,  because  there  were  a  great  many  females  there — my  own  family 
numbered  pretty  sharply;  I  should  think  there  were  seven  or  eight  of  them — 
and  they  were  all  going  around  doing  as  much  as  they  could;  and  I  acted 
pretty  much  as  their  lackey  ? 


534  TESTIMONY. 

Question.  You  are  certain  that  you  saw  Dr.  Hays  bestowing  attentions 
upon  those  men  continuously  up  to  2  o'clock  ? 

Answer.  I  did;  and  when  I  read  the  order,  No.  66,  I  had  no  more  idea 
that  the  doctor  I  had  seen  there  was  the  surgeon  in  charge,  there  referred 
to,  than  that  I  was;  and  I  said,  "served  him  right."  But  when  I  came  to 
find  out  who  that  surgeon  was,  I  said  it  was  essentially  wrong. 

Question.  That  is,  you  approved  of  the  act  of  dismissing  Dr.  Hays  until 
you  learned  it  was  the  same  man  you  had  seen  attending  the  wounded  men 
there  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  And  I  had  no  idea  that  this  gentleman,  [pointing  to 
Dr.  Hays,]  whom  I  had  conversed  with,  and  whom  I  had  seen  going  about 
among  the  patients,  and  exerting  himself  to  the  best  of  his  ability,  as  I 
thought — I  had  no  idea  that  he  was  the  surgeon  in  charge,  but  thought  he 
was  only  secondary;  and  therefore  when  I  read  the  order,  which  1  did  on 
Tuesday  mornkig,  at  a  friend's  house,  I  said,  "Served  him  right."  I  agreed 
with  the  order  then,  and  so  did  my  family.  But  my  sister  says,  "  How  can 
that  be  ?  That  gentleman  I  talked  with  was  Dr.  Hays — at  least,  they  called 
him  Dr.  Hays."  Says  I,  "  What  kind  of  a  man  was  he  ?  "  She  described 
him.  But  I  thought  it  could  not  be  Dr.  Hays,  for  I  knew  that  very  often,  in 
describing  persons  in  that  way,  people  mistake  one  person  for  another;  and 
it  was  not  until  yesterday  that  I  was  positively  convinced,  of  my  own 
knowledge,  that  the  surgeon  I  saw  there  that  night  wlas  Dr.  Hays. 

Question.  And  you  are  certain  now  that  this  Dr.  Hays  (pointing  to  him) 
is  the  identical  man  who  was  attending  to  the  soldiers  that  night. 

Answer.  This  is  the  identical  man. 

Question.  Did  he  say  anything  about  having  sent  any  despatches  here 
about  his  coming  here  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  When  did  he  tell  you  that  ? 

Answer.  That  night,  at  Island  chapel. 

Question.  What  did  he  tell  you  ? 

Answer.  He  told  me  that  he  had  telegraphed,  I  think  at  Front  Royal, 
that  he  was  coming  on  with  about  300  sick  and  wounded,  and  asked  what 
he  should  do  with  them,  or  something  of  that  import;  and  be  said  he 
received  for  answer,  to  come  on.  I  think  those  were  the  words  he  said 
he  received  in  reply,  or  something  equivalent  to  that;  that  is,  to  bring  them 
to  Washington.  He  told  me  that  when  he  arrived  at  Manassas  he  had  there 
telegraphed  that  he  had  arrived  at  that  point,  and  that  he  would  be  in 
Washington  at  a  certain  time.  I  do  not  recollect  that  he  told  me  what 
that  time  was. 

Question.  Did  he  tell  you  to  whom  he  directed  those  telegrams  ? 

Answer.  Not  particularly,  I  think.  He  said  "to  the  authorities,"  I  think. 
He  may  have  said  "  to  headquarters." 

Question.  Did  the  doctor  complain  that  night  that  no  attention  had  been 
paid  to  his  telegrams  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  He  appeared  to  be  very  much  hurt,  indeed,  to  think 
that  the  men  had  been  so  neglected.  And  he  said  that  the  more  neglected 
he  thought  the  men  had  been,  the  more  deserving  of  credit  he  thought  the 
citizens  there  were  for  what  they  had  done.  I  will  not  state  positively 
that  I  did  not  see  Dr.  Hays  after  2  o'clock  in  the  morning.  I  might  have 
seen  him,  and  I  might  not;  I  could  not  state  about  that. 


TESTIMONY.  535 

WASHINGTON,  June  24,  1862. 
ANSELM  HATCH  sworn  and  examined. 
By  Mr.  Covode: 

Question.  Where  do  you  reside  ? 

Answer.  I  live  in  this  city,  on  the  Island,  on  9th  street  and  south  D. 

Question.  Were  you  there  a  week  ago  last  Saturday  night,  when  a  train 
of  sick  and  wounded  were  brought  into  the  city  ? 

Answer.  I  was  there  between  half  past  10  and  11  o'clock,  when  I  went 
over  from  the  city. 

Question.  What  did  you  see  done  there  that  night  ? 

Answer.  I  saw  citizens  giving  them  refreshments,  and  taking  them  from 
the  cars  into  the  churches  and  their  houses ;  I  had  several  of  them  at  my 
house,  and  one  of  them  slept  in  my  bed,  while  I  sat  up  and  slept  in  a  chair. 

Question.  How  were  those  sick  and  wounded  provided  for  ?  Were  they 
taken  from  the  cars  that  night  ? 

Answer.  I  saw  a  great  many  taken  from  the  cars.  They  seemed  to  have 
every  attention  possible  paid  to  them. 

Question.  Where  were  they  taken  to  ? 

Answer.  Some  were  taken  into  private  houses,  and  some  into  churches. 
Potomac  Hall  was  the  first  one  I  recollect  hearing  mentioned.  I  had  four 
or  five  of  them  with  me. 

Question.  Were  there  many  of  the  citizens  there  attending  to  them  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  A  great  many  were  around  there:  pretty  nearly  every 
body  was  out  there. 

Question.  Did  you  see  any  surgeons  there  that  night  ? 

Answer.  I  heard  that  there  were  some  there,  but  I  did  not  see  them.  A 
Mr.  Woodruff,  who  was  along  in  care  of  the  wounded,  and  who  stayed  over 
at  my  house,  was  up  and  around  there  until  about  3  o'clock,  I  heard  him  say 
at  one  time  that  he  would  go  and  see  the  surgeons,  and  I  understood  from 
him  that  they  were  about.  I  paid  but  little  attention  to  what  was  being 
done,  except  what  little  I  was  able  to  do  myself. 

Question.  You  did  not  see  Dr.  Hays  or  any  of  the  other  surgeons  ? 
Answer.  No,  sir;  I  did  not  see  any  of  them. 

Question.  You  only  know  that  the  sick  and  wounded  were  cared  for  by 
the  citizens  and  made  as  comfortable  as  possible  ? 
Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Gooch: 

Question.  You  did  not  see  a  surgeon  that  night  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir.     I  did  not  go  over  to  the  cars  that  night. 

Question.  None  of  them  went  to  your  house  to  see  the  sick  and  wounded 
there  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir.  There  was  no  one  there  that  required  the  attendance 
of  a  surgeon. 

By  Mr.  Covode: 

Question.  Were  there  many  there  who  could  walk  about  ? 
Answer.  A  great  many  of  them  got  out  of  the  cars  and  walked  about. 
Those  at  my  house  walked  over  there. 


536  TESTIMONY. 

WASHINGTON,  June  24,  1862. 

HAMILTON  K.  GRAY  sworn  and  examined. 
By  Mr.  Gooch: 

Question.  Do  you  live  in  this  city  ? 

Answer.  I  do. 

Question.  What  is  your  business  ? 

Answer.  I  am  at  present  bookkeeper  for  Mr.  Ryan,  grocer,  on  the  corner 
of  D  and  9th  streets. 

Question.  Did  you  see  the  train  of  sick  and  wounded  soldiers  that  came 
into  this  city  a  week  ago  last  Saturday  night;  and  if  so,  about  what  time 
did  you  first  see  any  of  the  soldiers  ?  Go  on,  and  tell  us  all  you  know 
about  it. 

Answer.  I  did  not  see  the  train  when  it  first  came  in.  I  got  to  the  train 
about  11  o'clock,  as  well  as  I  can  recollect,  and  I  was  told  that  there  were 
some  300  and  odd  soldiers  there.  I  immediately  went  to  the  assistance  of 
the  soldiers,  and  seeing  no  surgeons  around,  I  inquired  of  the  soldiers  where 
the  surgeons  were,  several  of  them  said  that  Dr.  Hays  had  gone  to  the  sur 
geon  general's  office  to  procure  ambulances  to  have  them  removed  to  the 
hospitals.  After  assisting  the  soldiers  as  much  as  I  could — all  in  my  power — 
I  met  a  surgeon,  who  I  afterwards  learned  was  Dr.  Hays.  A  friend  of  mine 
also  came  up  to  me  at  the  same  time  and  told  me  that  Potomac  Hall  had 
been  procured  for  the  accommodation  of  the  soldiers.  I  informed  Dr.  Hays 
of  that  fact,  and  he  seemed  to  be  very  glad  to  know  that  we  had  procured 
a  place,  and  he  set  to  work  to  have  the  soldiers  removed;  all  that  could  be 
removed.  He  seemed  to  be  doing  all  he  could  for  the  relief  of  the  soldiers. 
He  complained  very  much  that  there  were  no  ambulances  there  to  remove 
them  to  the  hospitals.  He  did  not  state  anything  that  had  transpired  while 
he  was  away  looking  for  the  surgeon  general,  but  he  told  me  that  he  had 
telegraphed  three  times,  once  on  his  way  down  here,  informing  the  authori 
ties  here  that  he  was  on  the  way  here  with  soldiers,  sick  and  wounded;  yet 
they  were  not  provided  with  ambulances  when  they  arrived  here.  I  saw 
him  at  times  until  a  very  late  hour  in  the  morning;  and  all  the  time  he  was 
doing  his  utmost  for  the  relief  of  the  soldiers. 

Question.  What  was  the  latest  hour  at  which  you  can 'fix  the  time  posi 
tively  that  you  saw  Dr.  Hays  ? 

Answer.  The  latest  specific  hour  that  I  can  fix  positively  was  half  past 
twelve.  I  told  some  of  the  soldiers  the  time  of  night  then.  How  long  I 
remained  there  after  that  I  cannot  say. 

Question.  You  saw  the  doctor  there  as  late  as  what  hour  ? 

Answer.  I  am  certain  I  saw  him  there  as  late  as  half  past  twelve  o'clock; 
how  much  later  I  cannot  say. 

Question.  And  at  that  time  he  was  assisting  in  removing  the  soldiers 
and  doing  all  he  could  for  their  comfort  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Did  you  see  any  of  his  assistants  ? 

Answer.  I  saw  only  one. 

Question.  Do  you  know  his  name  ? 

Answer.  I  do  not  know  him.  I  do  not  know  as  I  should  know  him  if  I 
saw  him  again.  I  recollect  seeing  one,  and  he  said  something  to  Dr.  Hays 
about  going  to  take  some  rest. 

Question.  You  saw  no  surgeon  there  after  you  got  there  until  you  saw 
Dr.  Hays  ? 

Answer.  None  at  all.  When  I  got  there  Dr.  Hays  was  off  looking  for  the 
surgeon  general,  as  some  of  the  soldiers  told  me.  In  conversation  with  the 


TESTIMONY.  537 

soldiers  they  all  spoke  in  the  highest  terms  of  their  surgeons.  Some  per 
son  was  complaining,  I  remember,  of  the  soldiers  being  neglected  by  the 
surgeons,  and  one  young  man  who  was  wounded  emphatically  contradicted 
it,  and  said  the  surgeons  had  done  all  they  could  for  them. 

Question.  You  say  you  heard  some  complaints  of  the  surgeons  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  among  the  citizens.  % 

Question.  Not  among  the  soldiers  ? 

Answer.  None  at  all  among  the  soldiers. 

Question.  Some  of  the  citizens  were  complaining  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  There  are  always  some  persons  who  take  great  delight 
in  finding  fault. 

Question.  They  were  complaining  that  the  surgeons  had  not  done  their 
duty  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  And  it  was  then  that  this  young  man  said  they  had  been  taken 
good  care  of  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  The  only  complaint  I  heard  from  the  soldiers  was 
from  one  of  them  about  having  been  carried  twenty  or  thirty  miles  over  a 
rough  pike  road,  shaking  them  almost  to  pieces. 

Question.  These  men  were  in  a  bad  condition  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  They  suffered  more  there  than  they  would  if  they  had  been 
taken  in  ambulances  to  the  hospitals  ? 

x\nswer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  And  they  would  have  suffered  very  much  more  than  they  did 
if  it  had  not  been  for  the  attention  of  the  citizens  ? 

Answer.  No  doubt  of  it.  They  were  very  hungry.  Every  man  seemed 
as  if  he  had  not  had  anything  to  eat  for  two  or  three  days,  although  some 
of  the  men  who  were  themselves  very  much  exhausted  would  not  taste  any 
thing  until  we  had  served  the  wounded.  I  am  sorry  I  took  no  more  note  of 
the  time,  but  I  did  not  think  of  the  time  then. 

Question.  Were  the  most  of  them  taken  out  of  the  cars  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  There  were  some  of  the  wounded  left  in  the  cars  who 
begged  not  to  be  removed.  They  were  in  freight  cars — very  close  cars. 
We  placed  them  where  they  could  get  air,  and  they  seemed  to  be  very  com 
fortable  and  very  well  satisfied.  The  next  morning  I  went  there,  and  they 
seemed  to  be  a  great  deal  refreshed.  One  of  the  soldiers  told  me  that  he 
thought  that,  if  it  had  not  been  for  the  assistance  they  had  received  from 
the  citizens  of  the  island,  many  of  those  who  were  low  of  typhoid  fever  and 
of  exhaustion  would  have  died.  In  several  cases  we  had  to  take  them  to 
the  churches  almost  by  main  force.  They  were  so  much  exhausted  that  they 
seemed  to  have  lost  all  energy  whatever. 

'Question.  You  mean  you  had  to  carry  them  to  the  churches  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  In  some  instances  I  saw  some  soldiers  carrying  other 
soldiers  on  their  backs. 

Question.  Those  that  were  able  to  do  so  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  they  helped  each  other  as  much  as  they  could. 

Question.  There  were  five  surgeons  with  that  train.  You  saw  two  of  them. 
Do  you  know  what  became  of  the  other  three  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir;  unless  they  were  in  private  houses  attending  to  the 
soldiers  there. 

Question.  You  had  no  knowledge  of  them  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir;  none  but  the  one  I  saw  with  Dr.  Hays.  I  talked  some 
with  Dr.  Hays  myself;  and  I  also  saw  him  there  the  next  day. 

Question.  How  late  did  you  remain  there  that  night  ? 

Answer.  I  have  no  idea;  it  was  very  late  when  I  left.     I  left  when  I  found 


538  TESTIMONY. 

that  nothing  more  could  be  done  for  them.  The  most  of  them  seemed  to  be 
asleep  and  well  cared  for;  and  I  knew  that  they  must  need  rest.  I  would 
state,  in  addition  to  what  I  have  already  stated,  that  when  I  first  got  to  the 
cars  there  were  a  great  number  of  soldiers  who  were  outside  of  the  cars, 
and  were  able  to  move  about  without  assistance  from  others. 


WASHINGTON,  June  24,  1862. 
GEORGE  H.  MORSE  sworn  and  examined. 

By  Mr.  Gooch: 

Question.  What  is  your  occupation  ? 

Answer.  I  am  a  clerk  at  Willard's  Hotel,  in  this  city. 

Question.  At  what  hours  were  you  on  duty  there  ? 

Answer.  From  about  10  o'clock  at  night  until  half  past  6  o'clock  in  the 
morning. 

Question.  Did  Surgeon  Hays  come  to  your  hotel  and  take  tea  on  Saturday 
night,  a  week  ago  ? 

Answer.  About  ten  minutes  past  10  o'clock,  Colonel  Lewis  and  another 
officer — a  quartermaster,  I  believe — came  in  and  registered  his  name,  and 
also  the  name  of  Dr.  Hays.  He  said  that  Dr.  Hays  would  be  there  after 
awhile.  I  think  it  was  between  half  past  10  and  a  quarter  to  11  o'clock 
that  Dr.  Hays  came  in,  and  I  sent  his  baggage  up  to  his  room.  He  went 
into  the  dining-room  and  took  tea;  he  was  not  there  over  ten  minutes,  I 
think,  when  he  came  out  and  asked  me  if  I  knew  where  the  surgeon  general 
lived.  I  told  him  that  I  did  not  know.  He  said  he  had  come  here  with  a 
train  of  sick  and  wounded  soldiers;  that  he  had  telegraphed  twice,  and  ex 
pected  to  find  ambulances  and  the  necessary  conveyances  to  take  them  to 
the  hospitals;  but  when  he  got  here  he  found  nothing  there  at  all.  He  said 
that  he  was  a  stranger  here  and  did  not  know  where  to  find  anybody.  He 
inquired  of  several  where  the  surgeon  general  lived,  but  could  not  find  out. 
When  he  came  out  of  the  dining-room  it  had  commenced  to  rain,  and  he  re 
quested  me  to  send  up  to  his  room  for  his  rubber  coat.  I  did  so  and  he  put 
it  on  and  went  out,  saying  that  he  would  go  and  try  to  find  the  surgeon 
general.  I  did  not  see  Dr.  Hays  again  until  he  came  in  very  late  in  the 
morning.  As  he  came  in  I  looked  at  the  clock,  and  saw  that  it  was  in  the 
vicinity  of  4  o'clock.  The  exact  time  I  cannot  state. 

By  Mr.  Covode  : 

Question.  Are  you  quite  certain  it  was  after  3  o'clock  ? 

Answer.  I  am. 

0 

By  Mr.  Gooch : 

Question.  What  office  were  you  sitting  in  ? 
Answer.  At  the  office  of  the  hotel,  behind  the  counter. 
Question.  Who  else  came  in  about  that  time  ? 
Answer.  No  one  that  I  have  any  recollection  of. 
Question.  Did  any  other  person  come  in  after  2  o'clock  ? 
Answer.  There  are  persons  coming  in  after  2  o'clock  every  night. 
Question.  Do  you  recollect  of  any  coming  in  that  night  ? 
Answer.  Not  particularly.     The  reason  why  I  recollect  about  Dr.  Hays  is 
that  I  knew  the  object  he  went  out  for. 

Question.  Had  you  any  conversation  with  him  at  that  time  ? 

Answer.  Not  that  I  recollect. 

Question.  Did  you  ask  whether  he  had  found  the  surgeon  general  ? 


TESTIMONY.  539 

Answer.  I  did  not. 

Question.  Did  he  say  anything  to  you  ? 

Answer.  I  think  he  went  right  to  his  room  and  said  nothing;  that  is  my 
impression.  I  may  be  mistaken. 

Question  You  are  sure  he  did  not  tell  you  whether  he  had  found  the  sur 
geon  general. 

Answer.  I  did  not  think  to  ask  him  that. 

Question.  Are  you  perfectly  sure  that  you  looked  at  the  clock  ? 

Answer.  I  am. 

Question.  When  was  your  attention  first  called  to  this  matter,  and  that 
you  would  be  wanted  to  testify  here  ? 

Answer.  I  did  not  know  it  until  yesterday. 

Question.  Who  saw  you  then  about  it? 

Answer.  Dr.  Hays. 
^  Question.  What  conversation  passed  between  you  and  him  ? 

Answer.  No  conversation,  except  that  he  had  been  before  this  committee, 
and  they  had  sent  him  down  to  get  me  to  testify  as  to  the  time  he  had  come 
in  that  night. 

Question.  What  else  passed  between  you  ? 

Answer.  No  other  conversation. 

Question.  Nothing  more  ? 

Answer.  Nothing  that  I  recollect  of. 

Question.  He  did  not  ask  you  whether  you  remembered  the  time  that  he 
came  in  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir. 

Question.  No  one  has  asked  you  whether  you  remembered  the  time  ? 

Answer.  Mr.  Chadwick,  one  of  the  proprietors  of  the  hotel,  asked  me;  and 
Mr.  Odell,  of  this  committee,  asked  me  night  before  last. 

Question    What  did  you  tell  Mr.  Odell  ? 

Answer.  I  told  him  the  same,  I  think,  that  I  have  told  you  here,  very 
nearly. 

Question.  Was  that  before  you  had  the  conversation  with  Dr.  Hays  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  it  was  night  before  last.  I  did  not  know  anything 
about  coming  here  until  I  saw  Dr.  Hays  yesterday  evening. 

By  Mr.  Covode  : 

Question.  Who  first  broached  the  subject  with  regard  to  your  knowing 
where  the  surgeon  general  lived  ?  Was  it  you  to  Dr.  Hays,  or  Dr.  Hays  to 
you  ? 

Answer.  Dr.  Hays  asked  me  if  I  knew  where  he  lived. 

Question.  I  mean  when  he  asked  you  to  come  here  ? 

Answer.  He  did  not  say  anything  to  me  then  about  the  surgeon  general. 

Question.  Did  you  say  anything  to  him  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir.     All  he  said  was  that  you  wanted  me  here  to  testify 
about  the  time  he  came  in. 
By  Mr.  Gooch  : 

Question.  Who  was  the  first  person  who  spoke  to  you  about  the  time  he 
came  in  that  night  ? 

Answer.  I  could  not  tell  who  was  the  first,  because  several  about  the 
hotel  have  asked  me.  I  did  not  know  I  was  to  be  called  upon  to  testify 
until  yesterday. 

Question.  Did  anybody  ask  you  before  Mr.  Odell  did  ? 

Answer.  I  think  so. 

Question.  Who? 

Answer.  I  think  Mr.  Chadwick  asked  me.  He  is  one  of  the  proprietors  of 
the  hotel. 


540  TESTIMONY. 

Question.  When  did  he  ask  you  ? 

Answer.  I  could  not  state. 

Question.  Did  he  ask  you  within  two  or  three  days  after  the  occurrence  \ 
It  was  a  week  afterwards  that  Mr.  Odell  asked  you. 

Answer.  My  impression  is  that  Mr.  Chadwick  asked  me.  He  did  not  ast 
me  until  after  Dr.  Hays  was  dismissed. 

Question.  Dr.  Hays  was  dismissed  on  the  Monday  morning  afterwards 
You  say  you  never  had  any  conversation  at  all  with  Dr.  Hays  at  the  time  ? 

Answer.  To  the  best  of  my  recollection  I  never  spoke  to  Dr.  Hays  aftei 
that  night  until  he  came  to  me  yesterday. 

Question.  Did  he  ask  you  then  if  you  remembered  at  what  time  he  cam* 
in  that  night  ? 

Answer.  He  did  not.  He  merely  said  you  wanted  me  here  to  testify  a* 
to  the  time  he  came  in. 

Question.  Do  you  know  a  Mr.  Rider  ? 

Answer.  I  do. 

Question.  Did  he  ever  ask  you  about  this  matter  ? 

Answer.  He  never  did  ? 

Question.  He  never  said  anything  to  you  about  it  ? 

Answer.  All  that  he  ever  said  to  me  was  this  :  I  was  sitting  out  in  frori 
of  the  hotel  some  days  ago,  and  Mr.  Rider  came  out  there  arid  sat  dowr 
I  did  not  know  who  he  was  then.  I  do  not  recollect  what  was  said.  I  ha< 
heard  before  that  Mr.  Rider  had  Dr.  Hays's  case  in  charge;  and,  from  some 
thing  that  he  said,  I  thought  that  he  was  the  man.  I  asked  if  he  had  Di 
Hays's  case  in  charge,  and  he  said  that  he  had.  I  said  that  I  hoped  tha 
he  would  be  able  to  clear  him,  as  1  thought  it  was  a  very  unjust  case  an} 
way. 

Question.  What  else  was  said  ? 

Answer.  Nothing  more. 

Question.  Did  he  ask  about  what  time  Doctor  Hays  came  in  that  night 

Answer.  He  did  not. 

Question.  Did  you  tell  him  ? 

Answer.  I  did  not.    I  did  not  say  anything  more  to  him. 

Question.  Did  you  not  tell  Mr.  Rider  anything  at  all  about  your  kuowin: 
about  this  case  ? 

Answer.  I  did  not.  To  the  best  of  my  recollection,  I  said  nothing  inor 
to  him. 

By  Mr.  Covode: 

Question.  Have  you  heard  any  other  person  connected  with  the  hotel  sa 
that  they  knew  where  the  surgeon  general  lived  ? 

:.  Answer.  I  have  heard  Mr.  Chadwick  and  one  or  two  of  the  clerks  say  the 
they  did  not  know  where  he  lived. 

Question.  Have  you  ever  heard  any  of  the  others  say  they  did  kno\ 
where  he  lived  ? 

Answer.  I  have  not. 


WASHINGTON,  June  25,  1862. 
WILLIAM  KIERNAN  sworn  and  examined. 
By  Mr.  Covode: 

Question.  Where  do  you  live  ? 

Answer.  On  4J  street,  between  D  street  and  Virginia  avenue  in  this  cit; 

Question.  What  is  your  business  ? 


TESTIMONY.  541 

Answer.  I  am  a  hackman.     I  own  hacks. 

Question.  Were  you  on  the  stand,  at  Willard's,  on  Saturday  night  week  ? 

Answer.  That  is  the  night  the  wounded  soldiers  came  here. 

Question.  Yes,  sir. 

Ansftver.  Yes,  sir;  I  was  on  the  stand. 

Question.  Have  you  any  recollection  of  seeing  Doctor  Hays — this  gentle 
man  (pointing  to  him)  that  night,  and  taking  him  to  the  War  Department, 
and  anywhere  else  ?  If  so  state  to  us  about  it. 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  I  drove  him  down  to  the  cars  on  Maryland  avenue 
first.  He  remained  there  some  time.  I  could  not  state  how  long  it  was. 
He  wanted  to  go  to  the  surgeon  general's  office,  and  I  did  not  know  where 
it  was.  He  told  me  to  drive  him  to  the  War  Department,  and  I  drove  him 
there.  He  then  told  me  to  drive  him  from  there  to  the  corner  of  F  and  15th 
streets,  arid  I  drove  him  there.  He  got  out  and  went  to  the  door,  and  a 
man  came  to  the  door,  and  talked  with  him  some  5  or  6  minutes. 

Question.  Do  you  know  where  the  surgeon  general's  office  is  ? 

Answer.  I  did  not  know  until  then.  It  is  a  large  building  right  on  the 
corner  of  F  and  15th  streets. 

Question.  Did  you  see  the  man  he  was  talking  to? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Where  was  he  ? 

Answer.  He  was  standing  at  the  door  when  I  saw  him  in  the  vestibule. 
I  was  standing  out  at  the  hack,  on  the  curbing. 

Question.  You  are  certain  that  the  Doctor  got  out  of  the  hack  and  went  to 
the  door  and  talked  to  him  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Did  you  drive  Dr.  Hays  back  to  the  cars  after  that  again  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir  ;  I  did  not  drive  him  back  to  the  cars.  I  drove  him  to 
Willard's. 

Question.  What  time  of  night  was  that  as  near  as  you  can  tell  ? 

Answer.  I  could  not  say  exactly  what  time  it  was.     It  was  late,  I  know. 

By  Mr.  Odell : 

Question.  Was  it  one  o'clock  ? 
Answer.  Yes,  sir  ;  it  was  after  one  o'clock. 
Question.  Was  it  two  o'clock  ? 

Answer.  I  cannot  say.  If  it  was  not  not  two  o'clock  it  was  mighty 
near  it. 

Question.  Was  it  four  o'clock  ? 

Answer.  It  was  not  four  o'clock. 

Question.  What  time  did  you  put  up  that  night  ? 

Answer.  I  did  not  put  up  that  night  at  all.     I  stayed  out  all  night. 

Question.  You  put  up  some  time  ? 

Answer.  I  put  up  in  the  morning. 

Question.  At  what  time  ? 

Answer.  About  six  o'clock. 

By  Mr.  Covode  : 

Question.  Did  you  get  off  your  hack  and  go  into  the  War  Department 
yourself  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir  ;  the  doctor  went  in. 

Question.  Did  you  get  off  your  hack  at  the  surgeon  general's  office  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  You  did  not  go  in  there  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir. 


542  TESTIMONY. 

By  Mr.  Gooch  : 

Question.  The  doctor  engaged  you  at  Willards'  ? 

Answer:  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  You  stand  there  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  % 

Question.  At  what  time  did  he  engage  you  first  ? 

Answer.  I  do  not  know  what  time. 

Question.  As  -near  as  may  be  ? 

Answer.  I  judge  it  was  somewhere  between  10  and  12  o'clock. 

Question.  Who  went  with  you  when  you  drove  down  to  the  cars  ? 

Answer.  There  was  another  gentleman  who  went  with  the  doctor  to  the 
cars. 

Question.  How  long  did  you  remain  at  the  cars  ? 

Answer.  I  do  not  know  how  long. 

Question.  State  as  near  as  you  can. 

Answer.  I  suppose  we  stopped  there  near  an  hour. 

Question.  Then  where  did  you  go  ? 

Answer.  I  think  I  drove  right  up  to  the  War  Department. 

Question.  And  from  there  to  the  surgeon  general's  office  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  And  from  there  around  to  Willard's  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  And  the  doctor  then  got  out  and  went  into  Willard's  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Did  you  see  him  after  he  went  into  the  hotel  at  that  time  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir  ;  I  did  not  see  him  after  that. 

Question.  You  left  him  there  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  You  think  that  was  as  late  as  one  o'clock  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir  ;  I  do.     I  know  it  was  that  late. 

Question.  You  know  it  was  as  late  as  one  o'clock  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Did  the  doctor  hire  you  by  the  hour  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  How  much  did  he  give  you  for  the  hour  ? 

Answer.  A  dollar  and  a  half. 

Question.  How  much  money  did  he  pay  you  ? 

Answer.  He  gave  me  three  dollars.  I  did  not  charge  him  by  the  hour, 
for  I  did  not  know  the  time  when  we  started.  He  asked  me  what  his  bill 
was  when  he  got  out,  and  I  told  him  three  dollars. 

Question.  Was  that  more  than  a  dollar  and  a  half  an  hour  ? 

Answer.  No.  sir.  It  would  have  come  to  more  than  that  if  I  had  known 
the  time. 

Question.  You  charged  him  three  dollars  for  all  the  time  that  he  used  your 
hack  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

[Dr.  Hays,  who  was  present,  was  here  asked  how  he  reconciled  the  state 
ment  of  this  witness,  that  he  drove  him  first  to  the  cars,  and  then  to  the 
surgeon  general's  office,  with  his  own  statement  that  he  went  first  to  the 
surgeon  general's  office  and  then  to  the  cars.  The  doctor  said  this  witness 
was  mistaken.] 

The  witness  :  When  this  gentleman  first  engaged  me,  he  asked  me  if  I 
knew  where  the  office  of  the  surgeon  general  was,  and  I  told  him  that  I  did 
not.  He  then  went  into  the  hotel  to  inquire,  and  came  out  and  told  me  to 
drive  him  to  the  cars,  and  I  drove  him  down. 


TESTIMONY.  543 

Question.  Is  there  any  possibility  of  your  being  mistaken  as  to  the  route 
you  went  that  night  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir;  I  think  I  could  go  the  same  route  over  again. 

By  Mr.  Odell  : 

Question.  What  number  do  you  drive  ? 

Answer.  No.  321. 

Question.  Who  do  you  drive  for  ? 

Answer.  For  myself. 

Subsequently  Dr.  Hays,  having  left  the  committee-room,  returned  and  said 
that  he  desired  to  state  that  since  hearing  the  testimony  of  the  last  witness, 
he  had  reflected  upon  it  and  had  become  satisfied  that  the  witness  was  cor 
rect,  and  he  himself  had  been  mistaken.  He  stated  that  he  had  honestly 
told  the  committee  what  he  believed  to  be  the  truth,  and  until  he  heard 
"the  statement  of  the  hackman,  he  had  religiously  believed  that  he  went  first 
to  the  surgeon  general's  office  and  then  to  the  cars.  In  that,  however,  he 
was  mistaken.  Dr.  Stidger  did  go  in  the  hack  with  him  to  the  cars,  and 
then  he  went  to  the  surgeon  general's  office,  and  from  there  he  went  to  Wil- 
lard's  and  went  to  bed. 

After  some  conversation  with  some  members  of  the  committee — 

Mr.  Gooch  asked  this  question  : 

Question.  Did  you  have  champagne  at  supper  ? 

Answer.  [By  the  Doctor.]  Yes,  sir;  I  took  some  with  Colonel  Lewis;  but 
not  much. 


WASHINGTON,  July  5,  1862. 
Dr.  S.  B.  STIDGER  sworn  and  examined. 

By  Mr.  Gooch: 

Question.  What  is  your  position  and  rank  in  the  army  ? 

Answer.  I  am  assistant  surgeon  of  the  1st  Virginia  regiment  of  infantry. 

Question.  Did  you  come  to  Washington  with  Dr.  Hays  when  he  was  in 
charge  of  a  train  of  sick  and  wounded  soldiers  from  Front  Royal  three 
weeks  ago  to-day  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  At  what  time  did  you  arrive  here  ? 

Answer.  I  think  it  was  between  9  and  10  o'clock  at  night — perhaps  10 
o'clock. 

Question.  Go  on  and  state  what  happened  during  the  night. 

Answer.  After  arriving  here  we  waited  some  time  expecting  to  be  moved 
up  to  the  depot.  Not  finding  ambulances  there,  we  supposed  we  were  not 
yet  at  the  end  of  our  journey.  After  waiting  for  some  time,  we  found  one 
of  the  men  connected  with  the  train,  and  asked  him  how  soon  we  should 
move  up  to  the  depot.  He  told  me  that  he  had  unhitched  the  engine  and 
had  switched  off  the  train.  We  concluded,  then,  to  go  up  town  and  report, 
and  see  if  we  could  ascertain  the  reason  why  no  arrangements  had  been 
made  to  receive  us — to  report  in  person  to  the  surgeon  general.  We  had 
our  hand-trunks  with  us  going  up,  and  stopped  at  Willard's  and  took  sup 
per,  and  then  went  back  to  the  train.  Dr.  Hays  had  been  complaining  for 
some  time  that  he  was  unwell,  and  I  suggested  to  him  that  he  better  go 
back  and  make  an  effort  to  report.  We  learned  at  the  hotel  that  the  office 
was  closed,  and  we  could  make  no  report  there  that  night.  We  were  told 
that  by  some  person.  I  do  not  know  whom.  I  suggested  to  the  doctor  that 
he  better  go  and  try  to  find  out  where  the  surgeon  general  lived,  and  1 


544  TESTIMONY. 

would  remain  there  with  the  train  until  morning.  We  were  then  getting 
the  wounded  into  churches  and  halls.  They  had  been  fed.  I  told  the  doctor 
that  if  he  could  find  no  person  to  whom  to  report,  he  better  lay  down  and 
get  some  rest,  as  he  had  been  complaining  for  some  days,  arid  I  would  re 
main  with  the  train  until  morning.  During  the  night  a  doctor  who  lives  on 
the  street  where  the  train  was,  but  whose  name  I  do  not  recollect,  came  up 
and  asked  me  how  it  was  that  we  were  left  there.  I  told  him  that  I  did  not 
know;  that  we  were  surprised  that  no  arrangements  had  been  made  for  our 
reception;  that  the  doctor  in  charge  had  telegraphed  on  the  way,  and  that 
we  were  in  rather  an  unpleasant  situation,  as  we  had  no  medicines  and 
nothing  to  dress  the  wounds  with.  The  doctor  said  that  he  would  furnish 
me  with  medicines,  and  I  went  to  his  office  and  got  some  brandy  and  some 
morphine.  Some  dressings  were  brought  there  by  the  citizens,  and  I  com 
menced  dressing  the  wounds  of  the  men,  and  got  through  in  the  morning. 
In  the  morning  Dr.  Hays  came  down  and  said  that  he  had  reported. 

Question.  Did  you  remain  with  the  men  during  the  night  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  During  the  whole  night  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  What  other  surgeons  remained  with  you  ? 

Answer.  No  others. 

Question.  How  many  surgeons  had  you  on  the  train  ? 

Answer.  There  were  five,  including  Dr.  Hays  and  myself. 

Question.  When  did  you  last  see  the  other  three  surgeons  that  night  ? 

Answer.  As  well  as  I  recollect,  the  last  we  saw  of  them  was  about  the 
time  that  we  left  and  went  to  the  hotel. 

Question.  Did  you  see  them  after  your  return  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir. 

Question.  They  did  not  appear  that  night  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir. 

Question.  They  took  no  charge  of  the  men  during  the  night  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir. 

Question.  You  had  between  300  and  400  sick  and  wounded  men  on  that 
train  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  During  the  night  were  most  of  the  men  removed  from  the  cars 
into  the  churches,  (fee.? 

Answer.  There  were  enough  removed  to  allow  those  remaining  to  lie 
down  comfortably  in  the  cars. 

Question.  Many  of  them  were  removed  during  the  night  into  halls  and 
private  houses  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  You  and  Dr.  Hays  left  the  cars  to  go  up  and  report  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  And  you  went  to  Willard's  Hotel  and  there  took  supper  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Did  you  have  a  cooked  supper  ? 

Answer.  It  was  ready  when  we  went  in. 

Question.  It  was  cooked  to  order  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir  ;  I  think  not.  They  were  eating  supper  when  we  got 
there. 

Question.  Who  were  eating  supper  ? 

Answer   The  boarders,  I  presumed  they  were. 

Question.  Did  you  not  have  a  champagne  supper  that  night  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir  ;  I  think  not.  We  had  some  champagne  the  next  morn 
ing,  I  think,  ordered  by  Colonel  Lewis. 


TESTIMONY.  545 

Question.  Did  you  not  have  a  champagne  supper  that  night  ? 

Answer.  I  cannot  be  positive.  I  know  we  drank  champagne  with  Colonel 
Lewis. 

Question.  You  drank  it  that  night,  did  you  not  ? 

Answer.  Well,  sir  ;  I  think  we  did. 

Question.  Then  when  you  and  Dr.  Hays  came  up  to  report  why  did  you 
not  go  to  the  surgeon  general's  office  ? 

Answer.  We  were  told,  on  inquiring  about  the  surgeon  general's  office, 
thrft  it  was  closed. 

Question.  Who  told  you  that  ? 

Answer.  I  cannot  tell  you  that. 

Question.  Where  were  you  told  that  it  was  closed  ? 

Answer.  At  the  hotel  ;  that  it  was  after  office  hours.  As  far  as  my  own 
opinions  were  concerned,  i  thought  we  had  reported  when  we  sent  our  tele 
graphic  despatches  here.  Our  object  in  going  was  to  ascertain,  if  possible, 
why  there  was  nobody  there  to  receive  the  men. 

Question.  You  did  not  expect  to  ascertain  that  at  Willard's  Hotel,  did  you  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir  ;  but  that  was  on  the  way,  and  we  had  our  hand-trunks 
in  our  hands  and  stopped  there. 

Question.  You  went  to  Willard's  Hotel  and  inquired  of  somebody,  you  do 
not  know  who,  and  was  told  that  it  was  after  office  hours,  and  you  made  no 
further  efforts  to  find  the  office,  but  went  back  to  the  train  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir  ;  we  went  back  to  the  train. 

Question.  Doctor  Hays  went  back  to  the  train  with  you  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  And  you  advised  him  afterwards  to  go  to  the  hotel  and  go  to 
bed? 

Answer.  I  told  the  doctor  I  would  remain  there  until  morning,  and,  if  it 
was  possible,  he  better  find  out  where  the  surgeon  general  lived,  arid  find 
out  what  was  to  be  done  with  the  sick. 

Question.  What  time  was  that  suggestion  made  ? 

Answer.  I  do  not  know  exactly  ;  it  was  about  as  soon  as  we  got  back. 

Question.  That  was  in  the  neighborhood  of  twelve  o'clock  at  night  ? 

Answer.  I  suppose  so  ;  somewhere  in  that  neighborhood. 

Question.  And  the  doctor  acted  on  that  suggestion  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir  ;  at  least  he  left  me. 

Question.  You  do  not  know  whether  he  went  to  the  surgeon  general's 
office  that  night  or  not,  but  you  know  that  he  left  you  on  the  suggestion 
you  say  you  made  to  him  about  twelve  o'clock  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir  ;  I  suppose  it  was  about  twelve  o'clock,  as  near  as  I  can 
judge. 

Question.  At  what  time  did  you  next  see  the  doctor  ? 

Answer.  It  was  in  the  morning.  Really  I  do  not  know  what  time  it  was, 
perhaps  8  o'clock,  or  after  ;  I  will  not  be  positive  about  the  time  ;  I  was 
attending  to  the  wounded  in  the  lower  hall.  I  do  not  know  how  long  he 
had  been  there  before  I  saw  him. 

Question.  You  remained  there  all  the  night  through  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  After  seeing  to  the  men  in  the  cars  I  went  into  the 
church. 

Question.  Those  men  needed  care  that  night  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  Their  wounds  had  not  been  regularly  dressed  for 
some  time,  except  that  some  dressings  were  changed,  as  far  as  we  had 
them,  at  Manassas. 

Question.  How  many  wounded  men  had  you  on  that  train  ? 

Answer.  I  should  think  perhaps  200. 

Question.  And  some  of  them  were  badly  wounded  ? 
Part  iii 35 


546  TESTIMONY. 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  And  one  of  the  men  died  the  next  morning  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Did  any  die  during  the  night  ? 

Answer.  There  was  a  car  attached  to  the  train,  the  first  of  which  1  knew 
was  at  Manassas  Junction.  I  was  passing  along  the  train  and  heard  some 
complaining,  and  supposing  it  was  some  of  our  men,  I  got  into  the  car  to 
see  about  it.  The  steward,  in  company  with  them,  told  me  they  were 
taking  them  to  Washington  city,  and  that  they  had  brought  them  fro"m 
Catlett's  Station.  I  do  not  know  whether  they  were  attached  to  our  train 
there  or  not.  I  think  two  of  them  died  before  we  got  in. 

Question.  Was  there  any  surgeon  with  them  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir. 

Question.  And  you  had  these  men  added  to  your  list  to  take  care  of? 

Answer.  No,  sir.     They  were  in  charge  of  a  steward. 

Question.  Do  you  know  anything  further  about  these  men — where  they 
came  from  ? 

Answer.  Nothing  more  than  what  the  steward  told  roe,  which  I  have  told 
you.  I  think  they  belonged  to- a  New  York  regiment. 

Question.  How  many  were  there  of  those  men  ? 

Answer.  I  do  not  remember  distinctly;  but  I  think  there  were  four, 

Question.  We  had  got  the  impression  that  there  were  two  car  loads. 

Answer.  That  is  not  so;  so  far  as  I  know. 

Question.  You  say  there  were  only  four  of  them  ? 

Answer.  There  were  four  sick  men,  and  I  think  two  others  in  company 
of  them  as  stewards. 

Question    Did  you  ride  back  to  the  cars  from  the  hotel  in  a  hack  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  What  do  you  say  in  relation  to  those  surgeons  who  left  that 
train  of  sick  and  wounded  men,  while  you  were  about  ?  Were  they  not 
negligent  of  their  duty  ?  Did  not  their  duty  require  them  to  remain  and 
take  care  of  them  1 

Answer.  I  thought  so, 

Question.  You  felt  it  your  duty  to  remain  and  take  care  of  them  during 
the  whole  of  the  night,  after  you  returned  ? 

Answer.  I  did. 

Question.  And  some  other  surgeon  could  have  helped  you  to  advantage  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Odell: 

Question.  Were  you  the  surgeon  in  command  there  ? 
Answer.  No,  sir;  Dr.  Hays  was. 

Question.  Whose  duty  was  it  to  direct  those  surgeons  to  remain  ? 
Answer.  It  was  the  duty  of  Dr.  Hays. 

Question.  They  were  subordinate,  and  subject  to  the  orders  of  Dr.  Hays  ? 
Answer.  Yes.  sir. 

By  Mr.  Gooch: 

Question.  Had  they  any  right  to  leave  without  authority  to  do  so  ? 
Answer.  I  hardly  know  how  to  answer  that  question,  whether  they  were 
under  obligations  to  remain  and  act  -as  nurses. 

Question.  Was  there  not  work  for  surgeons  as  well  as  nurses  ? 

Answer.  I  think  so. 

Question.  And  they  were  bound  to  stay  and  do  their  duty  as  surgeons  ? 

Answer.  I  think  so. 

Question.  When   you   were  removing   between  300   and  400  sick  and 


TESTIMONY.  547 

wounded  men  in  the  night  to  new  places,  was  it  not  necessary  for  surgeons 
to  remain  there  with  them  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  I  think  this  about  it:  that  if  they  had  remained  we 
would  have  got  through  our  labors  sooner,  and  then  we  would  have  been 
under  no  obligations  to  sit  up  as  nurses. 

Question.  You  mean  this,  do  you   not:  that  if  those  surgeons  ha 
mained  and  done  all  they  could  for  the  men  they  might  then,  with  propriety, 
have  taken  some  rest  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  But  not  until  then  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir. 

Question,  And  to  have  done  that  would  probably  have  used  up  that  night 
pretty  thoroughly  ?  ' 

Answer.  Pretty  much,  I  think;  it  would,  at  least,  have  been  late  in  the 
•  night  when  we  gbt  through.  I  think  I  got  through  the  next  morning,  per 
haps,  at  8  or  9  o'clock.  I  was  not  through  when  Dr.  Hays  came  down  the 
next  morning. 

Question.  That  must  have  been  9  or  10  o'clock  ? 

Answer.  I  presume  it  was  9  o'clock. 

Question.  Is  there  anything  further  in  relation  to  this  matter  that  you 
desire  to  state  ? 

Answer.  Nothing  I  now  think  of. 

By  Mr.  Covode: 

Question.  When  you  left  the  cars  that  night,  to  go  to  Willard's,  did  you 
know  that  the  other  surgeons  there  were  also  going  away  ? 

Answer.  I  believe  the  doctor,  in  my  presence,  ordered  them  to  remain 
there  until  he  came  back. 

Question.  He  ordered  them  to  remain  ? 

Answer.  I  think  so.  If  I  recollect  rightly  now,  he  told  them  to  remain 
there  until  we  returned. 

Question,  You  say  you  were  at  work,  attending  to  the  wounded,  all  night; 
that  being  the  case,  knowing  that  you  had  so  much  to  do,  why  did  you  ad 
vise  the  doctor  to  go  and  lie  down  ? 

Answer.  At  the  time  I  told  him  that  I  did  not  know  that  I  could  get  any 
dressings,  or  any  medicines,  or  that  I  would  be  able  to  do  anything  more 
for  the  men.  The  doctor  had  been  complaining  for  some  time,  ar\d  I  thought 
he  might  as  well  have  some  rest. 

Question.  Why  did  you  not  know  whether  you  could  get  dressings  or 
not? 

Answer.  We  had  nothing  to  make  dressings  of,  and  it  was  not  until  after 
the  doctor  had  left  that  a  physician,  residing  on  the  street  there,  asked  me  if  I 
wanted  anything.  I  told  him  that  we  lacked  dressings  and  medicines,  and 
he  said  that  if  I  would  accompany  him  to  his  office  he  would  let  me  have 
some  medicines.  And  some  of  the  citizens  then  proposed  to  get  something 
for  dressings. 

Question.  Was  that  before  or  after  Dr.  Hays  went  away  ? 

Answer.  I  think  it  must  have  been  after;  though  I  will  not  be  positive 
whether  it  was  before  or  after  he  left. 

Question.  Did  you  make  any  effort  to  find  where  the  other  surgeons  were 
after  you  went  back  to  the  cars  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir. 

Question.  When  Doctor  Hays  went  away  was  there  anything  there  for  him 
to  do,  any  business  for  him  to  perform  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir. 

Question.  Nothing  that  he  could  have  gone  right  at  ? 


548  TESTIMONY. 

Answer.  No,  sir  ;  I  think  his  business  was  to  make  a  report  as  soon  as 
possible,  and  have  arrangements  made  to  get  the  men  taken  away.  That 
was  one  object  I  had  in  view  in  having  him  leave.  And  I  did  not  think 
there  was  anything  to  do  there,  more  than  I  could  attend  to  at  that  time. 

Question.  What  is  the  custom  in  the  service  in  such  cases  ?  Is  it  the 
custom  for  the  principal  surgeon  to  attend  to  dressing  the  wounds  and  to 
the  sick  himself  all  the  time,  or  does  he  give  orders  to  others  to  attend  to  it  ? 

Answer.  We  have  been  in  the  habit  of  going  ahead,  each  man  doing  what 
he  could.  Sometimes,  however,  I  have  known  brigade  surgeons  to  give 
orders;  superintending,  but  not  doing  much  themselves. 

Question.  Did  you  hear  the  doctor  complain  of  his  health  before  he  came 
here  ? 

Answer.  I  heard  him  complain  mostly  on  the  way  to  Front  Royal,  when 
riding  on  horseback.  I  believe  I  heard  him  complain  at  one  time  when  at 
tending  to  the  sick  at  Luray.  He  said  he  was  suffering  very  much. 

Question.  Was  it  the  knowledge  of  his  condition  that  induced  you  to 
advise  him  to  go  and  lie  down  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir,  and  also  because  I  did  not  think  there  was  any  necessity 
for  his  being  there.  I  must  confess  that  I  had  a  very  strong  inclination 
myself  to  go. 

Question.  But  you  promised  to  remain  there  all  night  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir,  though  I  felt  a  very  strong  inclination  to  accompany 
him  when  he  retired. 

Question.  Were  the  men  sleeping,  many  of  them,  or  were  they  waiting 
attention  ?  . 

Answer.  I  do  not  think  that  many  of  them  were  waiting  attention  ;  some 
of  them  were;  very  few  of  them  had  been  moved  at  that  time. 

Question.  How  did  the  men  go  away  from  the  cars  ?  Had  they  to  be 
carried,  or  could  the  most  of  them  walk  ? 

Answer.  There  were  very  few  that  had  to  be  carried,  except  those  who 
had  had  amputations  performed.  There  were  very  few  taken  away  that  had 
to  be  carried. 

Question.  Do  you  know  of  the  doctor  telegraphing  from  Manassas  that  he 
was  coming  ? 

Answer.  I  only  know  that  he  told  me  that  he  had  telegraphed. 

Question.  I  noticed  that  you  said  some  time  since  that  you  considered 
that  he  had  reported  by  telegraph  from  there  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir  ;  I  understood  from  him  that  he  had  reported. 

Question.  Where  are  those  surgeons  now,  who  went  off  and  went  to  bed 
that  night  ? 

Answer.  I  do  not  know  where  they  are.  I  do  not  know  that  they  went 
to  bed. 

Question.  If  it  had  not  been  for  getting  those  medicines  from  the  physician 
you  mention,  and  the  dressings  from  the  citizens,  that  night  you  would  have 
had  nothing  to  do  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir.     And  the  reason  why  we  had  no  rations  was  that  we 
were  ordered  to  take  two  day's  rations,  and  take  our  men  to   Front   Royal. 
By  Mr.  Gooch  : 

Question.  You  expected  to  leave  your  sick  and  wounded  at  Front  Royal, 
and  that  was  the  reason  that  you  had  no  medicines  or  dressings  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 
By  Mr.  Covode  : 

Question.  You  think  it  was  after  the  doctor  left  that  you  got  the  medicines 
and  dressings  as  you  have  mentioned  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  I  think  one  of  the  editors  of  one  of  the  morning  papers 
here  was  there,  and  went  with  me  to  the  doctor's  office  to  get  the  medicines. 


TESTIMONY.  549 

CONVALESCENT  CAMP. 


IN  THE  HOUSE  OF  REPRESENTATIVES, 

December  4,  1862. 

Mr.  Patton  submitted  the  following,  which  were  adopted : 

Whereas  it  is  reported  that  many  abuses  exist  in  connexion  with  the  admin 
istration  of  "Camp  Convalescent,"  near  Alexandria,  and  until  they  are  cor 
rected  the  health  and  lives  of  the  thousands  of  our  brave  soldiers  there  stationed 
will  continue  to  be  endangered,  therefore  be  it — 

Resolved,  that  the  joint  committee  on  the  conduct  of  the  war  be  directed  to 
inquire  and  report  upon  the  foregoing,  with  such  recommendations  as  they  may 
deem  requisite. 

Attest :  EM.  ETHERIDGE,  Clerk. 


IN  THE  HOUSE  OF  REPRESENTATIVES, 

December  5,  1862. 
Mr.  Noble  submitted  the  following,  which  were  adopted  : 

Whereas  many  soldiers  of  the  volunteer  forces  of  the  government  are  now, 
and  have  for  many  months  been,  confined  in  "Camp  Convalescent,"  unable  for 
duty,  and  are  entirely  without  money  or  means  to  procure  such  necessaries  as 
would  add  to  their  comfort,  they  not  having  been  paid  their  monthly  dues  from 
the  government,  in  many  instances,  for  a  period  of  from  three  to  nine  months, 
therefore — 

Resolved,  that  the  committee  on  military  affairs  be,  and  are  hereby,  requested 
to  inquire  what  legislation,  if  any,  is  necessary  to  enable  such  soldiers,  so  con 
fined  and  separated  from  their  respective  regiments,  to  receive  and  be  paid  their 
regular  monthly  dues,  and  to  report  by  bill  or  otherwise. 

Attest :  EM.  ETHERIDGE,  Clerk. 


SIR  :  In  reply  to  your  communication,  asking  as  to  the  condition  of  the  con 
valescent  camp,  I  beg  leave  to  state  that  in  order  to  give  you  a  correct  idea  of 
the  present  condition  of  the  camp  it  will  be  necessary  to  explain  to  you  its  his 
tory,  and  some  of  the  difficulties  attending  the  organization  of  so  large  a  body 
of  men,  brought  together  from  all  divisions  of  the  army,  of  all  sorts  of  char 
acters,  and  in  such  a  variety  of  conditions.  The  camp  was  organized  in  August, 
1862,  and  Colonel  J.  S.  Belknap,  of  the  85th  New  York  volunteers,  placed  in 
command. 

General  Slough,  the  military  governor  of  Alexandria,  was  directed  to  organize 
a  camp  of  convalescents,  stragglers,  and  recruits,  under  the  following  regulations: 

All  officers  absent  from  their  regiments  without  a  proper  pass,  approved  by 
their  division  commander,  will,  if  their  regiments  are  stationed  in  or  near  Wash 
ington,  be  ordered  to  join  them  in  arrest,  and  the  fact  will  be  duly  reported  to 
cfcvision  commanders  by  the  provost  marshal. 

Every  officer  absent  from  hi?  regiment  without  a  proper  pass,  and  icliose 


550 


TESTIMONY. 


regiment  is  not  near  Washington,  will  be  ordered  by  the  officers  of  the  provost 
guard  to  report  in  person  to  the  provost  marshal,  who  will  direct  him  in  writing 
either  to  proceed  to  join  his  regiment  within  twenty-four  hours,  or  within  the 
same  period  to  proceed  to  Alexandria,  and  report  to  the  military  governor  of 
that  place  for  duty  at  the  convalescent  camp. 

All  recruits  arriving,  for  regiments  which  are  not  near  Washington,  will  be 
sent  to  the  convalescent  camp. 

At  the  time  of  the  organization  of  the  army,  after  the  second  Bull  Run,  the 
army  had  just  passed  through  Alexandria,  and  had  left  a  large  number  of  strag 
glers,  hence  the  necessity  of  some  place  being  selected  to  collect  them  and  dis 
tribute  them  among  their  regiments.  As  the  organization  was  intended  only  as 
a  temporary  convenience,  no  record  was  kept  until  September  17th. 

The  following  abstract  of  the  morning  report  shows  the  immediate  expansion 
of  the  camp  a  result  unexpected  : 

Abstract  of  morning  reports  of  convalescent,  stragglers,  recruits,  and  paroled 
and  exchanged  prisoners'  camps,  showing  number  of  officers  and  men  at  vari 
ous  times  from  organization  of the  camps  to  January  31,  1863  ;  also  showing 
gain  and  loss  of  each  month. 


Date. 

Officers. 

Enlisted  men. 

Aggregate. 

Eeceived. 

Sent  away. 

For  duty. 

Unfit  for  duty. 

1862. 

Sept.      17 

15 

1,  143 

2,542 

3,700 

3,700 

20 

51 

3,933 

2.542 

6,526 

2,826 

25 

63 

7,740 

2^542 

10,345 

4,569 

840 

30 

87 

11,692 

3,851 

15,630 

6,158 

873 

Oct.          5 

94 

9,937 

3,950 

13,981 

2,783 

4,432 

10 

100 

8,538 

2,520 

11,158 

1,220 

4,043 

15 

100 

7,168 

3,498 

10,766 

2,466 

2,858 

20 

100 

7,334 

3,556 

10,990 

720 

496 

25 

50 

6,  932 

3,815 

10,797 

1,248 

1,441 

31 

62 

7,090 

4,360 

11,512 

1,908 

1,  193 

Nor.        5 

48 

2,370 

5,084 

7,502 

1,258 

5,268 

10 

•      48 

3,384 

5,000 

8,432 

1,512 

582 

15 

62 

3,865 

9,412 

12,339 

3,990 

83 

20 

66 

3,902 

10,093 

14,061 

1,970 

248 

25 

67 

3,822 

11,038 

14,927 

1,579 

713 

30 

67 

3,662 

11,401 

15,  130 

1,535 

1,332 

Dec.         5 

49 

4,158 

9,043 

13,250 

2,357 

4,  237 

10 

46 

2,594 

7,774 

10,414 

1,446 

4,282 

15 

38 

2,683 

8,667 

11,388 

1,937 

963 

20 

35 

2,729 

8,810 

11,574 

1,653 

1,467 

25 

35 

2,995 

11,252 

14,282 

3,917 

1,209 

31 

44 

2,594 

8,070 

10,708                928 

4,502 

1863. 

Jan.        10 

40 

3,116 

8,365 

11.521            1,956 

1,  143 

20 

71 

2,172 

7,435 

9,678            1,179 

3,022 

31 

57 

2,579 

7,706 

10,342            2,183 

1,519 

TESTIMONY. 


551 


Recapitulation  of  gain  and  loss  by  months. 


Received. 

Sent  away. 

17,343 

1,713 

October                                            .              -. 

10,345 

14,463 

11,844 

8,  226 

12,238 

16,660 

January                                                              .                      -._-____._ 

5,318 

5,684 

Number  of  officers  and  men  estimated  by  Colonel  Belknap,  com 
mandant,  to  have  bec-n  received  and  sent  away  prior  to  organ 
ization     September  17                                                             .    .--. 

20,000 

20,000 

Number  estimated  to  have  "passed  through"  the  camps  since  or  - 
°"anization   of  whom  no  account  was  taken 

5,000 

5,000 

Total 

82,088 

71,746 

82,088 

Whole  number  sent  away         ...           .  ......       .  ...   . 

71,746 

Whole  number  now  in  all  the  camps 


10. 342 


That  the  growth  was  not  anticipated  by  the  quartermaster's  department  is 
shown  by  the  fact  that  about  the  1st  of  November  Colonel  Belknap,  with  the 
approval  of  General  Slough,  made  requisitions  for  lumber  to  build  barracks, 
naming  three  thousand  as  the  number  likely  to  require  accommodation. 

The  quartermaster  general  objected  to  filling  the  requisition  "until  it  was 
positively  ascertained  that  barracks  for  so  large  a  number  would  be  required." 

General  Slough,  foreseeing  that  the  camp  must  become  a  permanent  institu 
tion,  made  requisition  for  barracks,  which  were  not  begun  until  on  or  about  the 
15th  day  of  December.  The  hospital  department  being  much  neglected,  the  at 
tention  of  the  commanding  general  was  early  called  to  the  fact.  Two  inspect 
ors  of  the  medical  department  had  at  different  times  inspected  the  hospital  and 
the  camps,  and  reported  that  the  surgeon  in  charge  was  incompetent. 

After  waiting  some  time  for  his  removal,  and  for  reforms  in  that  department, 
he,  on  the  17th  of  October,  again  called  attention  to  the  condition  of  things,  and 
begged  that  steps  might  be  taken  to  improve  that  department.  In  the  mean 
time  the  camp  had  been  divided  into  four  parts,  to  wit :  convalescents,  recruits, 
stragglers,  and  paroled  and  exchanged  prisoners.  On  that  day,  numbering  over 
eleven  thousand  men,  not  including  guards  and  employes,  this  number  was  sub 
sequently  increased  to  over  seventeen  thousand. 

The  provost  marshal  general  of  the  army,  on  the  29th  day  of  October,  was 
directed  to  send  an  officer  from  each  corps,  weekly,  to  convey  to  the  regiments 
such  as  were  fit  for  duty. 

General  Slough  used  every  effort  to  get  the  number  at  the  camp  reduced. 

As  the  provost  marshal  was  constantly  interrupted  in  sending  off  the  troops, 
and  as  the  surgeons  in  charge  of  hospitals  either  ignorantly  or  designedly  sent 
many  to  the  camp  who  should  have  been  discharged,  the  number  continued  to 
increase  until,  at  the  end  of  November,  it  exceeded  sixteen  thousand. 

About  the  1st  of  December  General  Heintzelman  took  command  of  the  de 
fences  of  Washington. 

As  numerous  complaints  had  been  made  as  to  the  location  of  the  camp,  and 
as  General  Heintzelman  was  convinced  that  the  camp  was  to  be  permanent,  I 
was  directed  "to  examine  the  country  in  the  neighborhood  of  Alexandria  with 
a  view  to  a  permanent  location." 


552  TESTIMONY. 

Dr.  Taylor,  of  the  army,  who  was  then  the  medical  director,  accompanied 
me.  I  selected  the  ground  about  four  miles  from  Alexandria  and  about  three 
miles  from  the  Long  Bridge,  and  reported  "that  in  view  of  the  ground  being 
high  and  sandy,  well  sheltered  and  connected  with  Washington  and  Alexandria 
by  railroad,  it  was  particularly  suited  for  a  permanent  camp  or  hospital." 

My  report  was  approved  by  General  Heintzelman,  and  an  order  was  at  once 
issued  to  remove  the  camp  and  make  arrangements  to  build  barracks.  This 
was  on  the  26th  of  November. 

It  was  now  presumed  that  suitable  provision  was  to  be  made  for  the  comfort 
of  the  inmates  of  this  much  abused  camp,  but  it  appears  that  the  surgeon  gen 
eral  had  reported  against  it,  I  have  no  doubt,  under  the  impression  that  the  evils 
(which  had  been  greatly  exaggerated)  could  not  be  remedied. 

It  appears,  however,  as  the  following  letter  of  the  assistant  surgeon  general 
shows,  that  the  recommendation  of  the  surgeon  general  had  induced  the  Secre 
tary  of  War  to  issue  an  order  breaking  up  the  camp. 

SURGEON  GENERAL'S  OFFICE, 
Washington,  D.  C.,  December  9,  1862. 

SIR  :  Your  letter  of  the  7th  instant  is  received,  calling  attention  to  the  condi 
tion  of  the  convalescent  camp,  near  Alexandria. 

In  reply  I  must  beg  leave  to  disclaim,  on  behalf  of  the  medical  department, 
all  responsibility  for  the  deplorable  state  of  things  existing  in  that  camp. 

I  am  aware  that  the  unfortunate  misnomer  "convalescent"  has  created  an 
impression  that  this  establishment  was  an  outgrowth  from  the  hospital  depart 
ment.  Such  is  not  the  case.  It  was  not  established  by  directions  from  this 
office,  and  its  connexion  herewith  is  as  incidental  as  that  of  any  other  military 
post.  It  was  ordered  by  the  general  commanding  the  army  of  the  Potomac  that 
the  soldiers  belonging  to  that  army,  returning  to  duty  from  the  general  hospitals 
in  this  District,  should  be  sent  there,  to  be  thence  distributed  to  the  regiments, 
and  in  obedience  to  these  orders  all  soldiers  returned  to  duty  from  hospitals 
within  this  District  were  sent  to  this  camp.  Several  inspections  were  made  by 
medical  inspectors,  under  orders  from  this  office,  from  the  report  of  the  last  of 
which,  made  by  Medical  Inspector  Vollum,  I  quote  "  as  points  prominent,  it 
would  seem  to  any  observer,"  viz  :  "Bad  police,  uncleanliness,  bad  ventilation, 
and  demoralization  resulting  from  the  promiscuous  herding  together,  upon  a 
limited  area,  of  herds  of  idle,  undisciplined  men." 

Upon  this  report,  made  on  the  22d  ultimo,  it  was  recommended  by  the  surgeon 
general  that  this  camp  be  broken  up,  and,  in  conformity  with  this  recommenda 
tion,  the  Secretary  of  War  has  acted  promptly  in  the  case.  It  will  be  a  work 
of  some  days,  however,  even  to  break  up  a  camp  of  this  magnitude. 

In  the  meantime  it  is  known  positively,  at  this  office,  that  nineteen  medical 
officers  are  on  the  ground  exerting  every  energy  in  the  proper  discharge  of  their 
duties.  And  that,  on  the  20th  of  November,  medical  supplies  for  three  months 
were  received  at  this  camp. 

The  cause  of  the  sad  state  of  things  now  existing  are,  in  rny  opinion,  first,  the 
great  expansion  of  this  establishment  to  a  size  much  beyond  its  capabilities  or 
accommodation;  and,  second,  the  ill-judged  plan  of  sending  men  recently  from 
hospitals  to  a  camp  crowded  with  undisciplined  stragglers,  and  then,  instead  of 
hurrying  their  departure  from  this  place  to  their  regiments,  allowing  them  there 

to  remain  until  crowding  and  exposure  prostrated  them  again  upon  a  sick  bed. 
*  *  *  #  *  *•  *  *  *  * 

Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

JAMES  R.  SMITH, 

Acting  Surgeon  General. 
Colonel  J.  H.  PULESTON, 

Military  Agent,  of  Pennsylvania,  and 

Chairman  Executive  Committee  Pa.  Relief  Association. 


TESTIMONY.  553 

The  order  was  issued  soon  after  the  1st  of  December,  but  contained  no  pro- 
vision  for  the  disposition  of  the  convalescents,  and  the  usual  number  continued 
to  be  sent  from  all  parts  of  the  country  daily ;  instead  of  lessening  the  evil  it 
was  increased,  and  on  representations  of  the  facts  to  the  Secretary  of  War,  the 
same  day  the  letter  of  the  assistant  surgeon  general  was  written,  the  order  was 
countermanded,  and  the  following  issued  : 

WAR  DEPARTMENT, 
Washington  City,  D.  C.,  December  9,  1862. 

Ordered,  I.  That  the  commanding  general  of  the  defences  of  Washington 
establish  at  once  a  convalescent  camp  in  the  neighborhood  of  Alexandria, 
Virginia. 

II.  That  the  quartermaster  general  cause  to  be  erected  immediately  suitable 
barracks  for  the  accommodation  of  5,000  enlisted  men,  with  the  proper  compli 
ment  of  officers,  at  the  camp  selected  by  the  commanding  general,  defences  of 
Washington. 

EDWIN  M.  STANTON, 

Secretary  of  War. 

At  the  date  of  the  receipt  of  the  above  order  Colonel  Belknap  was  sick.  He 
had  for  over  two  months  been  in  command  of  the  camp,  and  was  completely 
broken  down,  and  was  advised  by  his  surgeon  to  apply  for  sick  leave. 

The  quartermaster's  department  informed  General  Heintzelman  that  it  had  no 
quartermaster  they  could  assign  for  the  superintendence  of  building  the  barracks. 
As  it  was  necessary  to  commence  the  work  at  once,  he  directed  two  of  his  staff 
officers  to  take  charge  of  it — Colonel  McKelvy,  his  chief  commissary,  as  com 
mander,  and  Captain  Joshua  Norton,  an  assistant  quartermaster,  as  superin 
tendent  of  the  building.  That  they  faithfully  performed  this  duty  is  evident 
from  the  fact  that  within  a  month  most  of  the  convalescents  were  quartered  in 
barracks,  and  the  balance  provided  with  suitable  shelter  in  the  new  camp. 

Another  marked  feature  of  improvement  was  manifest  in  the  medical  depart 
ment.  Incompetent  surgeons  were  sent  away,  and  experienced  surgeons  de 
tailed.  Dr.  Page,  an  army  surgeon  of  ten  years'  service,  was  placed  in  charge ; 
and  competent  boards  organized  to  discharge  the  sick  and  disabled,  or  send  to 
regiments  such  as  were  fit  for  duty. 

This  new  order  did  not  take  the  general  supervision  of  the  camp  from  General 
Slough.  He  had  faithfully  executed  his  trust,  and,  under  the  adverse  circum 
stances,  is  entitled  to  great  credit  that  the  condition  was  no  worse. 

I  am  confident  that  80,000  men,  of  the  varied  characters  of  .those  that  cir 
cumstances  over  which  the  officers  had  no  control  have  brought  together,  have 
not,  during  the  war,  suffered  less  from  sickness  or  exposure  than  those  in  this 
camp. 

The  agent  of  the  State  of  New  York  thus  mentions  its  condition  as  early  as 
October  25  : 

OFFICE  OF  THE  NEW  YORK  STATE  AGENT,  252  G  STREET, 

Washington,  D.  C.,  October  25,  1862. 

DEAR  SIR  :  Yours  of  the  22d  was  duly  received,  and  your  inquiry  concern 
ing  the  camp  of  convalescents  near  Alexandria  carefully  noted. 

I  am  aware  of  the  feeling  that  exists  in  Albany,  as  well  as  other  parts  of  the 
State,  in  regard  to  this  camp,  not  only  from  the  enclosed  telegraph  of  William 
Olcotts,  but  from  the  various  letters  I  have  received  from  your  city  and  else 
where.  While  this  feeling  has  grown  out  of  the  many  letters  that  have  been 
published,  written  by  visitors  to  this  camp,  and  those  who  have  labored  ardently, 
and  contributed  largely  to  its  relief,  which  letters  stated  only  such  things  as 
have  existed  in  the  past  to  a  greater  or  less  extent,  yet  I  am  glad  to  be  able  to 
say  they  do  not  now  exist. 


554  TESTIMONY. 

The  camp  lias  been  removed  on  to  grounds  that  were  thoroughly  policed 
before  occupancy.  The  tents  are  placed  in  single  rows,  giving  the  freest  circu 
lation  of  air,  and  the  more  feeble  portion  placed  in  one  part  of  the  camp,  and 
loose  boards  furnished  to  floor  some  portion,  or  all  of  this  part  of  the  camp 
tents,  and  the  balance  with  straw.  Every  man  has  been  furnished  with  a  good 
army  blanket,  and  all  whose  uniform  was  not  sound  and  comfortable  with  new. 

The  men  all  have  new,  or  fair  shirts,  and  the  requisition  was  made  three  days 
ago  for  enough  to  give  all  their  proper  change.  Socks  had  been  furnished  to 
all  who  had  none,  and  duplicates  for  all  ordered.  Their  food  is  the  regular 
army  ration,  improved  by  more  than  the  regular  allowance  of  fresh  meat  and 
all  the  vegetables  that  can  be  procured  from  government  relief  association  stores, 
but  not  as  much  as  they  need  for  their  proper  improvement. 

An  efficient  post  office  department  has  been  established,  with  ten  men  detailed 
to  its  duties.  The  records  are  the  most  complete  of  any  camp  bearing  any 
comparison  in  difficulty,  employing  thirty  clerks. 

The  entire  labor,  voluntary  and  official,  has  resulted  in  changing  this  camp 
from  one  of  confusion,  filth,  demoralization,  want,  and  much  real  suffering,  to 
one  of  cleanliness,  order,  and  comfort  to  the  extent  that  can  be  created,  so  long 
as  permanent  barracks  are  not  built,  with  the  following  exceptions,  which  are 
to  be  instituted  soon,  unless  the  entire  camp  is  dispensed  with,  viz :  To  be 
removed  to  grounds  where  water  is  easier  of  access ;  substitute  barracks  for 
tents ;  build  appropriate  cook-houses,  and  give  them  a  new  physician  in  charge. 

Colonel  Belknap,  of  the  85th  New  York  volunteers,  is  in  command,  and  de 
serves  much  credit  for  his  energy  and  executive  ability.  Great  credit  is  due  to 
the  New  York  State  Association  committees  and  many  voluntary  laborers  in  the 
field.  It  affords  me  great  satisfaction  to  be  able  to  announce  to  the  public  that 
all  the  real  cases  of  suffering  have  been  relieved  there,  or  removed  to  permanent 
hospitals  for  their  relief,  except  some  sick  in  regular  hospital  tents,  who  are  to 
go  into  a  convalescent  hospital  in  Axexandria,  who  are  able,  and  the  balance  to 
the  Mansion  House. 

The  general  condition  of  patients  in  hospital  is  comfortable,  although  daily 
complaints  are  made,  and  many  of  them  justly,  but  mostly  through  the  ineffi 
ciency  of  attendants  and  ward  doctors  in  making  requisitions. 

The  surgeon  general  is  doing  what  he  can  to  improve  the  hospitals  in  this 
regard. 

S.  H.  SWETTAND, 

New  York  State  Agent. 

Hon.  IRA  HARRIS. 

Sometime  in  January  it  appears,  by  proceedings  of  the  Senate,  that  Senator 
Harlan  visited  the  camp  He  thus  understandingly  describes  its  condition : 

"  Now,  I  might  illustrate  what  I  mean  by  referring  to  the  convalescent  camp 
across  the  river,  mentioned  by  the  senator  from  New  Jersey,  which  I  have 
visited  in  person.  I  know  the  facts  have  existed  there  that  were  mentioned  by 
the  senator  last  evening.  Convalescent  soldiers  have  been  put  into  tents  there 
without  blankets  without  beds,  and  without  necessary  clothing.  At  the  time  I 
last  visited  that  camp  there  were  about  eighteen  thousand  convalescent  soldiers 
in  it.  Perhaps  ninety-nine  in  every  hundred  of  them  were  living  more  comfort 
ably  than  the  majority  of  them  live  at  home,  and  yet  there  were  some  who  were 
without  overcoats,  and  without  blankets,  and  without  beds  of  any  kind.  But,  on 
inquiring  of  the  proper  officer  for  the  cause,  I  ascertained  that  these  destitute  men 
had  come  there  on  that  very  day,  or  the  day  preceding,  without  previous  notice, 
so  that  it  was  not  yet  possible  for  them  to  draw  the  necessary  supplies  from  the 
proper  department.  But  they  were  not  suffering  on  account  of  this  destitution. 
Although  they  had  no  overcoats  that  belonged  to  them  in  person,  and  no 


TESTIMONY.  555 

blankets,  they  were  using  blankets  borrowed  from  other  soldiers  who  had  more 
than  enough.  It  was  said,  yesterday,  that  they  were  compelled  to  sleep  on 
brush.  Mr.  President,  this  may  appear  to  those  who  have  never  lived  in  the 
open  air  like  a  great  cruelty.  But,  Mr.  President,  I  have  lived,  for  months  to 
gether,  in  the  open  field,  not  as  a  soldier,  but  in  a  situation  where  I  had  to  pro 
vide  for  myself  and  my  associates,  far  beyond  the  settlements.  I  have  had 
some  experience  on  this  subject,  and  I  will  say  to  the  senator  from  New  Jersey 
that  I  would  very  much  prefer  to  sleep  on  a  bed  of  brush  than  a  bed  of  boards. 
It  is  very  far  from  being  an  uncomfortable  bed,  if  men  know  how  to  make  it. 
Soft  brush,  covered  with  straw  or  blankets,  makes  an  excellent  couch,  far  more 
comfortable  than  we  always  find  in  city  hotels,  and  on  which  men  may  repose 
more  pleasantly  than  a  majority  of  us  at  home — as  comfortably  as  many  of  us 
do  in  our  own  dwellings.  Some  are  doubtless  not  properly  provided  for,  and 
( suffer  great  hardships.  These  cases  are  comparatively  few,  and  are  temporary, 
'and  are  generally  corrected  as  speedily  as  circumstances  will  permit. 

"  It  is  the  recitation  of  these  extreme  cases  which,  I  think,  does  the  service 
a  great  damage  in  the  country.  Benevolent  gentlemen  and  ladies,  without  a 
knowledge  of  all  the  facts  and  circumstances,  shed  tears  over  the  sufferings  of 
our  soldiers,  and  recite  them  to  their  neighbors,  and  create  impressions  which 
do  great  injustice  to  the  officers  in  charge.  It  is  said  that  there  has  been  much 
suffering  in  that  encampment.  I  have  no  doubt  there  has  been ;  but  it  has  been 
of  this  exceptional  character.  Men  have  been  sent  there  from  battle-fields  who 
have  lost  their  clothing  and  blankets  during  the  engagement,  or  threw  them 
away  in  flight.  For  the  first  day  or  the  first  night,  before  the  officers  have 
been  able  to  draw  suitable  clothing  and  blankets  from  the  quartermaster's  de 
partment,  they  have  been  compelled  to  borrow  or  sleep  with  'their  brother 
soldiers ;  and  in  tents  that  have  not  been  provided  with  board  flooring,  they 
have  cut  boughs  or  branches  of  trees,  and  in  this  way  provided  for  themselves 
what  was,  in  fact,  a  very  comfortable  place  to  sleep. 

"  In  that  encampment,  when  I  visited  it,  I  have  found  numbers  of  our  govern 
ment  teams — four  and  six  horse  teams,  mule  teams — constantly  employed  in 
hauling  wood  to  the  doors  of  the  tents  occupied  by  these  men.  Besides  this, 
the  encampment  is  in  the  timber ;  they  are  surrounded  with  groves.  Now,  I 
cannot  be  made  to  believe  that  convalescent  men — for  these  are  not  sick  men, 
they  are  men  who  are  able  to  take  care  of  themselves — will  be  likely  to  suffer 
much  for  the  want  of  stoves,  when  they  can  have  wood  for  the  cutting,  and  are 
surrounded  by  timber.  There  are  cases  of  suffering,  and  very  frequently  these 
cases  of  suffering  arise  on  account  of  the  prodigality  of  the  soldiers  themselves. 
It  is  much  more  pleasant  to  praise  our  brave  troops  in  the  field  than  to  speak 
of  their  faults  ;  but  we  find  men  in  civil  life  that  have  faults,  and  some  of  these 
men,  unfortunately,  find  their  way  to  the  army.  There  are  soldiers  who,  for  a 
glass  of  grog,  will  sell  their  blankets  or  coats,  and  then  come  to  the  agent  of  a 
sanitary  commission,  or  a  State  agency,  and  make  most  piteous  appeals  for  as 
sistance  on  account  of  their  destitution.  Why,  sir,  it  is  known  to  those  who 
have  investigated  this  subject  personally,  that  they  often  sell  their  munitions ; 
that  they  carry  their  cartridges  to  traders  and  sell  them  for  spirits,  tobacco,  or 
other  little  luxuries  they  may  desire.  Not  unfrequently  these  men  have  de 
serted  from  the  army,  and  have  been  arrested  here  at  the  depot,  and  have  been 
sent  to  the  convalescent  encampment  to  await  the  necessary  means  of  trans 
portation  to  their  regiments.  For  the  purpose  of  eluding  the  vigilance  of  the 
proper  officers  of  the  government,  they  throw  away  their  blankets  and  their 
overcoats,  swap  off  all  their  military  garb,  and  secure  citizen's  dress  of  a  far  in 
ferior  character,  and  of  course  suffer  during  severe  weather,  if  arrested  and  re 
turned  ;  and  persons  visiting  this  encampment  and  seeing  these  parties  thus 
improperly  clad,  are  melted  into  tears  on  account  of  their  sufferings,  when  it 
has  all  been  brought  about  by  their  own  folly,  prodigality,  or  crime,  for  which, 
if  the  articles  of  war  were  rigorously  enforced,  they  would  be  shot.  A  careful  ex- 


I 


556  TESTIMONY. 

animation  of  these  cases  of  suffering  will  establish  the  fact  that  officers  of  the 
army,  medical  and  otherwise,  are  not  the  inhuman  characters  we  might  be  in 
duced  to  believe  from  some  remarks  which  have  been  dropped  even  in  the  Senate. 
There  are  bad  and  incompetent  officers,  doubtless,  at  many  of  these  hospitals, 
but  I  believe  a  large  majority  of  them  do  the  very  best  it  is  possible  for  Christian, 
humane  gentlemen  to  do  under  the  circumstances  by  which  they  are  surrounded. 
The  physicians  in  charge  of  the  hospitals  connected  with  the  armies  in  the 
field,  of  course,  are  not  always  able  to  procure  the  necessaries  for  the  sick  and 
wounded  men,  nor  are  the  commissaries  always  able  to  do  so  for  the  well  men. 
The  casualties  of  war  necessarily  produce  these  difficulties  ;  and  I  suppose  that 
the  troops,  when  they  enter  the  service,  do  it  with  a  tolerable  comprehension  of 
the  hardships  which  they  may  be  called  upon  occasionally  to  suffer.  They  ex 
pect  it,  and  endure  it  without  a  murmur  when  they  know  it  cannot  be  remedied. 
I  have  reason  to  believe,  and  do  believe,  that  there  is  far  less  complaining 
among  the  soldiers  themselves  in  the  field  than  by  friends  at  home." 

Mr.  Wilson,  of  Massachusetts,  truly  said,  "  That  is  a  military  camp  under 
military  rules  and  regulations." 

There  are  surgeons  there  who  have  duties  to  perform.  I  do  not  mean  to  say 
that  they  are  fully  performed. 

From  seventy  to  eighty  thousand  men  have  passed  through  that  camp  within 
the  last  six  months.  On  the  10th  of  this  month  there  were  about  five  thousand 
there  ;  eight  hundred  of  them  from  my  own  State.  I  have  visited  the  camp 
repeatedly,  and  I  know  something  about  it.  I  think  the  camp  has  been  very 
badly  managed,  and  the  surgeon  general  thinks  so,  too,  for  he  had  a  report 
from  one  of  .his  inspectors,  Colonel  Vollum,  who  reported  against  it,  and  re 
commended  that  certain  action  be  taken  to  reform  it,  which  action  was  referred 
to  the  Secretary  of  War.  I  called  upon  the  Secretary  of  War  with  a  copy  of 
it,  and  he  said  that  he  would  place  it  in  the  hands  of  General  Heintzelman, 
under  whom  this  camp  is.  This  camp,  however,  is  not  a  hospital.  It  has  no 
resemblance  to  a  hospital. 

Mr.  Ten  Eyck  replied  :  It  has  a  hospital  name. 

Mr.  Wilson,  of  Massachusetts.  Yes,  sir,  just  as  a  regiment  has-  a  hospital 

ha 


name  ;  but  it  is  a  camp  where  the  men  who  have  been  away  on  furlough, 
have  been  in  the  hospitals,  and  have  been  pronounced  convalescents,  go,  in  order 
to  be  transferred  from  there  to  their  regiments. 

(Dr.  Vollum  might  have  recommended  that  competent  surgeons  be  sent  there. 
The  surgeons  in  charge  of  general  hospitals  should  have  been  instructed  not  to 
send  to  this  camp  fit  subjects  for  discharge.) 

About  the  time  of  this  discussion  it  was  stated  in  the  Senate  that  many  of 
the  inmates  of  the  camp  were  without  blankets.  The  committee  on  the  conduct 
of  the  war  were  instructed  to  inquire  into  the  facts.  I  have  never  seen  their 
report  ;  but  I  do  know  that  a  portion  of  the  committee  visited  the  camp,  and 
that  not  a  single  person  was  found  who  was  not  well  supplied  with  clothing, 
and  every  man  had  a  blanket. 

It  is  well  known  to  officers  accustomed  to  duty  in  the  field  that  although 
there  is  much  less  suffering  in  such  a  camp,  there  is  more  grumbling.  Almost 
every  school  district  at  the  north  has  had  a  representative  in  this  camp  ;  some 
from  their  own  misfortunes,  but  many  of  them  have  been  of  the  poorest  material 
of  our  army  —  the  most  useless  of  all  soldiers  —  stragglers. 

I  trust  I  do  no  injustice  to  the  real  convalescents  in  this  camp  ;  there  are 
many  there  who  have  proved  to  be  good  soldiers  in  the  field,  who  were  good 
soldiers  when  in  camp,  and  will  continue  to  be  of  credit  to  their  regiments  and 
honor  to  their  States. 

I  do  not  desire  to  cast  censure  on  any  of  the  officers.  I  have  no  doubt  all  have 
done  what  they  thought  advisable  to  relieve  the  suffering  of  the  sick,  wounded, 
and  unfortunate,  yet  their  office  has  been  a  thankless  one. 


TESTIMONY.  557 

I  have  neglected  to  mention  one  great  difficulty  in  the  organization  of  this 
camp,  viz :  the  officers  have  not  been  permanently  assigned  to  duty  there ; 
many  have  looked  upon  it  as  a  kind  of  Botany  bay,  instead  of  making  the 
comfort  of  the  unfortunate  soldier  a  pleasure  and  duty ;  many  of  them,  however, 
have,  and  are  now,  serving  faithfully,  and  are  entitled  to  praise  rather  than 
censure. 

Since  the  1st  of  February  the  number  in  the  camps  has  been  lessened  daily ; 
on  the  15th  the  number  at  the  convalescent  camp  proper  was  only  5,300. 

It  has  been  recommended  that  a  portion  of  the  men  not  fit  for  duty  in  the 
field,  but  who,  under  the  present  system,  are  necessarily  discharged,  shall  be 
organized  into  companies  and  regiments  for  garrison  duty,  I  am  confident  that 
the  services  of  one-third  of  those  who  are  discharged  will  be  of  great  value, 
if  so  organized. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be  your  obedient  servant, 

S.  H.  LATHROP, 
Lieut.  Col.,  Assist.  Inspec.  Gen.,  Department  of  Washington. 

Hon.  DANIEL  W.  GOOCH, 

Committee  on  Conduct  of  War. 


TRADE  IN  MILITARY  DISTRICTS. 


IN  THE  HOUSE  OF   REPRESENTATIVES, 

January  12,  1863. 
On  motion  of  Mr.  Alley, 

Resolved,  That  the  committee  on  the  conduct  of  the  war  be  directed  to  en 
quire  what  rules  or  restrictions,  if  any,  are  applied  to  trade  in  those  sections  of 
the  country  now  under  military  occupation,  and  whether  any  officers  in  the  ser 
vice  of  the  goveniment  are,  or  have  been  engaged  in  trade  or  speculation,  or 
affording  special  privileges  or  facilities  to  other  persons  to  do  so,  and  to  report 
the  facts  to  this  House. 

Attest:  EM.  ETHERIDGE,  Clerk. 


WAR  DEPARTMENT, 
Washington  City,  January  29,  1863. 

SIR  :  In  accordance  with  the  request  contained  in  your  letter  of  the  13th 
instant,  I  have  the  honor  to  enclose  copies  of  all  rules,  regulations,  and  restric 
tions,  issued  by  this  department  for  the  government  of  trade  in  those  portions 
of  the  country  now  under  military  occupation.  These  rules,  regulations,  and 
restrictions  are  based  upon  regulations  issued  August  28, 1862,  by  the  Secretary 
of  the  Treasury,  concerning  commercial  intercourse  with  insurrectionary  States 
or  sections,  and  for  the  purpose  of  enforcing  them. 

I  am,  sir,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

EDWIN  M.  STANTON, 

Secretary  of  War. 
Honorable  B.  F.  WADE, 

Chairman  of  the  Committee  on  the  Conduct  of  the  War. 


WAR  DEPARTMENT, 

Adjutant  General's  Office,    Washington,  August  29,  1862. 

General  orders,  No.  119.] 

The  following  orders  are  published  for  the  information  and  government  of  all 
concerned : 


558  TESTIMONY. 

ORDER  RESPECTING  TRADE  REGULATIONS. 

WAR  DEPARTMENT, 
Washington  City,  D.  C.,  August  28,  1862. 

The  attention  of  all  officers  and  others  connected  with  the  army  of  the  United 
States  is  called  to  the  regulations  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  concerning 
commercial  intercourse  with  insurrectionary  States,  or  sections,  dated  August 
28,  1862. 

I.  Commandants  of  departments,  districts,  and  posts,  will  render  all  such  mil 
itary  aid  as  may  become  necessary  in  carrying  out  the  provisions  of  said  regu 
lations  and  enforcing  observance  thereof  to  the  extent  directed  by  the  Secretary 
of  the  Treasury,  so  far  as  can  possibly  be  done  without  danger  to  the  opera 
tions  or  safety  of  their  respective  commands. 

II.  There  will  be  no  interference  with  trade  in,  or  shipments  of,  cotton,  or 
other  merchandise,  conducted  in  pursuance  of  said  regulations,  within  any  ter 
ritory  occupied  and  controlled  by  the  forces  of  the  United  States,  unless  abso 
lutely  necessary  to  the  successful  execution  of  military  plans  or  movements 
therein.     But  in  casBs  of  the  violation  of  the  conditions  of  any  clearance  or 
permit  granted  under  said  regulations,  and  in  cases  of  unlawful  traffic,  the 
guilty  party  or   parties  will  be  arrested  and  the  facts  promptly  reported  to  the 
commandant  of  the  department  for  orders. 

III.  No  officer  of  the  army,  or  other  person  connected  therewith,  will  seize 
cotton,  or  other  property  of  individuals,  unless  exposed  to  destruction  by  the 
enemy,  or  needed  for  military  purposes,  or  for  confiscation  under  the  act  of  Con 
gress  ;  and  in  all  such  cases  of  seizure  the  same  shall  be  promptly  reported  to 
the  commandant  of  the  department  wherein  they  are  made  for  his  orders  the-rein. 

By  order  of  the  Secretary  of  War. 

E.  D.  TOWNSENI), 

Assistant  Adjutant  General. 

Official:  E.  D.  TOWNSEND, 

Assistant  Adjutant  General. 


TREASURY  DEPARTMENT,  February  3,  1863. 

SIR  :  I  have  received  your  letter  of  the  13th  ultimo,  (covering  copy  of  a  res 
olution  of  the  House  of  Representatives  on  the  subject,)  requesting  me  to  furnish 
to  the  committee  on  the  conduct  of  the  war,  "a  copy  of  all  rules,  regulations, 
and  restrictions  issued  by  your"  [Treasury]  "department  for  the  government  of 
trade  in  those  places  indicated  in  the  resolution" — (to  wit :  in  those  portions  of  the 
country  now  'under  military  occupation) — "  said  copy  designating  all  rules, 
&c.,  &c.,  which  have  been,  but  are  not  now,  in  force,  as  well  as  those  in  force  at 
the  present  time." 

In  compliance  with  your  request,  I  now  transmit  copies  of  all  letters,  circulars, 
rules,  &c.,  &c.,  upon  the  subject,  emanating  from  or  approved  by  this  depart 
ment  from  2d  May,  1861,  to  20th  January,  1863,  inclusive. 

I  also  transmit  an  analytical  chronological  index  of  the  same,  which  may 
facilitate  the  labors  of  the  committee  in  investigating  the  subject. 
With  great  respect,    , 

S.  P.  CHASE, 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 
Hon.  B.  F.  WADE, 

Chairman  Committee,  on  Conduct  of  the  War,  Senate. 


TESTIMONY, 


559 


LIST  OF  DOCUMENTS. 


No. 


Date. 


Subject  of  document. 


1861. 
May  2 


16 

29 

30 

4 


June 


12 
August     22 


31 

9  j  Septembers 


10 
11 

12 


10 
10 

21 


13  |  October  2 

14  2 

15  3 

16  i  Novembers 

17  12 

18  U 

19  j  25 

20  i  30 


21 

22  I 

23  Dec. 


24 

25 
26 


27 


1862. 

January  15 

27 

February  14 

27 


28  I 

29  i  March 


30 
31 


2s 
4 

7 

29 


Circular  to  collectors,  surveyors,  and  other  officers  of  the  customs,  in 
pursuance  of  the  proclamation  of  the  President  of  April  19,  1861. 

Circular  letter,  allowing  supplies  to  go  forward  to  certain  cannel-coal 
mines  in  Western  Virginia. 

General  letter  of  instructions  to  special  agents,  relative  to  exchanges, 
&c.,  announcing  the  policy  that  commerce  should  fallow  the  flag. 

Modification  of  restrictions  promulgated  May  2,  1861,  on  trade  with 
Western  Virginia. 

Letter  to  sundry  persons — committee  of  citizens  of  Paducah,  Ken 
tucky — concerning  restrictions  upon  free  trade  with  Kentucky. 

Circular  to  officers  of  the  customs  in  addition  to  instructions  of  May  2, 18  61. 

Circular  instructions  to  collectors  and  other  officers  of  the  customs, 
superseding  instructions  of  May  2  and  June  12,  and  embracing  proc 
lamation  of  the  President  of  August  16,  1861,  in  pursuance  of  ac 
companying  act  of  Congress  of  July  13,  1861. 

Circular  prohibiting  trade  with  Paducah,  Kentucky. 

Circular  designating  what  communication  with  insurrectionary  sections 
is  in  accordance  with  law. 

Order  restricting  trade  in  Kentucky  with  points  south  of  Louisville,  &c. 

Instructions  to  special  agents  concerning  restrictions  on  trade  in  Ken 
tucky,  west  of  the  Cumberland  river. 

Circular  to  officers  of  the  customs,  relating  to  unwarrantable  seizures 
of  property. 

Permits  for  sutlers  at  Cairo,  Illinois. 

Order  mitigating  restrictions  on  trade  with  Paducah. 

Authorizing  shipments  of  products  from  Kentucky,  west  of  the  Cum 
berland. 

Regulations  of  trade  with  Paducah,  &c. 

Circular  to  officers  of  the  customs  in  regard  to  seizures. 

Authorizing  trade  with  blockading  squadrons. 

Restrictions  on  trade  in  pork  with  Louisville,  Kentucky. 

General  regulations  relative  to  securing  and  disposing  of  the  property 
found  or  brought  within  the  territory  occupied  by  the  United  States 
forces  in  the  disloyal  States. 

Instructions  to  agents  appointed  to  Territory  above  described  for  pur 
poses  there  alluded  to. 

Instructions  to  agents  appointed  to  receive  property  alluded  to  in  the 
foregoing  regulations.  * 

Modification  of  restrictions  of  November  25,  1861,  on  trade  in  pork 
with- Louisville,  Kentucky. 

Rules  required  to  be  observed  by  steamboats  navigating  the  Ohio  river. 

Rules  for  steamers  between  Pittsburg  and  Cincinnati. 

Instructions  in  duties  of  special  agent  to  Nashville,  Tennessee,  relative 

to  trade  in  cotton  and  other  products. 
Communication  from  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  to  the  Secretary  of 

War,  requesting  him  to  advise  the  generals  in  command  of  the  act 

of  Congress  of  July  13,  1861,  so  far  as  it  directs  how  commercial 

intercourse  with  the  insurrectionary  sections  shall  be  regulated  and 

controlled. 

The  President's  license  for  commercial  intercourse. 
Rules  and   regulations  concerning   internal   commercial  intercourse 

under  act  of  Congress  of  July  13,  1861. 
Communication  from  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  to  the  Secretary  of 

War,  concerning  interference  with  rules  of  March  4,  1862. 
Circular  to  officers  of  the  customs,  modifying  the  rules  and  regulations 

of  commercial  intercourse  of  March  4,  1862. 


560 


TESTIMONY. 

List  of  documents — Continued. 


Date. 


Subject  of  document. 


1862. 
April          4 

7 
22 


May 


22 
12 
12 
16 

17 

23 


June 


July 


18 
August     15 

28 


September  8 

22 
22 

24 

25 

October      1 

1 


4 
23 

Novembers 
8 


Order  restricting  trade  in  Tennessee  to  persons  authorized  by  Governor 
Johnson. 

Rules  governing  shipments  to  or  by  sutlers,  under  act  of  Congress  of 
March  19,  1862. 

Order  that  the  question  of  the  detention  and  seizure  of  goods  shall  be 
decided  by  the  surveyor  of  the  last  port  to  be  passed  on  the  route  of 
transportation. 

Rules  for  commercial  intercourse  adapted  to  trade  in  the  west. 

Proclamation  of  the  President  opening  certain  ports  to  trade. 

Regulations  relating  to  trade  with  ports  opened  by  proclamation. 

Appointment  of  acting  collector,  and  general  instructions  regulating 
trade  at  New  Orleans. 

Modifications  of  the  restrictions  upon  trade  on  the  Mississippi. 

Circular  to  collectors  of  Atlantic  ports  concerning  clearances  to  ports 
opened  by  proclamation,  enumerating  articles  contraband  of  war. 

Form  of  permit  issued  to  officers  of  the  customs  to  grant  clearances  to 
ports  under  blockade. 

Circular  to  collectors  relative  to  sending  supplies  to  the  relief  of 
Norfolk. 

Rules  for  trade  at  Memphis,  Tennessee. 

Letter  from  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  to  the  Secretary  of  War, 
embodying  the  modm  operand  in  the  transmittal  of  supplies  to  places 
declared  by  the  President  to  be  under  blockade. 

Additional  instructions  to  tbe  acting  collector  at  New  Orleans. 

Certificates  of  permission  to  trade  to  be  granted  to  loyal  parties. 

Instructions  to  special  agents  to  co-operate  in  establishing  rules  for 
reopening  trade  with  places  heretofore  in  insurrection. 

Instructions  to  surveyors  of  customs  (west)  requiring  steamers  to  take 
out  regular  clearances  each  trip,  &c. 

Instructions  to  surveyors  in  western  districts  relative  to  trading  boats. 

Modification  of  instructions  of  June  27,  1862,  to  the  acting  collector  at 
New  Orleans. 

Regulations  concerning  internal  and  coastwise  intercourse,  to  which 
are  appended  the  accompanying  orders  of  the  Secretary  of  War  and 
the  Secret  try  of  the  Navy,  also  the  act  of  Congress  of  July  13, 1861, 
and  the  supplemental  act  of  May  20,  1862. 

Special  orders  concerning  trade  on  the  Mississippi  river  below  Memphis, 
promulgated  by  the  Treasury  Department  in  conjunction  with  the 
military  commander. 

Special  instructions  to  the  collector  at  Baltimore  concerning  restric 
tions  on  trade. 

Order  imposing  additional  restrictions  on  the  trade  with  Kentucky  and 
Tennessee,  west  of  the  Cumberland  river  and  north  of  the  Ohio. 

Order  restricting  trade  on  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  railroad. 

Order  restricting  trade  between  Parkersburg  and  Point  Pleasant, 
Western  Virginia. 

Further  instructions  to  the  acting  collector  at  New  Orleans  relative  to 
trade  below  the  city. 

Communication  to  the  Secretary  of  State  as  to  the  effect  of  treasury 
regulations  upon  trade  in,  and  exportation  of  cotton  and  other  pro 
ducts  of  the  insurrectionary  sections,  in  connexion  with  a  letter  from 
William  P.  Mellen,  special  agent,  (of  September  26,  1862,)  in  rela 
tion  to  the  cotton  trade  of  the  southwest,  &c.,  and  the  reply  of  the 
.  Secretary  of  the  Tieasury  of  this  date. 
.  Rules  governing  trade  in  Tennessee,  adopted  by  Major  General  Grant. 

Additional  rules  restricting  trade  in  the  west  and  south. 

Regulations  restricting  trade  north  of  the  Potomac. 

Instructions  relative  to  trade  on  the  Kanawha  river. 


TESTIMONY. 
List  of  documents — Continued. 


561 


No. 

Date. 

Subject  of  document. 

1862. 

63 

November  5 

Restrictions  on  trade  on  the  north  side  of  the  Ohio  river. 

64 

25 

Restrictions  on  trade  in  Maryland,  and  appointments  of  boards  of  trade. 

65 

December  2 

Board  of  trade  at  Memphis  dissolved. 

66 

12 

Circular  relating  to  trade  below  Memphis  issued  by  Thos.  H.  Yeatman, 

esq.,  special  agent. 

67 

12 

Restrictions  on  trade  on  the  north  side,  of  the  Ohio  river  modified. 

68 

16 

Trade  below  Helena,  Arkansas,  prohibited  ;   no  trade  opened  below 

Memphis. 

69 

22 

Order  suspending  trade  with  points  in  Kentucky  and  Tennessee. 

1863 

70 

January  24 

Modification  of  restriction  upon  trade  in  salt  in  Kentucky  advised. 

71 

January  .... 

Conditions  upon  which  trade  with  Helena,  Arkansas,  is  opened. 

No.  1. 
Circular  to  collectors,  surveyors,  and  oilier  officers  of  the  customs. 

TREASURY  DEPARTMENT,  May  2,  1861. 

On  the  19th  of  April,  1861,  the  President  of  the  United  States,  by  proclama 
tion,  declared  the  ports  of  South  Carolina,  Georgia,  Florida,  Alabama,  Louisiana, 
Mississippi,  and  Texas  under  blockade,  and  on  the  same  month,  by  another 
proclamation,  declared  the  ports  of  Virginia  and  North  Carolina,  also,  under 
blockade,  since  which  proclamation  this  department  has  received  reliable  infor 
mation  that  attempts  are  frequently  made  to  furnish  arms  and  munitions  of  war, 
provisions,  and  other  supplies  to  persons  and  parties  in  those  States  in  open 
rebellion  against  the  constitutional  authorities  of  the  Union. 

It  becomes  my  duty,  therefore,  to  instruct  you  to  cause  a  careful  examination 
to  be  made  of  the  manifests  of  all  steam  or  other  vessels  departing  from  your 
port  with  cargoes  whose  ultimate  destination  you  have  satisfactory  reason  to 
believe  is  for  any  port  or  place  under  the  control  of  such  insurrectionary  parties, 
and  to  compare  the  same  with  the  cargo  on  board ;  and  if  any  such  manifest  be 
found  to  embrace  any  articles  of  the  description  before  mentioned,  or  any  such 
articles  be  found  to  constitute  part  of  the  cargo,  you  will  take  all  necessary  and 
proper  measures  to  prevent  the  departure  of  the  vessel  and  to  detain  the  same 
in  your  custody  until  all  such  articles  shall  be  removed  therefrom  and  for  further 
proceedings,  according  to  law. 

You  will  also  make  a  careful  examination  of  all  flatboats  and  other  water 
craft  without  manifests,  and  of  railroad  cars  and  vehicles  arriving  at  or  leaving 
your  port,  laden  with  merchandise,  the  ultimate  destination  of  which  you  have 
good  reason  to  believe  is  for  any  port  or  place  under  insurrectionary  control ; 
and  if  arms,  munitions  of  war,  provisions  of  war,  provisions  or  other  supplies  are 
found,  having  such  destination,  you  will  seize  and  detain  the  same,  to  await  the 
proper  legal  proceedings  for  confiscation  or  forfeiture. 

In  carrying  out  these  instructions,  you  will  bear  in  mind  that  all  persons  or 
parties  in  armed  insurrection  against  the  Union,  however  such  persons  may  be 
organized  or  named,  are  engaged  in  levying  war  against  the  United  States,  and 
that  all  persons  furnishing  to  such  insurgents  arms,  munitions  of  war,  provis 
ions,  or  other  supplies,  are  giving  them  aid  and  comfort,  and  so  guilty  of  treason 
within  the  terms  of  the  second  section  of  the  third  article  of  the  Constitution; 

Part  iii 36 


562  TESTIMONY. 

and  you  will  therefore  use  your  utmost  vigilance  to  prevent  the  prohibited  ship 
ments,  and  to  detect  and  to  bring  to  punishment  all  who  are  in  any  way  en 
gaged  in  furnishing  to  such  insurgents  any  of  the  articles  above  described. 

You  will,  however,  on  the  other  hand,  be  careful  not  to  interrupt,  vexatiously 
or  beyond  necessity,  by  unwarranted  or  protracted  detentions  and  examinations, 
the  regular  and  lawful  commerce  of  your  port. 

You  will  report  forthwith  whether  any,  and  if  any,  what,  additional  measures 
may  be  necessary,  in  your  judgment,  to  carry  into  full  effect  the  foregoing  di 
rections;  and  you  will  report  to  this  department,  from  time  to  time,  your  action 
under  these  instructions. 

S.  P.  CHASE, 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 

N.  B. — Among  prohibited  supplies  are  included  coals,  telegraphic  instru 
ments,  wire,  porous  cups,  platina,  sulphuric  acid,  zinc,  and  all  other  telegraphic 
materials.  S.  P.  C. 

MEMORANDUM. — This  circular  of  instructions  was  superseded  by  the  cir 
cular  published  on  the  22d  day  of  August,  1861. 


No.  2. 

Circular  letter  to  surveyors  of  the  customs  west,  allowing  supplies  to  go  forward 
to  certain  coal  mines  in  Western  Virginia. 

TREASURY  DEPARTMENT,  May  15,  1861. 

SIR  :  You  are  hereby  authorized  to  allow  goods  and  provisions,  comprising 
the  necessaries  of  life,  to  pass  through  your  port  from  Philadelphia  for  the  use 
of  the  workmen  in  the  Cannel  coal  mines  of  Western  Virginia ;  and  all  coal 
shipped  from  thence  to  your  port  to  go  forward  or  land  without  interruption. 
I  am,  &c., 

S.  P.  CHASE, 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 

ENOCH  T.  CARSON,  Esq.,  Surveyor,  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 
CHAS.  W.  BATCHELOR,  Esq.,  Surveyor,  Pittsburg,  Pennsylvania. 


No.  3. 

General  letter  of  instructions  to  IVilliam  P.  Mellen,  special  agent,  relative  to 
exchanges,  and  announcing  the  policy  that  commerce  should  follow  the  flag. 

TREASURY  DEPARTMENT,  May  29,  1861. 

SIR  :  I  have  little  doubt  that  the  exchange  of  provisions  and  supplies,  except 
munitions  of  war  and  other  articles  usually  prohibited,  would  be  more  useful 
than  injurious.  The  difficulty,  however,  is  this  :  The  States  controlled  by  in 
surrectionists,  especially  by  insurrectionists  exercising  the  powers  of  govern 
ment,  can  hardly  be  regarded  otherwise  than  as  hostile  communities,  with  which 
the  United  States  are,  for  the  time  being,  at  actual  war.  The  rules  applicable 
to  the  relations  of  war  must  be  applied.  If  war  existed  between  this  country 
and  England,  no  trade  whatever  would  be  permitted.  American  property 


TESTIMONY.  563 

shipped  to  England  and  English  property  shipped  to  the  United  States  would 
be  liable  to  seizure.  So  constant  experience  teaches  us  that  property  shipped 
to  the  insurrectionary  States  is  liable  to  seizure  and  actually  seized ;  and  if  the 
property  of  citizens  in  those  States  shipped  to  the  United  States  is  not  seized, 
it  is  simply  because  the  federal  government  desires  to  treat  them,  as  far  as  prac 
ticable,  not  as  enemies,  but  as  citizens. 

I  see  no  way  in  which  safe  intercourse  can  be  established  between  citizens  of 
the  loyal  States  and  those  under  insurrectionary  control.  The  question  is  not 
one  of  revenue  nor  one  of  rights  in  a  state  of  peace,  but  a  question  of  supplies  to 
enemies,  and  is  controlled  by  considerations  belonging  to  a  state  of  war.  The 
best  thing  to  be  done,  it  seems  to  me,  is  to  establish  the  power  of  the  govern 
ment  in  co-operation  with  the  people  of  Kentucky  and  Western  Virginia  within 
those  limits,  and  to  let  commerce  follow*  the  flag. 

,  This  policy  opens  Missouri,  Kentucky,  and  Western  Virginia  to  trade,  and 
will  extend  southward  as  rapidly  and  as  far  as  the  authority  of  the  federal  gov 
ernment  can  be  restored. 

Continue  your  conversations  with  reflecting  men,  and  let  me  know  the  result. 
Yours,  &c., 

S.  P.  CHASE, 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 

WM.  P.  MELLKN,  Esq., 

Special  Agent,  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 


No.  4. 

Modification  of  the  restrictions  on  trade  with    Western   Virginia,  promulgated 

May  2,  1861. 

TREASURY  DEPARTMENT,  May  30,  1861. 

SIR  :  It  is  the  purpose  of  the  government,  whenever  practicable,  consistently 
with  its  effort  to  restore  the  supremacy  of  the  Constitution  and  laws,  to  miti 
gate,  in  favor  of  all  citizens  of  the  United  States  who  remain  loyal  to  the  Union, 
the  rigorous  measures  found  necessary  to  suppress  the  insurrection.  With  that 
view,  the  instructions  of  the  2d  instant,  prohibiting  the  transmission  of  supplies 
to  the  insurgents,  will  not  be  enforced  against  the  citizens  of  Western  Virginia, 
who  have  so  signally  manifested,  by  recent  acts,  their  continued  attachment  to 
the  Union. 

You  will,  in  future,  be  careful  that  provisions  and  other  like  commodities, 
intended  for  consumption  in  Western  Virginia,  shall  be  permitted  to  proceed  to 
their  destination  without  interruption,  satisfying  yourself,  of  course,  in  every 
case,  that  such  is  the  bona  Jide  destination  of  the  articles. 

The  substance  of  the  foregoing  instructions  was  communicated  to  you  by  tele 
graph  on  the  29th  instant. 
I  am,  &c., 

S.  P.  CHASE, 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 
ENOCH  T.  CARSON,  Esq., 

Surveyor,  fyc.,  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 

Similar  letters  of  instructions  were  sent  to  the  collectors  of  the  various  west 
ern  ports. 


564  TESTIMONY. 


No.  5. 

Concerning  restrictions  on  free  trade  with  Kentucky  via  Paducah. — Letter  to 
committee  of  citizens  of  Paducah. 

TREASURY  DEPARTMENT,  June  4,  1861. 

GENTLEMEN:  On  the  24th  ultimo,  the  following  despatch  was  sent  from  this 
department  to  William  Nolen,  collector  at  your  port : 

"'Bona  Jide'  trade  between  States  not  under  insurrectionary  control,  of 
which  States  Kentucky  is  one,  is  under  no  restrictions,  but  the  sending  of  sup 
plies  of  any  kind,  directly  or  indirectly,  for  the  aid  and  comfort  of  insurgents, 
in  or  through  Kentucky  or  any  other  State,  is  strictly  forbidden." 

Instructions  have  been  sent  to  the  collectors  of  various  western  ports  not  to  inter 
fere  with  the  shipments  of  supplies  bona  fide  intended  for  consumption  within 
any  State  acknowledging  and  fulfilling  its  federal  obligations.  If,  therefore, 
any  obstruction  is  opposed  to  the  sending  of  provisions  or  other  supplies,  it 
must  be  because  the  officers  of  the  government  at  the  places  from  which  the 
supplies  would  be  forwarded  have  reason  to  believe  that  those  supplies  will  reach 
insurgents  in  arms  against  the  Union  and  its  government. 

Some  facts,  such  as  the  petition  of  certain  citizens  of  Paducah  to  the  Ken 
tucky  legislature  for  the  fortification  of  the  place,  the  support  of  that  applica 
tion  by  the  senator  from  the  district,  and  the  arming  of  parties  of  men,  avowedly 
intending  to  join  the  conspirators  in  insurrection,  afford  some  ground  for  that 
belief.  If  the  belief  be  a  mistaken  one,  it  will  be  easy  to  remove  it  by  such 
manifestations  on  the  part  of  the  people  of  the  town  and  surrounding  country 
as  will  leave  no  doubt  of  their  loyal  attachment  to  the  Constitution,  the  Union, 
and  the  flag  of  our  fathers. 

If  the  collector  at  Paducah  has  executed,  and  will  continue  to  execute,  im 
partially  and  completely,  the  order  heretofore  sent  him,  prohibiting  supplies  to 
parties  levying  war  against  the  United  States,  and  their  aiders  and  comforters, 
all  obstructions  in  the  way  of  complete  restoration  of  commercial  intercourse  be 
tween  Paducah  and  loyal  towns  and  States  will  be  removed. 

It  is  the  earnest  wish  of  this  department  that  every  part  of  the  country  may 
enjoy,  in  the  most  ample  degree,  the  benefit  of  the  Constitution  and  the  laws, 
faithfully  upheld  and  honestly  administered,  for  the  protection  of  every  right  and 
every  interest. 

Yours,  &c., 

S.  P.  CHASE, 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 

Messrs.  J.  CAMPBELL,  J.  H.  TERRELL,  S.  B.  HUGHES,  R.  C.  WOOLFOLK,  R. 
ENDERS,  H.  ENDERS,  Paducah,  Kentucky. 


No.  6. 

Circular  to  collectors,  surveyors,  and  other  officers  of  the  customs. 

TREASURY  DEPARTMENT,  June  12,  1861. 

SIR  :  Referring  to  the  circular  instructions  of  the  2d  ultimo,  prohibiting  the 
transmission  of  munitions  of  war,  provisions,  or  other  supplies  to  parties  in  in 
surrection  against  the  United  States,  you  are  now  further  instructed  to  exercise 
the  utmost  vigilance  in  arresting  and  detaining  all  merchandise,  of  whatever 


TESTIMONY.  565 

character,  the  ultimate  destination  of  which  you  have  satisfactory  reason  to  be 
lieve  is  for  insurgents  against  the  United  States,  or  for  places  under  their  control. 

If  you  are  satisfied,  either  from  the  nature  of  the  articles  or  otherwise,  that 
any  merchandise,  wherever  destined  in  name,  is  in  fact  destined  for  persons  or 
combinations  in  actual  insurrection  against  the  government  of  the  United  States, 
you  will  cause  the  same  to  be  seized  and  proceeded  against  for  forfeiture. 

If,  however,  you  are  satisfied  that  any  merchandise  transmitted  for  States  or 
places  under  insurrectionary  control  is  not  intended  for  actual  insurgents,  and 
has  been  shipped  or  forwarded  without  intent  to  afford  aid  or  comfort  to  such 
insurgents,  or  otherwise  to  violate  the  law,  you  will*  simply  detain  such  mer 
chandise,  and  notify  the  shippers  or  forwarders,  or  their  agents,  of  such  deten 
tion,  and  state  the  cause  thereof.  If  such  shipper  or  forwarder,  personally  or 
by  agent,  shall  satisfy  you  that  the  merchandise  so  arrested  will  not  be  sent  to 
any  place  under  insurrectionary  control,  but  will  be  either  returned  whence  it 
came  or  be  disposed  of  in  good  faith  for  consumption  within  loyal  States,  you 
will  restore  possession  of  the  same,  and  allow  such  disposition  thereof  to  be 
made  as  the  parties  in  interest  may  desire. 

You  will  regard  all  States  in  which  the  authority  of  the  United  States  is 
temporarily  subverted  as  under  insurrectionary  control;  but  any  portions  of 
such  States  in  which  the  laws  of  the  Union  and  the  authority  of  the  federal 
government  are  acknowledged  and  respected,  will  be  considered  as  exempt  from 
any  interruption  of  commerce  or  intercourse  beyond  such  as  may  be  necessary 
in  order  to  prevent  supplies  going  to  insurgents,  or  to  places  under  their  control. 

It  is  the  intention  of  the  department  to  leave  the  owners  of  all  property  per 
fectly  free  to  control  it  in  such  manner  as  they  see  fit,  without  interference 
or  detention  by  officers  of  the  federal  government,  except  for  the  purpose  of 
preventing  any  use  or  disposal  of  such  property  for  the  aid  and  comfort  of  in 
surgents,  or  in  commerce  with  States  or  places  controlled  by  insurgents. 
I  am,  &c.,  &c.,  &c., 

S.  P.  CHASE, 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 

MEMORANDUM. — This  general  circular  of  instructions  was  superseded  by  the 
more  comprehensive  circular  of  August  22,  1861. 


No.  7. 
Circular  instructions  to  collectors  and  other  officers  of  the  customs. 

TREASURY  DEPARTMENT,  August  22,  1861. 

The  attention  of  collectors  and  other  officers  of  the  customs  is  called  to 
the  act  of  Congress  entitled  "An  act  further  to  provide  for  the  collection  of 
duties  on  imports,  and  for  other  purposes,"  approved  July  13,  1861,  and  the 
proclamation  of  the  President  of  the  United  States  of  August  16,  1861,  made 
in  pursuance  thereof,  both  of  which  are  annexed. 

In  view,  therefore,  of  the  act  aforesaid,  and  the  proclamation  of  the  Pres 
ident  of  the  United  States,  made  in  pursuance  thereof,  I  hereby  direct  and 
instruct  the  officers  of  the  customs  to  use  all  vigilance  in  preventing  com 
mercial  intercourse  with  the  inhabitants  of  States  in  insurrection,  except  in 
the  special  cases  in  which  it  may  be  allowed  by  license  and  permit  as  therein 
set  forth.  The  instructions  of  May  2  and  June  12,  1861,  heretofore  in  force, 
will  be  regarded  as  superseded  by  the  more  comprehensive  provisions  of 
the  act  and  proclamation.  The  collectors  and  other  officers  of  the  customs 


566  TESTIMONY. 

will  report  all  seizures  made  under  the  proclamation  to  the  proper  district 
attorney,  for  such  proceedings  as  the  law  and  facts  may  justify  in  each 
case;  and  they  will  also,  as  soon  as  practicable,  and  as  frequently  afterward 
as  may  be  convenient,  report  their  views  in  relation  to  the  commercial  inter 
course  contemplated,  and  the  permits  proper  to  be  granted  or  withheld. 

In  the  forms  accompanying  the  weekly  returns  required  by  circular  of  the 
5th  August,  1861,  to  be  made  to  this  department,  collectors  and  other  officers 
of  the  customs  will  be  careful  to  state  what  permits  are  asked  for  the  ship 
ment  of  goods,  by  whom  asked,  and  the  grounds  on  which  the  applications 
are  based. 

The  attention  of  the  collectors  and  other  officers  is  especially  directed  to 
fifth  and  subsequent  sections  of  the  act. 

S.-P.  CHASE,  Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 


By  the  President  of  the  United  States  of  America. 

A  PROCLAMATION. 

Whereas,  on  the  15th  day  of  April,  1861,  the  President  of  the  United 
States,  in  view  of  an  insurrection  against  the  laws,  Constitution,  and  govern 
ment  of  the  United  States,  which  had  broken  out  within  the  States  of  South 
Carolina,  Georgia,  Alabama,  Florida,  Mississippi,  Louisiana,  and  Texas, 
and  in  pursuance  of  the  provisions  of  the  act  entitled  "  An  act  to  provide 
for  calling  forth  the  militia  to  execute  the  laws  of  the  Union,  suppress  insur 
rections,  and  repel  invasions,  and  to  repeal  the  act  now  in  force  for  that 
purpose,"  approved  February  28,  1795,  did  call  forth  the  militia  to  suppress 
said  insurrection  and  to  cause  the  laws  of  the  Union  to  be  duly  executed, 
and  the  insurgents  have  failed  to  disperse  by  the  time  directed  by  the 
President;  and  whereas  siich  insurrection  has  since  broken  out  and  yet 
exists  within  the  States  of  Virginia,  North  Carolina,  Tennessee,  and  Arkansas; 
and  whereas  the  insurgents  in  all  the  said  States  claim  to  act  under  the 
authority  thereof,  and  such  claim  is  not  disclaimed  or  repudiated  by  the 
persons  exercising  the  functions  of  government  in  such  State  or  States,  or 
in  the  part  or  parts  thereof  in  which  such  combinations  exist,  nor  has  such 
insurrection  been  suppressed  by  said  States  : 

Now,  therefore,  I,  Abraham  Lincoln,  President  of  the  United  States,  in 
pursuance  of  an  act  of  Congress  approved  July  13,  1861,  do  hereby  declare 
that  the  inhabitants  of  the  said  States  of  Georgia,  South  Carolina,  Virginia, 
North  Carolina,  Tennessee,  Alabama,  Louisiana,  Texas,  Arkansas,  Missis 
sippi,  and  Florida,  (except  the  inhabitants  of  that  part  of  the  State  of , Vir 
ginia  lying  west  of  the  Alleghauy  mountains,  and  of  such  other  parts  of 
that  State  and  the  other  States  hereinbefore  named  as  may  maintain  a  loyal 
adhesion  to  the  Union  and  the  Constitution,  or  may  be,  from  time  to  time, 
occupied  and  controlled  by  forces  of  the  United  States  engaged  in  the  disper 
sion  of  said  insurgents,)  are  in  a  state  of  insurrection  against  the  United 
States;  and  that  all  commercial  intercourse  between  the  same  and  the  inhab 
itants  thereof,  with  the  exceptions  aforesaid,  arid  the  citizens  of  other  States 
and  other  parts  of  the  United  States,  is  unlawful,  arid  will  remain  unlawful 
until  such  insurrection  shall  cease  or  has  been  suppressed;  that  all  goods 
and  chattels,  wares  and  merchandise,  coming  from  any  of  said  States,  with 
the  exception  aforesaid,  into  other  parts  of  the  United  States,  without  the 
special  license  and  permission  of  the  President,  through  the  Secretary  of  the 
Treasury,  or  proceeding  to  any  of  said  States,  with  the  exceptions  aforesaid, 
by  land  or  water,  together  with  the  vessel  or  vehicle  conveying  the  same, 
or  conveying  persons  to  or  from  said  States,  with  said  exceptions,  will  be 
forfeited  to  the  United  States;  and  that  from  and  after  fifteen  days  from  the 


TESTIMONY.  567 

issuing-  of  this  proclamation,  all  ships  and  vessels  belonging  in  whole  or  in 
part  to  any  citizen  or  inhabitant  of  any  of  said  States,  with  said  exceptions, 
found  at  sea  or  in  any  port  of  the  United  States,  will  be  forfeited  to  the 
United  States.  And  I  hereby  enjoin  upon  all  district  attorneys,  marshals,  and 
officers  of  the  revenue  and  of  the  military  and  naval  forces  of  the  United 
States,  to  be  vigilant  in  the  execution  of  said  act,  and  in  the  enforcement  of 
the  penalties  and  forfeitures  imposed  or  declared  by  it;  leaving  any  party 
who  may  think  himself  aggrieved  thereby  to  his  application  to  the  Secretary 
of  the  Treasury  for  the  remission  of  any  penalty  or  forfeiture,  which  the 
said  Secretary  is  authorized  by  law  to  grant,  if,  in  his  judgment,  the  special 
circumstances  of  any  case  shall  require  such  remission. 

In  witness  whereof,  I  have   hereunto  set  my  hand  arid  caused  the  seal  of 

r       -,       the  United  States  to  be  affixed.     Done  at  the  city  of  Washington, 

this  16th  day  of  August,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  one  thousand  eight 

hundred  and  sixty-one,   and  of  the  independence   of  the  United  States  of 

America  the  eighty-sixth. 

ABRAHAM  LINCOLN. 

By  the  President  : 

WILLIAM  H.  SEWARD,  Secretary  of  State. 


An  act  further  to  provide  for  the  collection  of  duties  on  imports,  and  for  other 

purposes. 

Be  it  enacted  by  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  of  the  United  States 
of  America  in  Congress  assembled,  That  whenever  it  shall,  in  the  judgment 
of  the  President,  by  reason  of  unlawful  combinations  of  persons  in  opposition 
to  the  laws  of  the  United  States,  become  impracticable  to  execute  the  revenue 
laws  and  collect  the  duties  on  imports  by  the  ordinary  means,  in  the  ordi 
nary  way,  at  any  port  of  entry  in  any  collection  district,  he  is  authorized  to 
cause  such  duties  to  be  collected  at  any  port  of  delivery  in  said  district  until 
such  obstruction  shall  cease;  and  in  such  case  the  surveyors  at  said  ports 
of  delivery  shall  be  clothed  with  all  the  powers  and  be  subject  to  all  the 
obligations  of  collectors  at  ports  of  entry;  and  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury, 
with  the  approbation  of  the  President,  shall  appoint  such  number  of 
weighers,  gangers,  measurers,  inspectors,  appraisers,  and  clerks  as  may  be 
necessary,  in  his  judgment,  for  the  faithful  execution  of  the  revenue  laws  at 
said  ports  of  delivery,  and  shall  fix  and  establish  the  limits  within  which 
such  ports  of  delivery  are  constituted  ports  of  entry  as  aforesaid.  And  all 
the  provisions  of  law  regulating  the  issue  of  marine  papers,  the  coasting 
trade,  the  warehousing  of  imports,  and  collection  of  duties  shall  apply  to  the 
ports  of  entry  so  constituted  in  the  same  manner  as  they  do  to  ports  of 
entry  established  by  the  laws  now  in  force. 

SEC.  2.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  That  if,  from  the  cause  mentioned  in  the 
foregoing  section,  in  the  judgment  of  the  President,  the  revenue  from  duties 
on  imports  cannot  be  effectually  collected  at  any  port  of  entry  in  any 
collection  district,  in  the  ordinary  way  and  by  the  ordinary  means,  or  by  the 
course  provided  in  the  foregoing  section,  then  and  in  that  case  he  may  direct 
that  the  custom-house  for  the  district  be  established  in  any  secure  place 
within  said  district,  either  on  land  or  on  board  any  vessel  in  said  district 
or  at  sea  near  the  coast ;  and  in  such  case  the  collector  shall  reside  at  such 
place,  or  on  shipboard,  as  the  case  may  be,  and  there  detain  all  vessels  and 
cargoes  arriving  within  or  approaching  said  district,  until  the  duties  imposed 
by  law  on  said  vessels  and  their  cargoes  are  paid  in  cash  :  Provided,  That 
if  the  owner  or  consignee  of  the  cargo  on  board  any  vessel  detained  as 
aforesaid,  or  the  master  of  said  vessel,  shall  desire  to  enter  a  port  of  entry 
in  any  other  district  in  the  United  States  where  no  such  obstructions  to  the 


568  TESTIMONY. 

execution  of  the  laws  exist,  the  master  of  such  vessel  may  be  permitted  so 
to  change  the  destination  of  the  vessel  and  cargo  in  his  manifest,  whereupon 
the  collector  shall  deliver  him  a  written  permit  to  proceed  to  the  port  so 
designated  :  And  provided  further,  That  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  shall, 
with  the  approbation  of  the  President,  make  proper  regulations  for  the 
enforcement  on  shipboard  of  such  provisions  of  the  laws  regulating  the 
assessment  and  collection  of  duties  as,  in  his  judgment,  may  be  necessary 
and  practicable. 

SEC.  3.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  That  it  shall  be  unlawful  to  take  any 
vessel  or  cargo  detained  as  aforesaid  from  the  custody  of  the  proper  officers 
of  the  customs,  unless  by  process  of  some  court  of  the  United  States  ;  and 
in  case  of  any  attempt  otherwise  to  take  such  vessel  or  cargo  by  any  force, 
or  combination,  or  assemblage  of  persons,  too  great  to  be  overcome  by  the 
officers  of  the  customs,  it  shall  and  may  be  lawful  for  the  President,  or  such 
person  or  persons  as  he  shall  have  empowered  for  that  purpose,  to  employ  such 
part  of  the  army  and  navy  or  militia  of  the  United  States,  or  such  force  of 
citizen  volunteers  as  may  be  deemed  necessary,  for  the  purpose  of  preventing 
the  removal  of  such  vessel  or  cargo,  and  protecting  the  officers  of  the 
customs  in  retaining  the  custody  thereof. 

SEC.  4.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  That  if,  in  the  judgment  of  the  President, 
from  the  cause  mentioned  in  the  first  section  of  this  act,  the  duties  upon 
imports  in  any  collection  district  cannot  be  effectually  collected  by  the 
ordinary  means  and  in  the  ordinary  way,  or  in  the  mode  and  manner  provided 
in  the  foregoing  sections  of  this  act,  then  and  in  that  case  the  President  is 
hereby  empowered  to  close  the  port  or  ports  of  entry  in  said  district,  and  in 
such  case  give  notice  thereof  by  proclamation  ;  and  thereupon  all  right  of 
importation,  warehousing,  and  other  privileges  incident  to  ports  of  entry 
shall  cease  and  be  discontinued  at  such  port  so  closed  until  opened  by  order 
of  the  President  on  the  cessation  of  such  obstructions.  And  if,  while  said 
ports  are  so  closed,  any  ship  or  vessel  from  beyond  the  United  States,  or 
having  on  board  any  articles  subject  to  duties,  shall  enter  or  attempt  to 
enter  any  such  port,  the  same,  together  with  its  tackle,  apparel,  furniture, 
and  cargo,  shall  be  forfeited  to  the  United  States. 

SEC.  5.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  That  whenever  the  President,  in  pursu 
ance  of  the  provisions  of  the  second  section  of  the  act  entitled  "An  act  to 
provide  for  calling  forth  the  militia  to  execute  the  laws  of  the  Union,  suppress 
insurrections,  and  repel  invasions,  and  to  repeal  the  act  now  in  force  for  that 
purpose,"  approved  February  28,  1795,  shall  have  called  forth  the  militia  to 
suppress  combinations  against  the  laws  of  the  United  States,  and  to  cause 
the  laws  to  be  duly  executed,  and  the  insurgents  shall  have  failed  to  disperse 
by  the  time  directed  by  the  President,  and  when  said  insurgents  claim  to 
act  under  the  authority  of  any  State  or  States,  and  such  claim  is  not  dis 
claimed  or  repudiated  by  the  persons  exercising  the  functions  of  government 
in  such  State  or  States,  or  in  the  part  or  parts  thereof  in  which  said  combi 
nation  exists,  nor  such  insurrection  suppressed  by  said  State  or  States,  then 
and  in  such  case  it  may  arid  shall  be  lawful  for  the  President,  by  proclamation, 
to  declare  that  the  inhabitants  of  such  State,  or  any  section  or  part  thereof, 
where  such  insurrection  exists,  are  in  a  state  of  insurrection  against  the 
United  States  ;  and  thereupon  all  commercial  intercourse  by  and  between 
the  same  and  the  citizens  thereof  and  the  citizens  of  the  rest  of  the  United  States, 
shall  cease  and  be  unlawful  so  long  as  such  condition  of  hostility  shall  continue. 
And  all  goods  and  chattels,  wares  and  merchandise,  coming  from  said  State 
or  section  into  the  other  parts  of  the  United  States,  and  all  proceeding  to  such 
State  or  section,  by  land  or  water,  shall,  together  with  the  vessel  or  vehicle 
conveying  the  same,  or  convejnng  persons  to  or  from  such  State  or  section, 
be  forfeited  to  the  United  States  :  Provided,  however,  That  the  President 


TESTIMONY.  569 

may,  in  his  discretion,  license  and  permit  commercial  intercourse  with  any 
such  part  of  said  State  or  section,  the  inhabitants  which  are  so  declared  in 
a  state  of  insurrection,  in  such  articles,  and  for  such  time,  and  by  such  per 
sons,  as  he,  in  his  discretion,  may  think  most  conducive  to  the  public  interest  ; 
and  such  intercourse,  so  far  as  by  him  licensed,  shall  be  conducted  and 
carried  on  only  in  pursuance  of  rules  and  regulations  prescribed  by  the 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury.  And  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  may  appoint 
such  officers,  at  places  where  officers  of  the  customs  are  not  now  authorized 
b}'  law,  as  may  be  needed  to  carry  into  effect  such  licenses,  rules,  and  regu 
lations  ;  and  officers  of  the  customs  and  other  officers  shall  receive  for 
services  under  this  section,  and  under  said  rules  and  regulations,  such  fees 
and  compensation  as  are  now  allowed  for  similar  service  under  other  pro 
visions  of  law. 

SEC.  6.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  That  from  and  after  fifteen  days  after 
'the  issuing  of  the  said  proclamation,  as  provided  in  the  last  foregoing  section 
of  this  act,  any  ship  or  vessel  belonging  in  whole  or  in  part  to  any  citizen 
or  inhabitant  of  said  State  or  part  of  a  State  whose  inhabitants  are  so  declared 
in  a  state  of  insurrection,  found  at  sea,  or  in  any  port  of  the  rest  of  the 
United  States,  shall  be  forfeited  to  the  United  States. 

SEC.  7.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  That  in  the  execution  of  the  provisions 
of  this  act,  and  of  the  other  laws  of  the  United  States  providing  for  the 
collection  of  duties  on  imports  and  tonnage,  it  may  and  shall  be  lawful  for 
the  President,  in  addition  to  the  revenue  cutters  in  service,  to  employ  in 
aid  thereof  such  other  suitable  vessels  as  may,  in  his  judgment,  be  required. 

SEC.  ^.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  That  the  forfeitures  and  penalties  incurred 
by  virtue  of  this  act  may  be  mitigated  or  remitted,  in  pursuance  of  the 
authority  vested  in  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  by  the  act  entitled  "An 
act  providing  for  mitigating  or  remitting  the  forfeitures,  penalties,  and 
disabilities  accruing  in  certain  cases  therein  mentioned,"  approved  March 
third,  seventeen  hundred  and  ninety-seven,  or  in  cases  where  special  cir 
cumstances  may  seem  to  require  it,  according  to  regulations  to  be  prescribed 
by  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 

SEC.  9.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  That  proceedings  on  seizures  for  forfeit 
ures  under  this  act  may  be  pursued  in  the  courts  of  the  United  States  in 
any  district  into  which  the  property  so  seized  may  be  taken  and  proceedings 
instituted  ;  arid  such  courts  shall  have  and  entertain  as  full  jurisdiction 
over  the  same  as  if  the  seizure  was  made  in  that  district. 

Approved  July  13,  1861. 


No.  8. 

Circular  to  surveyors  of  the  customs  of  western  ports,  restricting  trade  with 

Paducah. 

TREASURY  DEPARTMENT,  August  31,  1861. 

SIR:  The  following  telegram  was  sent  to  }rou  on  the  26th  instant: 
"Permit  no  goods  destined  to  Paducah  to  pass  your  port." 

You  are  to  be  strictly  governed  by  it. 
I  am,  &c., 

S.  P.  CHASE, 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 

To  SURVEYORS  OF  CUSTOMS  at  Cairo,  Ills.;  Evansville,  Ind.;  Louisville,  Ky. 


570  TESTIMONY. 


No.  9. 

(All  communication  with  insurgent  districts,  without  special  permit,  is  in  viola 
tion  of  law. ) 

TREASURY  DEPARTMENT,  September  3,  1861. 

SIR:  Instances  of  communication,  by  land  and  water,  with  the  States  con 
trolled  by  the  insurrectionists,  are  still  frequently  brought  to  the  knowledge 
of  this  department. 

It  is  to  be  distinctly  understood  that  all  communication,  whether  for  com 
mercial  or  other  purposes,  without  special  permit,  is,  and  since  the  date  of 
the  President's  proclamation  of  the  16th  ultimo  has  been,  in  violation  of  law; 
but  it  is  also  to  be  understood  that  no  permit  of  any  collector,  or  other 
officer  connected  with  this  department,  is  of  any  validity  as  a  sanction  to 
such  intercourse,  except  as  expressly  authorized  by  the  license  or  permission 
of  the  President  of  the  United  States,  through  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 

All  goods  and  chattels,  wares  and  merchandise,  going  to  or  coming  from 
a  State  under  insurrectionary  control,  and  every  vessel  or  vehicle  convey 
ing  property  or  persons,  to  or  from  such  States,  is  forfeited  to  the  United 
States,  and  must  be  seized  and  proceeded  against  as  so  forfeited. 

Any  circumstances  requiring  or  justifying  the  mitigation  or  remission  of 
any  such  forfeiture  will  be  duly  considered,  on  application  to  the  Secretary 
of  the  Treasury,  in  whom,  by  act  of  Congress,  the  sole  power  of  sudi  miti 
gation  or  remission  is  vested. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be,  with  great  respect,  your  obedient  servant, 

S.  P.  CHASE, 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 


No.  10. 
Trade  in  Kentucky,  south  of  Louisville,  restricted. 

TREASURY  DEPARTMENT,  September  10, 1861. 

SIR:  Information  having  been  received  that  prohibited  goods,  arrested  by 
inspectors  in  southern  parts  of  Kentucky  and  reshipped  for  Louisville,  are 
forcibly  taken  from  the  cars  at  Elizabethtown  and  transported  by  wagons 
into  Tennessee,  you  are  hereby  instructed  to  give  no  permits  for  provisions 
or  supplies  to  any  point  in  Southern  Kentucky  where  the  execution  of  the 
law  is  thus  obstructed,  and  none  whatever  for  any  description  of  goods  or 
property  where  the  quality,  description,  or  other  circumstances  indicate  an 
intention  to  take  them  to  Tennessee  or  other  State  in  insurrection. 
I  am,  &c., 

S.  P.  CHASE, 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 
*C.  B.  COTTON,  Esq., 

Surveyor,  Louisville,  Kentucky. 


TESTIMONY.  571 


No.  11. 
• 

Instructions  to  special  agents  concerning  restrictions  on  trade  in  Kentucky  west 
of  the  Cumberland  river. 

TREASURY  DEPARTMENT,  September  10, 1861. 

SIR:  Reliable  information  having  been  received  that  the  section  of  the 
State  of  Kentucky  lying  west  of  the  Cumberland  river  is  so  far  under  insur 
rectionary  influence  that  the  laws  of  the  United  States  and  the  orders  of  the 
government  cannot  be  executed  therein  by  the  civil  authorities: 

Now,  therefore,  in  pursuance  of  law,  and  of  the  proclamation  of  the  Presi 
dent  of  August  16,  1861,  you  are  hereby  instructed  to  prevent,  as  far  as 
possible,  and  so  long  as  such  insurrectionary  condition  shall  continue,  all. 
Commercial  intercourse  between  the  citizens  of  said  section  and  of  the  States 
named  in  the  said  proclamation  and  citizens  of  other  States  and  parts  of 
States,  except  in  cases  of  special  permission,  under  such  rules  and  regula 
tions  as  may  be  established  by  this  department;  and  you  will  use  your 
utmost  vigilance  to  prevent  all  goods  and  chattels,  wares  and  merchandise, 
as  well  as  arms,  munitions  of  war,  and  other  supplies,  from  being  sent  to 
said  section,  or  to  any  of  the  States  named  in  the  said  proclamation,  no 
matter  in  what  part  of  your  district  the  same  may  be  found  or  what  may  be 
the  nominal  destination  thereof,  except  under  special  permission,  as  above 
stated. 

In  case  of  seizure  under  circumstances  rendering  the  property  liable  to 
forfeiture,  you  will  at  once  report  the  same  to  the  district  attorney  of  the 
United  States,  for  his  advice  and  action  thereon. 

In  case  of  arrest  and  detention  of  goods,  &c.,  the  transmission  of  which  is 
attended  by  circumstances  rendering  it  probable  that  the  ultimate  destina 
tion  thereof  is  for  places  under  insurrectionary  control,  but  not  amounting 
to  evidence  of  forfeiture,  you  will  at  once  notify  the  owner  or  shipper  of  the 
detention,  and  allow  him  to  dispose  of  the  same  as-he  may  desire,  upon  satis 
factory  assurance  from  him  that  the  goods,  &c.,  shall  not  be  sent  to  any  of 
the  places  hereinbefore  prohibited. 

To  obviate  inconvenience  and  unnecessary  trouble  to  loyal  shippers  and 
owners,  the  permits  of  any  collector  or  surveyor  of  customs  covering  mer 
chandise  should  be  respected  by  every  other  officer,  unless  he  may  have 
information  concerning  the  same  not  probably  possessed  by  the  officer 
granting  the  permit. 

You  will  also  cause  careful  examination  to  be  made  of  all  trunks,  pack 
ages,  and  other  articles  used  in  the  transportation  of  merchandise,  letters, 
or  other  modes  for  conveying  goods  or  communicating  information  to  per 
sons  in  insurrection;  and  in  cases  of  detection,  you  will  take  possession 
thereof;  and  you  will  also  retain  the  person  so  offending  in  custody;  at  once 
reporting  the  case  to  the  district  attorney  of  the  United  States. 

You  are  referred  to  the  acts  of  July  13, 1861,  and  August  6,  1861,  as  well 
as  to  the  proclamation  of  the  President  of  the  16th  ultimo,  as  particularly 
bearing  on  the  subjects  above  named.  And  you  will  from  time  to  time 
report  your  proceedings  to  me,  and  suggest  any  additional  measures  which, 
in  your  opinion,  may  tend  to  subdue  this  rebellion. 
I  am,  &c., 

S.  P.  CHASE, 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 

WM.  P.  MELLEN,  Esq., 

Special  Agent,  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  et  al. 


572  TESTIMONY. 


No.  12. 

Circular  to  collectors  and  other  officers  of  the  customs,  concerning  unwarranta 
ble  seizures  of  property,  &c. 

TREASURY  DEPARTMENT,  September  21,  1861. 

In  order  to  prevent  seizures  of  property  belonging  to  citizens  of  insurrec 
tionary  States  not  warranted  by  the  acts  of  Congress  relating  to  that  sub 
ject,  it  is  thought  advisable  to  direct  the  special  attention  of  the  officers  of 
the  customs  to  the  provisions  of  these  acts. 

The  5th  section  of  the  act  of  July  13  provides  that  all  goods  and  chattels, 
wares  and  merchandise  coming  from  or  proceeding  to  a  State  or  place 
declared  by  proclamation  of  the  President  to  be  in  insurrection,  together 
with  the  vessel  or  vehicle  conveying  the  same,  or  conveying  persons  to  or 
from  such  State  or  place,  shall  be  forfeited  to  the  United  States. 

This  section  obviously  applies  to  all  property  in  transit,  or  purchased  or 
provided  with  a  view  to  transit,  between  loyal  and  disloyal  States,  and  espe 
cially  to  property  forming  the  subject  of  commercial  intercourse.  Such 
property,  wherever  found,  is  liable  to  seizure,  and  the  only  redress  of  par 
ties  who  think  themselves  aggrieved  is  by  appeal  to  the  Secretary  of  the 
Treasury,  who  is  invested  by  law  with  full  power  of  mitigation  and  remis 
sion. 

The  1st  section  of  the  act  approved  August  6  declares  "that  if  any  per 
son  or  persons,  his,  her,  or  their  agent,  attorney,  or  employe',  shall  purchase 
or  acquire,  sell,  or  give  any  property,  of  whatever  kind  or  description,  with 
intent  to  use  or  employ  the  same,  or  suffer  the  same  to  be  used  or  employed, 
in  aiding,  abetting,  or  promoting  such  insurrection,  *  *  *  or  any  per 
son  or  persons  engaged  therein;  or  if  any  person  or  persons,  being  the  own 
ers  of  any  such  property,  shall  knowingly  use  or  employ,  or  consent  to  the 
use  or  employment,  of  the  same,  as  aforesaid,  all  such  property  is  hereby 
declared  to  be  lawful  subject  of  prize  or  capture  wherever  found." 

No  doubt  can  be  entertained  that  this  section  was  well  considered,  and 
that  its  operation  was  intended  to  be  limited  to  property  used  in  further 
ance  of  the  insurrection  only. 

Seizures  under  the  act  of  July  13  should  be  made  by  the  officers,  or  under 
the  direction  of  officers,  of  the  Treasury  Department ;  and  all  district  at 
torneys  and  marshals  of  the  United  States  should  afford  all  practicable  coun 
sel  and  aid  in  the  execution  of  the  law. 

Seizures  under  the  act  of  August  6  should  be  made  by  the  marshal  of  the 
district  in  which  such  property  may  be  found,  under  the  general  or  particu 
lar  direction  of  the  district  attorney  or  other  superior  authority.  For  such 
seizures  there  is  no  power  of  mitigation  or  remission  in  the  Secretary  of  the 
Treasury;  but  the  district  attorney  or  other  superior  authority  may  direct 
the  discontinuance  of  any  proceeding  in  relation  thereto,  and  the  restoration 
of  the  property  seized. 

It  will  be  seen  from  an  inspection  of  these  provisions  of  the  acts  of  Con 
gress  that  no  property  is  confiscated  or  subjected  to  forfeiture  except  such  as 
is  in  transit,  or  provided  for  transit,  to  or  from  insurrectionary  States,  or 
used  for  the  promotion  of  the  insurrection.  The  only  exception  to  this  rule 
of  forfeiture  is  that,  made  by  the  5th  section,  of  ships  belonging,  in  whole  or 
in  part,  to  citizens  of  a  State  in  insurrection,  which  are  declared  to  be  for 
feited  after  fifteen  days  from  the  date  of  proclamation,  without  reference  to 
actual  or  intended  use.  Real  estate,  bonds,  promissory  notes,  moneys  in 
deposit,  and  the  like,  are,  therefore,  not  subject  to  seizure  or  confiscation 
in  the  absence  of  evidence  of  such  unlawful  use.  All  officers,  while  vigilant 
in  the  prevention  of  the  conveyance  of  property  to  or  from  insurrectionary 
States,  or  the  use  of  it  for  insurrectionary  purposes,  are  expected  to  be  care- 


TESTIMONY.  573 

ful  in  avoiding  unnecessary  vexation  and  cost  by  seizures  not  warranted  by 
law. 

S.  P.  CHASE,  Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 


No.  13. 
Permits  for  sutlers  at  Cairo. 

TREASURY  DEPARTMENT,  October  2,  1861. 

SIR:  I  have  received  your  letter  of  the  24th  ultimo,  informing-  me  that,  at 
the  request  of  Generals  Grant  and   McClernand,  you  have  granted  permits 
^for  sutlers'  goods,  upon  the  production  of  certificates  from  the  proper  offi- 
*cers   showing  the  parties  to  be   duly  appointed,  and  upon  their  taking  an 
oath,  filed  at  your  office,  not  to  vend  any  of  such  goods  except  to  those  be 
longing  to  the  United  States  army. 

Your  course  is  approved,  and  you  will  continue  to  exercise  the  most  vigi 
lant  care  to  prevent  any  evasion  of  the  law. 

********* 

I  am,  £c., 

S.  P.  CHASE,  Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 

D.  ARTER,  Esq.,  Collector,  Cairo,  Illinois. 


No.  14. 
Mitigation  of  restrictions  on  trade  with  -Paducah. 

TREASURY  DEPARTMENT,  October  2,  1861. 

SIR:  You  are  hereby  authorized  to  allow  the  transit  of  small  lots  of  goods 
to  loyal  citizens  of  the  United  States  in  Paducah,  Kentucky,  provided  the 
consent  of  the  military  commandant  at  that  place  be  previously  obtained. 
A  telegram  to  this  effect  was  sent  in  reply  to  your  despatch  of  yesterday. 
I  am,  &c., 

S.  P.  CHASE,  Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 
A.  L.  ROBINSON,  Esq., 

Surveyor,  &c.,  Evansville,  Indiana. 


No.  15. 

Authorizing  shipment  of  products  from  Kentucky  west  of  the  Cumberland. 

TREASURY  DEPARTMENT,  October  3,  1861. 
gIR:  ******** 

There  is  no  objection  to  the  shipment  of  tobacco  or  any  other  article  from 
that  region  west  of  the  Cumberland  to  loyal  States,  and  you  will  be  expected 
to  exercise  a  sound  discretion  in  permitting  or  preventing  shipments  thither. 
It  is  riot  possible  to  determine  all  cases  arising  from  the  circumstances  of 
a  country  partially  in  military  occupation  by  our  troops  by  a  general  rule. 
Yours,  &c., 

S.  P.  CHASE,  Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 
WILLIAM  P.  MELLEN,  Esq., 

Special  Agent,  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 


574  TESTIMONY. 

No.  16. 
Regulations  of  trade  with  Paducah. 

PADUCAH,  Kentucky,  November  5,  1861. 

SIR:  General  Smith  has  assumed  entire  control  as  to  what  may  pass  out 
of  his  lines  here,  either  for  family  use  or  purposes  of  trade  in  the  neighbor 
hood  *  *  *  -*  *  *  *  * 

He  has  agreed  that  if  the  applicant  will  bring  to  him  a  bill  of  items  of 
the  articles  he  wants,  not  exceeding  twenty-five  dollars  in  value  for  family 
use,  or  seventy-five  dollars  for  purposes  of  trade,  with  the  certificate  of  one 
of  the  committee  indorsed  that  it  is  proper  to  allow  it  to  go,  he  will  allow 
it  to  pass  out.  I  hope  to  find,  on  my  next  visit  here,  that  this  arrangement 
has  given  general  satisfaction.  The  Jews  here  are  making  a  good  deal  of 
fuss,  because  the  committee  will  not  indorse  them  more  freely  for  permits, 
under  which  they  can  continue  their  troublesome  practices.  *  *  * 

If  you  purpose  permitting  exchanges  of  western  staple  products  and  un 
objectionable  merchandise  for  Tennessee  cotton,  tobacco,  and  turpentine, 
value  for  value,  this  place  may  be  one  good  point  for  exchange.  I  think 
the  permitting  of  such  exchanges  would  be  exceedingly  advantageous  to 
our  side,  provided  the  cotton,  tobacco,  and  turpentine  are  first  delivered  here, 
and  then  the  articles  allowed  to  be  given  in  exchange  restricted,  so  as  not 
to  give  them  munitions  of  war,  leather,  men's  shoes  or  boots,  woollen  blank 
ets,  and  perhaps  woollen  goods  generally,  salt,  lard  oil,  harness,  and  saddlery. 

The  reasons  for  permitting  such  exchanges,  and  particularly  its  effects  in 
Tennessee,  will  readily  occur  to  your  mind.  I  am  often  questioned  on  the 
subject,  and  will  be  glad  to  have  an  expression  of  your  views  and  intentions 

at  your  early  convenience,  that  I  may  indicate  them  to  persons  inquiring. 
*   "         *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * 

Respectfully,  yours,  &c., 

WM.  P.  MELLEN,  Special  Agent. 
Hon.  S.  P.  CPIASE,  Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 


Approval  of  foregoing  arrangement  and  instructions  of  the  Secretary  of  the 

Treasury. 

TREASURY  DEPARTMENT,  November  12,  1861. 

SIR  j     *     *     *     Your  arrangement  with   General  Smith  in  relation  to 
permits  is  satisfactory. 
********** 

You  are  authorized  to  allow  exchanges  to  be  made  at  Paducah,  of  western 
staple  products  arid  unobjectionable  merchandise  for  Tennessee  cotton,  to 
bacco,  and  turpentine,  value  for  value;  provided  the  cotton,  tobacco,  and  tur 
pentine  are  first  delivered  at  Paducah,  and  that  no  munitions  of  war,  leather, 
boots  or  shoes,  woollen  blankets  or  goods,  salt,  lard  oil,  harness  or  saddlery, 
be  allowed  to  be  given  in  exchange. 

The  transactions  under  this  permission  must  be  guarded  with  the  utmost 
vigilance,  and  every  precaution  taken  to  prevent  any  undue  advantage 

being  taken  thereof. 
********** 

I  am,  &c., 

S.  P.  CHASE,  Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 
WM.  P.  MELLEN,  Esq.,  Special  Agent. 


TESTIMONY.  575 

s 

No.  IT. 
Circular  to  collectors  and  other  officers  of  the  customs. 

TREASURY  DEPARTMENT,  November  12,  1861. 

The  following  regulations  will  be  observed  in  regard  to  seizures  of  vessels 
made  in  pursuance  of  the  6th  section  of  the  act  of  July  13,  1861: 

First.  All  such  seizures  must  be  made  by  the  collector  of  customs,  or  other 
proper  revenue  officer,  except  in  case  of  his  absence  or  disability,  or  where 
immediate  action  is  necessary,  and  no  such  officer  is  at  hand  to  make  the 
seizures. 

Second.  In  all  cases  of  seizure,  the  collector,  or  other  officer  acting  in  his 
stead,  shall  notify  the  proper  district  attorney,  who  will  at  once  institute 
•proceedings  for  the  condemnation  of  the  vessel.  After  the  commencement 
of  such  proceedings,  if  it  shall  appear  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  district  at 
torney  instituting  them  that  the  vessel  is  owned  in  part  by  persons  not 
citizens  of  any  State  or  part  of  a  State  in  irisurrt-ction  against  the  United 
States,  and  not  residing  therein,  and  that  she  will  not  be  employed  in  aiding 
the  existing  rebellion,  or  in  violating  any  law  of  the  United  States,  such 
vessel  may  be  discharged  on  bail  being  given,  according  to  the  course  of 
admiralty  proceedings,  for  the  share  or  shares  owned  by  any  person  or  per 
sons  residing  in  any  such  insurgent  State  or  part  of  State;  in  which  case 
the  proceedings  so  instituted  will  be  prosecuted,  without  delay,  to  condem 
nation  and  sale  of  such  insurgent  interest,  and  as  to  the  remainder  of  the 
vessel,  the  forfeiture  thereof  will  be  remitted. 

Third.  Should  there  be  any  unusual  delay  in  the  commencement  of  such 
proceedings,  or  should  there  be  any  other  circumstances  rendering  it  proper, 
in  the  judgment  of  the  collector,  or  other  officer  acting  in  his  stead,  that  the 
vessel  should  be  released  from  custody  before  the  commencement  of  pro 
ceedings,  the  same  may  be  done;  provided  the  collector,  or  other  officer 
acting  in  his  stead,  shall  be  satisfied  that  no  such  improper  use,  as  before 
mentioned,  is  to  be  made  of  said  vessel.     And  one  or  more  of  the  owners 
residing  in  loyal  States  shall  give  a  bond,  with  sufficient  sureties,  to  the 
United  States,  in  double  the  value  of  the  share  or  shares  thereof  owned  in 
any  such  insurgent  State  or  part  of  a  State,  with  the  condition  that  the  ves 
sel  shall  be  safely,  and  in  good  order,  returned  to  the  collector  or  other  officer 
in  whose  custody  she  may  be,  within  such  time  as  he  shall  direct,  and  with 
out  any  change  in  the  ownership  of  said  share  or  shares;  and  with  the  further 
condition  that  the  vessel  shall  at  all  times  be  subject  to  any  order  or  decree 
of  the  court  in  which  any  proceedings  for  her  condemnation  may  be  insti 
tuted,  or  of  any  appellate  court  to  which  the  same  may  be  removed;  and 
with  the  further  condition  that  any  costs  or  other  moneys  which  shall  be 
awarded  by  either  of  said  courts,  in  said  proceedings,  shall  be  paid;  together 
with  such  other  conditions  as  the  collector  or  other  officer  shall  deem  just 
and  expedient,  in  order  to  secure  the  objects  contemplated  by  the  act  afore 
said.     The  execution  of  such  bond  and  the  discharge  of  the  vessel  shall  not 
delay  the  institution  or  prosecution  of  proceedings  for  the  condemnation  of 
the  insurgent  interest,  but  the  same  shall  be  commenced  and  prosecuted,  in 
all  respects,  so  far  as  practicable,  in  the  same  manner  as  if  the  vessel  still 
remained  in  the  custody  of  the  officer. 

The  district  attorney  will  notify  the  collector,  or  other  officer  making  the 
seizure  in  his  stead,  of  the  commencement  of  proceedings  for  the  condemna 
tion  of  the  vessel,  of  the  time  of  trial  of  the  suit,  of  the  result  of  the  trial, 
and  of  the  time  of  sale,  (if  a  sale  be  ordered,)  and  the  result  thereof. 

S.  P.  CHASE,  Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 


576  TESTIMONY. 


No.  18. 
Authority  to  trade  with  blockading  squadron. 

TREASURY  DEPARTMENT,  November  14,  1861. 

SIR:  Your  letter  of  the  17th  ultimo,  transmitting  an  application  from 
Messrs.  Sprague,  Soule  &  Co.  and  others,  merchants  ot  Boston,  under  date 
of  the  15th  ultimo,  requesting  permission  to  transmit  a  vessel  to  the  block 
ading  squadron  with  supplies,  is  received.  I  see  no  objection  to  allowing 
such  a  legitimate  trade  as  is  proposed,  and  you  are  hereby  authorized  to 
give  clearances  to  vessels  despatched  by  the  parties  referred  to,  requesting 
them  to  use  steamers  and  to  give  bonds  in  double  the  value  of  the  cargo, 
with  sureties,  to  your  satisfaction,  that  they  will  communicate  only  with  the 
blockading  vessels  of  the  United  States,  touching  at  every  port  in  our  pos 
session  in  the  insurrectionary  States.  They  will  also  submit  a  list  of  offi 
cers  of  said  vessels  to  this  department  for  approval. 
I  am,  &c., 

S.  P.  CHASE, 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 
J.  Z.  GOODRICH,  Esq., 

Collector,  Boston,  Massachusetts. 


No.  19. 
Restrictions  on  trade  in  pork  with  Louisville. 

LOUISVILLE,  Kentucky,  November  25,  1861. 

SIR:  ******** 

I  have  advised  Surveyor  Anthony,  of  New  Albany,  to  grant  permits  for 
the  shipment  to  this  city  of  all  hogs  offered;  but  to  require,  as  a  condition 
precedent  to  granting  the  permit,  that  the  party  into  whose  possession  they 
are  to  come  here  make  an  affidavit  that  neither  the  hogs  nor  the  product 
thereof  shall  leave  the  city,  by  his  knowledge  or  consent,  without  the  per 
mission  of  the  surveyor;  and  also  that  he  will  support  the  Constitution  of 
the  United  States.  On  the  affidavit  is  to  be  indorsed  the  bond  of  the  buyer 
here,  without  surety,  to  only  dispose  of  the  hogs  and  product  in  pursuance 
of  the  asseverations  of  the  affidavit. 
I  am,  &c., 

WM.  P.  MELLEN,  Special  Agent. 
Hon.  S.  P.  CHASE,  Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 

This  restriction  was  approved  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  by  letter 
to  Mr.  Mellen  dated  November  30,  1861;  modified  December  13,  1861. 


No.  20. 

General  regulations  relative  to  securing  and  disposing  of  the  property  found  or 
brought  within  the  territory  now  or  hereafter  occupied  by  the  United  States 
forces  in  the  disloyal  States. 

TREASURY  DEPARTMENT,  November  30,  1861. 
In  order  to  the  security  and  proper  disposition  of  the  productions  of  the 

soil  and  of  all  other  property  found  within  the  limits  of  States  or  parts  of 


TESTIMONY  577 

States  declared  to  be  in  insurrection  against  the  United  States,  and  now 
occupied  or  to  be  hereafter  occupied  by  the  troops  and  authorities  of  the 
Union,  the  following  regulations  are  established  : 

There  shall  be  appointed  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  with  the  ap 
probation  of  the  President,  agents  to  reside  at  such  ports  or  places  as  are 
or  may  be  occupied  by  the  forces  of  the  United  States,  whose  duties  shall 
be  to  secure  and  prepare  for  market  the  cotton  and  such  other  products  and 
property  as  may  be  found  or  brought  within  the  lines  of  the  army  or  under 
'the  control  of  the  federal  authorities. 

To  enable  such  agents  to  fulfil  the  duties  devolved  upon  them,  the  military 
and  naval  authorities,  under  proper  instructions,  will  render  such  military 
protection  and  aid  as  may  be  required  to. carry  out  the  intentions  of  this  de 
partment. 

All  persons  held  to  service  for  life  under  State  laws,  who  may  be  found 
within  such  limits,  may  be  employed  by  the  agent,  who  will  prepare  lists 
embracing  the  names,  sex,  and  condition  of  such  persons,  and,  as  near  as 
may  be,  their  respective  ages,  together  with  the  name  of  any  person  claim 
ing  their  services,  which  lists  shall  be  in  triplicate — one  for  the  rnilitary  com 
mandant,  one  for  the  files  of  the  agent,  and  one  to  be  immediately  forwarded 
to  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 

The  persons  so  listed  will  be  organized  for  systematic  labor  in  securing 
and  preparing  for  market  the  cotton,  rice,  and  other  products  found  within 
the  territory  brought  under  federal  control.  Pay-rolls  will  be  prepared, 
and  a  strict  account  of  the  labor  daily  performed  by  each  person  entered 
thereon,  for  which  a  proper  compensation  shall  be  allowed  and  paid  to  the 
laborers.  The  amount  of  such  compensation  will  be  fixed,  in  proportion  to 
the  service  rendered,  by  the  agent  and  approved  by  the  military  command 
ant  and  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 

An  inventory  of  all  horses,  mules,  and  other  stock,  vehicles  of  transporta- 
;ion,  and  other  property,  will  be  carefully  made,  and  a  copy  transmitted  to 
;he  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  signed  by  such  agent. 

A  record  of  all  products  taken  possession  of  will  be  made,  and  those  of. 
each  plantation  kept  distinct.  When  prepared  for  shipment,  the  packages 
Tom  the  several  plantations  will  be  plainly  marked  and  numbered,  so  as  to 
be  easily  distinguished. 

An  account  of  all  provisions  of  whatsoever  character  found  on  each  plan- 
;ation  will  be  taken,  and  such  provisions  will  be  used,  so  far  as  may  be 
necessary,  for  the  sustenance  of  the  laborers  thereon.  Any  deficiencies  of 
subsistence  will  be  supplied  by  the  United  States  commissary,  upon  the 
requisition  of  the  agent,  to  whom  they  will  be  charged,  and  for  which  he 
will  account. 

The  cotton  and  other  articles,  when  prepared  for  market,  shall  be  shipped 
to  New  York,  and,  so  far  as  practicable,  by  the  returning  government  trans 
ports;  and  all  shipments  shall  be  consigned  to  the  designated  agent  at  New 
York,  unless  otherwise  specially  directed  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 

A  carefully  detailed  account  will  be  kept  by  the  agent  of  all  supplies  fur 
nished  by  the  government  and  of  all  expenditures  made. 

Each  agent  will  transmit  a  weekly  report  of  his  proceedings  to  the  Secretary 
of  the  Treasury,  and  render  his  accounts  in  duplicate  monthly  for  settlement. 

All  requisitions,  bills  of  lading,  and  invoices  will  be  countersigned  by  the 
military  commander,  or  by  such  officer  as  he  may  designate  for  the  purpose. 

Each  agent  will  so  transact  his  business  and  keep  his  accounts  that  as 
little  injury  as  possible  may  accrue  to  private  citizens  who  now  maintain  or 
may  within  reasonable  time  resume  the  character  of  loyal  citizens  of  the- 
United  States. 

S.  P.  CHASE,  Secretary  of  the  Treasury, 
Part  iii 37 


578  TESTIMONY 


No.  21. 

TREASURY  DEPARTMENT,  November  30,  1861. 

SIR:  With  the  approbation  of  the  President  of  the  United  States,  and  by 
virtue  of  the  authority  vested  in  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  by  the  act 
of  July  13,  1861,  I  hereby  appoint  you  a  special  agent  to  proceed  to  — 
to  receive  and  take  charge  of  all  cotton,  rice,  or  other  products  of  the  soil, 
and  of  all  other  property  found  or  brought  within  the  territory  now  or  here 
after  occupied  by  the  United  States  forces  in  the  State  of . 

For  the  purposes  of  this  appointment,  and  to  carry  out  the  views  of  the 
government,  the  chief  military  and  naval  commandants  at will  re 
ceive  the  necessary  instructions  from  the  Secretary  of  War  and  the  Secre 
tary  of  the  Navy  to  afford  you  proper  military  protection,  and  to  detail  such 
aid  as  may  be  requisite  in  the  fulfilment  of  these  instructions,  not  incom 
patible  with  their  military  duties. 

You  will^on  your  arrival,  forthwith  make  lists  of  all  persons  held  to  ser 
vice  for  life  within  the  military  lines,  or  who  may  from  time  to  time  claim 
the  protection  of  our  forces,  noting  their  names  and  sex,  and  as  near  as  may 
be  their  respective  ages,  and  the  names  of  the  persons  to  whom  their  ser 
vices  are  alleged  to  have  been  due. 

You  will  organize  the  persons  thus  listed,  as  may  be  found  most  conve 
nient,  for  work  in  picking  cotton,  conveying  it  to  the  gin-houses,  ginning, 
baling,  and  otherwise  preparing  it  for  market.  If  any  rice  plantations  fall 
within  your  supervision  you  will  take  the  necessary  steps  to  gather  into 
the  storehouses  all  unhoused  crops,  and,  if  the  proper  machinery  is  at  hand, 
have  the  rice  hulled  and  prepared  for  market.  If  machinery  and  conveniences 
for  preparing  either  product  for  market  are  not  accessible,  you  will  take 

E roper  measures  to  have  it  shipped  in  its  rough  state  to  New  York.     The 
jngth  and  character  of  the  voyage  would  seem  to  require  the  shipment  of 
rice  in  bags  rather  than  in  bulk. 

.  You  will  also  take  an  account  of  all  other  produce,  whether  native  or  for 
eign,  and  ship  to  New  York  such  as  is  not  perishable  and  not  wanted  for 
the  troops.  Whatever  may  be  required  for  the  troops  you  will  deliver  to 
the  officer  authorized  to  receive  it,  taking  therefor  his  receipt,  setting  forth 
the  quantity,  character,  and  estimated  value  of  the  article  so  delivered. 

You  will  cause  complete  pay-rolls  to  be  prepared,  on  which  you  will  enter 
the  names  of  all  the  persons  employed  under  your  direction,  and  you  will 
determine  the  compensation  proper  to  be  allowed,  if  approved  by  the  com 
manding  officer,  and  inform  the  laborers  that  the  sum  allowed  will  be  paid 
to  them  as  compensation  for  their  own  use  and  support. 

It  is  presumed  that  the  provisions  upon  the  respective  plantations,  of  which 
you  will  make  an  inventory,  (as  also  of  all  stock,  plantation  tools,  vehicles 
of  transportation,  horses,  mules,  &c.,)  will  be  sufficient  for  the  sustenance 
of  the  laborers  and  employes.  For  any  deficiency  you  will  make  your  re 
quisitions  at  stated  periods  upon  the  government  commissary,  keeping  a  dis 
tinct  account  thereof,  and  charging,  so  far  as  practicable,  to  the  product  of 
each  plantation  whatever  expenditure  is  incurred  in  securing,  preparing,  and 
shipping  such  product  to  market. 

When  such  product  is  ready  for  shipment  you  will  affix  such  shipping 
marks  as  may  be  necessary  for  identification,  adopting  the  same  mark  for 
the  whole  production  of  a  plantation,  and  varying  the  marks  to  accord  with 
the  various  plantations  or  reputed  owners. 

Shipments  must  be  made  as  rapidly  as  the  cotton  or  other  articles  can  be 
prepared  and  means  of  transportation  afforded;  and  you  will  give  such  advices 
of  each  shipment  to  the  agent  in  New  York  as  will  enable  him  to  keep  his 


TESTIMONY.  579 

accounts  of  advances  and  sales,  with  each  mark  or  with  each  plantation,  dis 
tinct  from  the  others.  You  will  be  supplied  from  time  to  time  with  the  neces 
sary  bagging  and  bale-rope  for  the  cotton  and  bags  for  other  shipments  upon 
your  requisition  on  the  agent  in  New  York.  All  such  bags,  bagging,  rope, 
or  other  articles  required,  you  will  be  careful  to  count,  measure,  or  weigh, 
when  received,  and  charge  to  each  shipment  the  quantity  delivered  and  used 
for  the  products  shipped. 

For  all  shipments  you  will  make  out  invoices  and  bills  of  lading,  in  tripli 
cate,  forwarding  one  of  each  to  the  consignee,  one  to  the  Secretary  of  the 
Treasury,  and  retain  one  subject  to  the  disposition  of  the  military  com 
mandant  of  the  port.  All  requisitions,  bills  of  lading,  and  invoices  must 
be  countersigned  by  the  commandant-in-chief,  or  such  officer  as  he  may  detail 
for  the  purpose. 

In  order  to'economize  freights,  you  will  give  preference  in  shipments  to 
returning  transports. 

It  is  presumed  that  all  clerical  force  required  can  be  furnished  by  the 
military  commandant,  by  detailing  persons  competent  to  perform  such  ser 
vice,  and  you  will  procure,  so  far  as  the  military  commandant  shall  not  be 
able  to  supply  you,  necessary  stationery,  blank  books,  &c. 

You  will  keep  a  record  of  all  your  proceedings,  and  report  to  this  depart 
ment  weekly,  as  much  in  detail  as  practicable,  and  will  send  duplicates  of 
your  requisitions  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 

With  these  general  instructions,  I  confide  in  your  activity,  integrity,  and 
practical  knowledge  of  the  duties  assigned  to  you  to  carry  out  the  views  of 
this  department  with  the  utmost  economy  and  vigor.  Your  first  care  should 
be  to  secure  the  maturing  crop  which  being  sea-island  cotton  must  be  picked 
as  fast  as  the  bolls  open,  otherwise  it  will  fall  and  become  damaged,  if  not 
entirely  ruined;  and  in  all  your  action  you  will  endeavor  so  to  transact  your 
business  and  keep  your  accounts  that  no  unnecessary  injury  may  accrue  to 
private  citizens  who  now  maintain  or  may  within  a  reasonable  time  resume 
the  character  of  loyal  citizens  of  the  United  States. 
With  great  respect, 

S.  P.  CHASE, 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 


No.  22. 

TREASURY  DEPARTMENT,  November  30,  1861. 

SIR:  With  the  approbation  of  the  President  of  the  United  States,  and  by 
virtue  of  the  authority  vested  in  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  by  the  act 
of  July  13,  1361,  I  hereby  appoint  you  agent  of  this  department  to  receive, 
on  account  of  the  United  States,  and  to  take  charge  of  all  consignments  of 
cotton  or  other  articles  shipped  to  you  by  direction  of  this  department. 
Until  otherwise  directed,  you  will  be  governed  in  the  disposition  of  such 
cotton  or  other  articles  by  these  general  instructions.  You  will  keep  an 
accurate  account,  by  names  and  numbers,  and  such  other  distinctive  marks 
as  may  be  forwarded  to  you  by  the  respective  agents  and  shippers,  of  each 
consignment  received,  debiting  such  consignment  with  whatever  expenses 
may  be  paid  by  you  on  its  account,  whether  of  freight,  labor,  storage,  or 
commissions,  and  credit  such  consignment  with  the  gross  proceeds  of  sales 
when  realized,  and  so  keep  your  accounts  that  the  net  receipts  arising  from 
each  shipment  may  be  at  once  known,  and  thereby  the  aggregate  net  re 
ceipts  arising  from  the  products  of  each  plantation  and  owner  be  distinctly 
set  forth. 


580  TESTIMONY. 

You  are  hereby  authorized  and  directed  to  sell  the  cotton  or  other  pro 
ductions  received  by  you  at  public  auction,  after  due  notice  of  time  and 
place  being  given  in  two  newspapers  in  Boston,  three  in  New  York,  and 
two  in  Philadelphia,  at  least  ten  days  prior  to  the  sale,  unless,  from  the 
perishable  nature  of  the  article,  it  is  deemed  expedient  to  dispose  of  it  im 
mediately  after  its  receipt,  in  which  case  you  will  pursue  such  course  as 
you  deem  best  for  the  interest  of  all  concerned. 

It  is  suggested  that  large  lots  of  cotton,  if  from  the  same  plantation, 
bring  in  the  foreign  markets  enhanced  prices  over  small  or  promiscuous 
lots,  and  therefore  the  entire  crop  of  a  plantation  should,  in  the  absence  of 
reasons  to  the  contrary,  be  so  offered. 

You  are  expected  to  procure,  upon  the  most  economical  terms,  and  for 
ward  to  the  respective  agents,  upon  their  requisitions,  proper  bags,  bagging, 
bale-rope,  twine,  needles,  or  other  articles  required  for  the  preparation  of 
the  cotton,  rice,  or  other  productions  for  market,  and  also  blank  bills  of 
lading,  blank  books,  and  other  stationery  in  reasonable  and  proper  quanti 
ties  for  their  use;  and  you  will  advise  them  from  time  to  time  of  any  defi 
ciencies  in  making  up  the  bales  or  other  packages,  or  in  their  marks  arid 
numbers,  or  in  the  invoices  sent,  and  offer  such  suggestions  as,  in  your 
opinion,  will  tend. to  increase  the  market  value  of  the  articles  to  be  for 
warded,  and  give  effect  to  the  wishes  and  intentions  of  the  government. 

You  will  make  a  special  deposit  with  the  assistant  treasurer  at  New 
York,  to  the  credit  of  the  Treasurer  of  the  United  States,  of  the  gross  pro 
ceeds  of  all  sales,  taking  duplicate  receipts  therefor,  which  you  will  retain 
as  your  voucher  for  such  payment.  Your  accounts  must  be  rendered 
monthly,  in  duplicate,  and  transmitted  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 

You  will  report  weekly  your  general  transactions  under  this  appoint 
ment,  specifying  any  receipts  or  sales  of  articles,  and  the  receipt  and  filling 
of  any  requisitions  made  upon  you  by  the  agents  of  tlje  department. 

A  copy  of  the  instructions  to  the  agents  is  enclosed  for  your  further  in 
formation. 

Before  entering  on  the  duties  of  your  office,  you  will  execute  an  official 
bond  to  the  United  States  in  the  sum  of  $50,000,  agreeably  to  the  form 
accompanying  these  instructions,  and  take  the  oath  of  office  and  allegiance 
prescribed  therein,  following  the  directions  as  to  the  execution  of  the  bond 
and  other  requisite  acts  noted  at  the  foot  of  the  form. 

You  will  be  allowed  a  compensation  at  the  rate  of  twenty-five  hundred 
dollars  per  annum. 

Kespectfully,  yours, 

S.  P.  CHASE, 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 


No.  23. 

Modification  of  the  restrictions  on  trade  in  pork  with  Louisville,  Kentucky,  of 

November  25,  1861. 

TREASURY  DEPARTMENT,  December  13,  1861. 

SIR  :  In  addition,  (as  to  shipments  of  pork,  to  which  your  attention  was 
called  in  my  letter  of  the  30th  ultimo,)  it  must  be  borne  in  mind  that  Louis 
ville  is  a  loyal  city;  and,  unless  you  are  satisfied  that  the  supplies  are  in 
tended  for  disloyal  parties  in  that  part  of  Kentucky  held  by  the  insurgents, 
or  under  insurrectionary  control,  or  destined  for  States  in  rebellion  against 
the  government  of  the  United  States,  or  to  give  aid  and  comfort  to  the 
rebels,  you  will  protect  the  merchants  and  traders  of  that  city  in  their 


TESTIMONY.  581 

operations,  and  allow  them  the  same  facilities  for  the  transaction  of  busi 
ness  as  are  enjoyed  in  other  loyal  cities. 
I  am,  &c., 

S.  P.  CHASE,  Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 
WM.  P.  MELLEN,  Esq*  Special  Agent,  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 


No.  24. 
Rules  required  to  be  observed  by  steamboats  navigating  the  Ohio  river. 

1.  No  boat  shall  receive  on  board  any  freight,  baggage,  or  parcel,  unless  the 
same  is  accompanied  with  a  permit  of  a  duly  authorized  officer  of  the  Treasury 
Department. 

2.  No  boat  shall  put  off  or  discharge  any  freight,  baggage,  or  parcel,  at  any 
place  different  from  that  named  in  the  permit  as  its  place  of  destination. 

3.  All  army  supplies,  shipped  under  military  orders,  are  excepted  from  the 
above  rules ;  but  this  exception  does  not  extend  to  goods  of  sutlers,  or  others, 
designed  for  trade  or  sale  at  military  posts. 

4.  No  boat,  running  below  Louisville,  having  taken  freight  on  board  at  any 
point  where  there  is  a  surveyor  of  customs,  shall  depart  from  such  port  before 
exhibiting  a  true  manifest  of  its  entire  cargo  to  such  surveyor,  and  obtaining 
from  him  written  permission  to  proceed  on  the  voyage ;  and,  on  arriving  at  the 
port  ending  the  trip,  such  manifest  shall  be  delivered  to  the  surveyor  thereof 
before  discharging  any  part  of  its  freight.     In  case  there  is  no  surveyor  there, 
then  such  manifest  shall  be  delivered  to  the  surveyor  of  the  last  port  passed  on 
the  trip  where  there  is  such  an  officer. 

5.  To  prevent  inconvenience  to  shippers  at  way  points,  and  to  enable  boats 
to  take  all  proper  freights,  baggage,  and  parcels,  at  such  points,  without  violat 
ing  the  above  rules,  an -"aid  to  the  revenue"  will  be  placed  on  all  the  boats 
desiring  it,  authorized  to  grant  permits  for  the  shipment  of  all  such  way -freights, 
baggage,  and  parcels,  provided  the  boat  will  carry  and  accommodate  such  aid 
free  of  charge. 

6.  A  fee  of  twenty  cents,  for  the  permit,  will  be  charged  on  each  shipment 
made  for  purposes  of  trade.     But  family  supplies,  goods  of  families  moving, 
and  articles  sent  to  soldiers  by  their  friends,  shall  be  exempt  from  such  charge. 

7.  All  boats  violating  the  above  rules  will  be  proceeded  against  pursuant  to 
law,  and  no  permits  will  be  granted  for  the  shipment  of  any  freight,  baggage, 
or  parcel  on  board  any  boat  having  violated  any  of  the  above  rules. 

By  order  of  the  Treasury  Department. 

WILLIAM  P.  MELLEN, 

Special  Agent. 
Dated  January  15,  1862. 

The  foregoing  rules  were  approved  by  the  Secretary  of  tfie  Treasury  by 
letter  dated  January  18,  1862. 


582  TESTIMONY. 

No.  25. 
Rules  for  the  steamers  on  tlie  Ohio  river  between  Pittsburg  and  Cincinnati. 

CINCINNATI,  Ohio,  January  27,  1862. 

All  steamboats  navigating  the  Ohio  river,  between  Pittsburg  and  Cincinnati, 
are  required  to  observe  the  following  rules  : 

1.  Same  as  promulgated  by  Mr.  W.  P.  Mellen,  January  15,  1862.] 

2.  Same  as  promulgated  by  Mr.  W.  P.  Mellen,  January  15,  1862.] 

3.  'Same  as  promulgated  by  Mr.  W.  P.  Mellen,  January  15,  1862.] 

4.  Corresponds  with  the  sixth  rule  of  Mr.  Mellen  of  January  15.] 

5.  Boats  clearing  for  points  below  Cincinnati  will  report  a  manifest  of  their 
cargoes  to  Enoch  T.  Carson,  esq.,  surveyor  of  that  port,  and  be  governed  by 
his  instructions. 

6.  Every  steamboat,  clearing  at  the  port  of  Pittsburg,  must  take  out,  at  the 
custom-house,  a  regular  "clearance"  for  each  trip,  for  which  a  charge  will  be 
made  of  fifty  cents.     To  this  rule  there  are  no  exceptions. 

7.  [Corresponds  with  rule  of  William  P.  Mellen,  special  agent,  of  January 
15,  1862.] 

THO.  HEATON, 
Special  Agent  Treasury  Department. 


No.  26. 

Instructions  in  duties  of  special  agent  to  Nashville,  Tennessee,  relative  to  trade 
in  cotton  and  other  products. 

TREASURY  DEPARTMENT,  February  14,  1862. 

SIR  :  With  the  approbation  of  the  President  of  the  United  States,  and  by 
virtue  of  the  authority  vested  in  the  Secretary,  of  the  Treasury  by  the  act  of 
July  13,  1861,  I  hereby  appoint  you  a  special  agent  to  proceed  to  Tennessee, 
with  the  forces  of  the  United  States,  to  receive  and  take  charge  of  all  cotton, 
tobacco,  and  other  products  or  "property,  which  it  may  become  proper  to  seize, 
as  forfeited  or  abandoned  to  the  United  States,  and  to  discharge  all  such  other 
duties  for  the  protection  of  the  interests  of  the  United  States  as  may  be  assigned 
to  you. 

For  the  purposes  of  this  appointment,  and  to  carry  out  the  views  of  the  gov 
eminent,  the  proper  military  and  naval  commandants  of  the  United  States 
forces  in  the  west  will  receive  the  necessary  instructions  from  the  Secretary  of 
War  and  Secretary  of  the  Navy  to  afford  you  proper  military  protection,  and  to 
detail  such  aid  as  may  be  requisite  in  the  fulfilment  of  these  instructions,  not 
incompatible  with  their  military  duties.  In  the  disposition  of  the  property  so 
seized  or  abandoned  you  will  necessarily  be  governed,  to  some  extent,  by  the 
character  of  the  product  or  property  so  taken  possession  of,  and  must  exercise 
a  sound  judgment  and  discretion  in  relation  thereto. 

Cotton  taken  possession  of  must  be  prepared  for  market  in  the  manner  usual 
in  that  locality,  if  the  surrounding  circumstances  will  permit  with  safety ;  if, 
however,  you  shall  deem  it  necessary  to  security  to  make  immediate  shipments, 
you  will  promptly  do  so,  and  send  such  cotton,  distinctly  marked,  to  Hiram 
Barney,  collector  of  customs  at  New  York,  forthwith,  advising  him  of  the  quan 
tity  and  character  of  such  shipments.  If,  from  any  cause,  such  shipments  can 
not  be  made  to  Mr.  Barney  direct,  you  will  forward  it  to  Mr.  Barney,  to  the  care 
of  Charles  B.  Cotton,  surveyor  of  customs  at  Louisville,  or  Enoch  T.  Carson, 


TESTIMONY.  583 

surveyor  of  customs  at  Cincinnati,  as  the  most  direct  or  certain  conveyance  may 
dictate,  advising  both  Mr.  Barney  and  Mr.  Cotton  (or  Mr.  Carson,  as  the  case 
may  be,)  thereof,  instructing  the  latter  to  receive  and  forward  the  same  to  Mr. 
Barney,  collector  of  customs  at  New  York. 

If,  under  proper  authority — viz.,  the  permits  of  the  surveyor  of  the  customs 
at  Cincinnati,  Louisville,  or  Paducah,  or  the  permits  of  other  surveyors,  coun 
tersigned  and  permitted  by  the  surveyors  above  named — parties  present  them 
selves  to  you  for  the  purpose  of  purchasing  cotton  or  other  property  in  your 
possession  as  the  property  of  the  United  States,  you  are  authorized  to  sell  such 
property  at  prices  governed  by  its  value  in  the  loyal  States,  less  the  cost  of 
transportation  and  other  necessary  charges,  receiving  in  payment  therefor  only 
lawful  money  of  the  United  States,  which  moneys,  as  well  as  others  corning  into 
your  possession  as  the  property  of  the  government,  you  will  promptly  deposit, 
or  cause  to  be  deposited,  in  the  designated  depositary  at  Louisville  or  Cincin- 
•nati,  as  may  be  most  convenient,  to  the  credit  of  William  P.  Mellen,  special 


agent. 


It  may  become  necessary,  to  the  prompt  security  of  cotton  and  other  articles, 
that  you  sjiould  command  bale-rope  and  bagging,  and  other  supplies  for  like 
purposes,  aiid  you  are  therefore  authorized  to  make  requisitions  upon  the  sur 
veyors  at  Louisville  or  Cincinnati,  dependent  upon  the  latter  source  of  supply, 
for  such  quantities  as  may  be  deemed  essential,  taking  great  care  to  restrict 
such  requisitions  to  the  smallest  amounts.  You  will  require  invoices  to  be  sent 
to  you  of  quantities  and  values,  which  you  will  verify  by  examination  of  the 
articles  by  weight,  measure,  or  count,  when  received. 

No  shipments  from  Tennessee  must  be  allowed  without  your  previous  assent 
and  a  permit  granted  by  you,  for  which  permit  you  will  exact  a  fee  equal  to  one- 
half  of  one  per  cent,  on  all  articles  not  purchased  of  you.  For  such  as  are  sold 
by  you  you  will  grant  the  permit  without  charge.  No  permit  to  be  granted 
until  all  dues  to  the  United  States  are  previously  paid. 

For  all  shipments  you  will  make  out  invoices  and  bills  of  lading  in  triplicate, 
forwarding  one  to  the  consignee,  one  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  and  re 
tain  one,  subject  to  the  disposition  of  the  military  commandant  of  the  United 
States  forces  in  Kentucky. 

All  permits,  whether  granted  for  individuals  or  merchandise,  and  all  requi 
sitions,  bills  of  lading,  or  invoices,  whether  coming  from  or  going  to  Tennessee, 
must  be  countersigned  by  the  commandant  of  the  department,  or  such  officer  as 
he  may  detail  for  the  purpose. 

It  is  presumed  that  all  clerical  force  required  can  be  furnished  by  the  military 
commandant  by  detailing  persons  competent  to  perform  such  service ;  and  you 
will  procure,  so  far  as  the  military  commandant  shall  not  be  able  to  supply  you, 
necessary  stationery,  blank  books,  &c. 

You  will  keep  a  record  of  all  your  proceedings,  and  report  to  this  department 
weekly,  as  much  in  detail  as  practicable,  and  will  send  duplicates  of  your  re 
quisitions  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 

With  these  general  instructions,  I  confide  in  your  activity,  integrity,  and 
practical  knowledge  of  the  duties  assigned  to  you,  to  carry  out  the  views  of  this 
department  with  the  utmost  economy  and  vigor. 

In  all  your  action  you  will  endeavor  so  to  transact  your  business  and  keep 
your  accounts  that  no  unnecessary  injury  may  accrue  to  private  citizens  who 
now  maintain  or  may  within  a  reasonable  time  resume  the  character  of  loyal 
citizens  of  the  United  States. 

Your  compensation  will  be  five  dollars  ($5)  per  day  and  your  necessary  ex 
penses,  of  which  you  will  keep  an  accurate  account. 
Very  respectfully, 

S.  P.  CHASE, 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 

ALLEN  A.  HALL,  Esq.,  Special  Agent. 


584  TESTIMONY. 


No.  27. 

Communication  from  the  Secretary  of  tlie  Treasury  to  the  Secretary  of  War, 
requesting  him  to  advise  tke  generals  in  command  of  the  act  of  Congress  of 
July  13,  186],  so  far  as  it  directs  how  commercial  intercourse  with  the  insur 
rectionary  sections  shall  be  regulated  and  controlled. 

TREASURY  DEPARTMENT, 

February  27,  1862. 

SIR  :  I  beg  leave  to  call  your  attention  to  the  fifth  section  of  the  act  of  Con 
gress  of  July  13,  1861,  "  further  to  provide  for  the  collection  of  duties  on  imports 
and  for  other  purposes." 

Under  the  act  the  President,  on  the  16th  day  of  August,  1861,  issued  his 
proclamation  declaring  the  inhabitants  of  the  States  of  Georgia,  South  Carolina, 
Virginia,  North  Carolina,  Tennessee,  Louisiana,  Alabama,  Texas,  Arkansas, 
Mississippi,  and  Florida,  (except  the  inhabitants  of  that  part  of  the  State  of 
Virginia  lying  west  of  the  Alleghany  mountains,)  to  be  in  a  state  of  insurrection. 
All  commercial  intercourse,  therefore,  between  the  inhabitants  of  the  insurrec-* 
tionary  region  and  the  citizens  of  the  loyal  States  is  and  must  remain  unlawful, 
until,  by  proclamation,  the  President  shall  declare  the  conditions  of  hostility  to 
have  ceased;  and  all  goods  and  merchandise,  and  all  vessels  or  vehicles  convey 
ing  the  same,  or  conveying  persons  to  or  from  the  insurrectionary  district,  are 
forfeited  to  the  United  States.  The  only  exception  from  the  law  is  that  of  in 
tercourse  permitted  by  the  President,  and  conducted  in  pursuance  of  rules  and 
regulations  prescribed  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 

A  few  permits,  authorizing  such  intercourse,  have  been  granted,  with  the 
sanction  of  the  President,  and  it  is  contemplated  to  establish  regulations  in 
accordance  with  which  it  may  be  carried  on  hereafter. 

If  you  think  it  useful,  will  you  be  pleased  to  advise  the  generals  command 
ing  in  tlie  insurrectionary  region  of  the  existence  of  this  law,  and  of  its  pro 
visions,  in  order  that  mistakes  prejudicial  to  private  and  public  interests  may 
be  avoided  as  far  as  practicable. 
With  great  respect, 

S.  P.  CHASE,  Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 

Hon.  EDWIN  M.  STAN  TON,  Secretary  of  War. 


MEMORANDUM. — Rules  and  regulations,  concerning  internal  intercourse,  framed 
under  act  of  July  13,  1861,  were  adopted  and  promulgated  on  the  4th  of  March, 
1862.  It  came  to  the  knowledge  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  that  orders 
(or  permits  under  sanction)  of  the  military,  in  some  sections,  militated  against 
the  regulations  of  the  Treasury  Department,  another  communication  was  ac 
cordingly  sent  to  the  Secretary  of  War  on  the  7th  of  March,  1862,  on  the 
above  subject,  q.  v. 


No.  28. 
License  for  co?nmercial  intercourse. — By  tlie  President  of  tlie  United  States. 

Considering  that  the  existing  circumstances  of  the  country  allow  a  partial 
restoration  of  commercial  intercourse  between  the  inhabitants  of  those  parts  of 
the  United  States  heretofore  declared  to  be  in  insurrection  and  the  citizens  of 


TESTIMONY.  585 

the  loyal  States  of  the  Union,  and  exercising  the  authority  and  discretion  con 
fided  to  me  by  the  act  of  Congress,  approved  July  13,  1861,  entitled  "  An  act 
further  to  provide  for  the  collection  of  duties  on  imports,  and  for  other  purposes," 
I  hereby  license  and  permit  such  commercial  intercourse,  in  all  cases  within  the 
rules  and  regulations  which  have  been  or  may  be  prescribed  by  the  Secretary 
of  the  Treasury  for  the  conducting  and  carrying  on  of  the  same  on  the  inland 
waters  and  ways  of  the  United  States. 

ABRAHAM  LINCOLN. 
WASHINGTON,  February  28,  1862. 


No.  29. 

Rules  and  regulations  concerning  internal  commercial  intercourse  under  act  of 

Congress,  July  13,  1861. 

By  virtue  of  the  authority  confided  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  by  the 
act  of  Congress  approved  July  13,  1861,  entitled  "An  act  further  to  provide 
for  the  collection  of  duties  on  imports,  and  for  other  purposes,"  and  in  pursuance 
of  the  license  of  the  President  of  the  United  States,  permitting  commercial 
intercourse  in  certain  cases  under  said  act,  the  following  rules  and  regulations 
are  hereby  prescribed  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  for  conducting  com 
mercial  intercourse  between  the  inhabitants  of  those  parts  of  the  United  States 
heretofore  declared  by  the  President  to  be  in  insurrection  and  the  citzens  of  the 
loyal  States  of  the  Union ;  which  rules  and  regulations  are  to  remain  in  force 
so  long  as  the  condition  of  hostilities  shall  continue,  unless  sooner  modified  or 
revoked : 

TREASURY  DEPARTMENT,  March  4,  1862. 

First.  All  licenses  shall  be  issued  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  and  all 
applications  therefor  must  be  made  in  writing  to  him,  stating  specifically  the 
purposes  for  which  the  license  is  desired ;  and  if  for  general  or  special  trade, 
setting  forth  the  character  and  aggregate  value  of  the  merchandise  to  be  trans 
ported,  the  destination  thereof,  and  the  proposed  route  of  transportation,  and 
also  the  character  of  the  merchandise,  if  any,  desired  in  exchange,  with  the  pro 
posed  route  of  transit  thereof  and  its  destination. 

Second.  Before  the  delivery  of  any  license  the  party  therein  permitted  to 
trade  shall  execute  a  bond  to  the  United  States,  with  sufficient  sureties,  in  the 
penal  sum  of  at  least  twice  the  amount  of  the  trade  so  licensed,  which  bond 
shall  be  subject  to  such  approval  and  conditioned  in  such  terms  as  shall  be 
specified  in  the  license. 

Third.  All  transportation  to  be  made  by  virtue  of  any  license  shall  be  made 
under  permits,  to  be  issued  by  such  duly  authorized  officers  of  the  Treasury 
Department  as  shall  be  designated  in  the  license,  which  permits  shall  specify 
the  number  and  kind  of  packages,  with  the  marks  thereon,  and  in  general  terms 
the  character  thereof. 

Fourth.  When  application  is  made  for  a  transportation  permit,  the  applicant 
shall  file  with  the  officer  authorized  by  the  license  to  grant  such  permits  a  copy 
of  the  license  under  which  application  is  made,  which  copy  shall  be  compared 
with  the  original  and  certified  by  such  officer,  and  also  correct  invoices  in  du 
plicate,  signed  by  the  consignor,  showing  the  actual  values  of  the  merchandise 
at  the  place  of  purchase,  and  also  a  statement  in  duplicate  of  the  route  of  transit 
and  destination  of  the  merchandise  to  be  transported  and  the  consignee  thereof. 
The  applicant  shall  also  make  and  file  with  such  officer  an  affidavit  that  the 
values  are  correctly  stated  in  the  invoices,  and  that  the  packages  contain  nothing 


586  TESTIMONY. 

except  as  stated  therein,  and  that  the  merchandise  so  permitted  to  be  transported 
shall  not,  nor  shall  any  part  thereof,  be  disposed  of  by  him  or  by  his  authority 
or  connivance  in  violation  of  the  terms  of  the  license. 

Fifth.  All  transportation  shall  be  permitted,  and  all  exchanges  supervised, 
either  at  Cincinnati,  Louisville,  Paducah,  St.  Louis,  or  such  other  place  as  may 
hereafter  be  specified  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury.  Transportation  per 
mits  shall  be  granted  by  the  surveyor  of  the  port  whence  the  transit  commenced, 
or  by  other  officers  named  in  the  license  for  that  purpose,  and  all  exchanges 
shall  be  supervised  by  such  officer  as  may  be  designated  for  that  purpose  in  the 
license,  and  the  amount  of  such  permit  shall  at  the  date  of  its  issue  be  indorsed 
upon  the  original  license. 

Sixth.  All  packages  whatsoever,  before  being  permitted  to  go  into  any  part 
of  the  United  States  heretofore  declared  by  the  President  to  be  in  insurrection, 
shall  be  examined  by  a  duly  authorized  officer,  which  examination  shall  be  cer 
tified  and  approved  by  such  officer  as  shall  be  specified  in  the  license. 

Seventh.  For  each  permit  granted  under  the  provisions  of  these  rules  and 
regulations  there  shall  be  charged  and  collected  one-half  of  one  per  cent,  upon 
the  value  of  the  merchandise,  so  permitted,  at  the  place  of  purchase,  which  shall 
be  collected  by  the  officer  granting  the  permit  before  delivery  thereof. 

Eighth.  All  officers  acting  under  these  rules  shall  keep  an  accurate  record 
of  all  their  transactions  under  the  several  licenses  granted  by  the  Secretary  of 
the  Treasury,  and  shall  make  weekly  reports  to  him  in  relation  thereto,  as  much 
in  detail  as  practicable,  transmitting  with  such  reports  a  list  of  all  permits 
granted,  and  one  of  the  duplicate  invoices  and  statements,  upon  which  shall  be 
indorsed  the  date  of  the  authority  under  which  such  permit  was  granted. 
Weekly  returns  shall  be  made  of  all  fees  and  emoluments  received. 

Ninth.  All  licenses  and  permits  shall  be  liable  to  modification  or  revocation 
by  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 

S.  P.  CHASE, 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 

MEMORANDUM. — These  rules  and  regulations  were  modified  by  the  general 
circular  of  March  29. 


No.  30. 

Communication  from  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  to  the  Secretary  of  War, 
concerning  rules,  of  March  4,  1862. 

TREASURY  DEPARTMENT,  March  7,  1862. 

SIR  :  I  enclose  copies  of  rules  and  regulations  concerning  internal  intercourse, 
framed  under  the  act  of  July  13,  1861. 

Great  dissatisfaction  exists  on  the  Ohio  river  on  account  of  the  preference 
given  to  the  Saint  Louis  trade  by  the  orders  of  General  Halleck.  Will  you  be 
good  enough  to  telegraph  both  General  Halleck  and  General  Buell  that  the 
law  does  not  authorize  commercial  intercourse  except  upon  the  license  of  the 
President,  under  the  rules  and  regulations  established  by  the  Secretary  of  the 
Treasury  1 

I  should  be  very  glad  to  remit  this  trade  to  the  charge  of  military  officers, 
and  to  be  relieved  from  all  duties  connected  with  it ;  but  the  law  is  imperative, 

and  until  repealed,  must  be  complied  with. 

*  *•#  *  *  *  *  *  *  * 

With  great  respect, 

S.  P.  CHASE,  Secretary  of  the  Treatury. 
Hon.  E.  M.  STANTON,  Secretary  of  War. 


TESTIMONY.  587 


No.  31. 

Circular  to  officers  of  the  customs  modifying  the  rules  and  regulations  for 
internal  commercial  intercourse,  of  March  4,  1862. 

TREASURY  DEPARTMENT,  March  29,  1862. 

SIR  :  It  is  desirable  to  remove,  as  far  as  may  properly  be  done,  tke  restric 
tions  upon  commercial  intercourse  between  the  loyal  States  and  those  States 
and  parts  of  States  heretofore  declared,  by  proclamation  of  the  President,  to  be 
in  insurrection,  and  which  may  resume  and  maintain  a  loyal  adhesion  to  the 
Union  and  the  Constitution,  or  may  be  occupied  and  controlled  by  the  forces  of 
the  United  States  engaged  in  the  dispersion  of  the  insurgents. 

The  rules  and  regulations  governing  internal  commerce,  heretofore  prescribed 
r)y  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  are  therefore  hereby  so  far  modified  as  to 
authorize  the  respective  surveyors  of  the  customs  at  the  ports  of  Pittsburg, 
Wheeling,  Cincinnati,  Madison,  Louisville,  New  Albany,  Evansville,  Paducah, 
Cairo,  and  St.  Louis,  to  issue  permits  for  the  transportation  of  merchandise  and 
for  the  exchange  of  the  same  for  money  or  products  of  such  States  and  parts  of 
States,  upon  application  being  made  to  them  respectively,  if  satisfied  of  the 
loyalty  and  good  faith  of  the  applicant,  and  upon  the  filing  of  an  affidavit,  prop 
erly  executed,  that  the  permit  so  applied  for  shall  not,  if  granted,  be  used  so 
as  to  give,  in  any  way,  any  aid,  comfort,  information  or  encouragement  to 
persons  in  insurrection  against  the  government  of  the  United  States,  or  under 
insurrectionary  control  and  direction. 

You  will  hereafter  cease  collecting  any  percentage  or  fees  for  permitting  the 
transit  and  exchange  of  merchandise  between  the  citizens  of  loyal  States  and 
loyal  citizens  of  insurrectionary  sections  of  the  country  occupied  or  controlled 
by  the  forces  of  the  United  States,  other  than  the  usual  charge  of  twenty  cents 
for  such  permit  so  granted,  and  you  will  make  no  charge  for  permits  for  mer 
chandise  forwarded  from  any  place  in  a  loyal  State  to  another  in  the  same  or 
other  like  State,  nor  exercise  any  supervision  over  the  trade  between  such  States, 
except  such  as  may  be  necessary  to  prevent  supplies  of  any  description  being 
furnished  to  insurgents. 

It  is  furthermore  directed  that  no  permits  be  granted  for  any  articles  forbidden 
by  the  military  authorities  to  be  transported  into  the  territory  occupied  by  the 
forces  of  the  United  States.  Parties,  therefore,  desiring  licenses  and  permits  for 
commercial  trade,  under  the  rules  and  regulations  as  herein  modified,  will  here 
after  make  their  application  direct  to  the  proper  surveyor  and  not  to  the  Secre 
tary  of  the  Treasury. 

I  am,  &c.,  &c.,  &c., 

S.  P.  CHASE,  Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 

(See  regulations  of  August  28,  1862.) 


No.  32. 
Trade  in  Tennessee  to  be  restricted  to  persons  authorized  by  Governor  Johnson. 

TREASURY  DEPARTMENT,  April  4,  1862. 

SIR  :  I  this  day  send  you  the  following  telegram: 

"  Your  suggestions  are  approved.  Let  permits  to  trade  in  Tennessee  be  re 
stricted  to  persons  authorized  by  Governor  Johnson,  or  committees  appointed 
by  him,  to  receive  and  dispose  of  the  goods.  As  he  is  military  governor  of 


588  TESTIMONY. 

Tennessee,  the  sole  authority  to  appoint  such  committees  belongs,  necessarily, 
to  him,  though  he  will  probably  confer  with  Mr.  Hall." 
I  am,  &c., 

S.  P.  CHASE,  Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 
WM.  P.  MELLEN,  Esq., 

Special  Agent,  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 

(Copy  of  the  above  sent  to  Governor  Johnson.) 


No.  33. 

Rules   governing  shipments  to    or  by  sutlers,  under  the  act  of  Congress  of 

March  19,  1862. 

1st.  All  surveyors,  before  granting  permits  to  ship  merchandise  to  or  for 
sutlers,  shall  require  the  exhibition  of  the  original  certificate  of  appointment  of 
such  sutler,  pursuant  to  the  act  of  Congress  of  March  19,  1862,  and  that  a 
copy  thereof  be  filed  with  him. 

2d.  The  date  of  permitting  each  shipment,  and  the  value  thereof,  shall  be 
indorsed  on  such  original  certificate,  and  a  corresponding  record  thereof  shall  be 
kept  by  the  surveyor  granting  the  permit. 

3d.  Not  more  than  three  thousand  dollars  worth  of  goods  shall  be  permitted 
to  be  shipped  by,  to,  or  for,  any  one  sutler  per  month. 

4th.  The  sutler  or  his  agent  shall  deposit  duplicate  invoices  of  the  goods  to 
be  shipped  with  the  officer  granting  the  permit. 

5th.  The  invoices  shall  show  truly  the  goods  to  be  shipped,  their  value,  and 
the  number  and  description  of  packages  containing  them. 

6th.  The  application  for  permission  to  ship  shall  be  in  writing,  and  shall  state 
that  nothing  shall  be  shipped  under  it  except  as  allowed  by  the  above  act  of 
Congress;  the  route  of  transportation  and  the  destination  of  the  goods;  that 
they  belong  in  good  faith  to  the  sutler  by  or  to  whom  they  are  to  be  shipped, 
and  shall  not  be  disposed  of  by  him,  or  with  his  knowledge,  connivance  or 
assent,  except  to  the  officers  and  soldiers  of  his  regiment,  and  to  them  only  in 
such  quantities  as  may  be  proper  for  their  individual  use  or  consumption ;  and 
every  such  application  shall  be  sworn  to. 

7th.  Surveyors,  before  granting  permits,  may  require  bond  with  surety  in  such 
cases  as  they  think  necessary,  to  prevent  a  violation  of  the  law,  in  a  penalty 
equal  to  the  value  of  the  goods  permitted,  and  conditioned  that  there  shall  be  no 
violation  of  the  terms  of  the  application  and  affidavit  by  the  shipment  thereof. 

8th.  All  shipments  by  or  for  sutlers  shall  be  subject  to  the  same  rules  and 
regulations  as  shipments  of  other  persons  for  purposes  of  trade. 

WILLIAM  P.  MELLEN, 
Special  Agent  Treasury  Department. 

Dated  April  7,  1862. 


These  rules  were  approved  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  in  letters  of  the 
30th  of  April  and  19th  May,  1862,  and  were  adopted  by  the  special  agents 
throughout  the  western  districts. 


TESTIMONY.  589 

No.  34. 

The  question  of  detention  and  seizure  of  goods  to  be  decided  by  the  surveyor  of 
the  last  port  to  be  passed  on  the  route  of  transportation. 

TREASURY  DEPARTMENT,  April  22,  1862. 
gjR  .###*#*** 

You  will  allow  all  goods  now  detained  by  you,  because  unaccompanied 
by  a  permit,  to  be  sent  forward  immediately,  and  you  will  not  in  future  detain 
any  articles  on  that  account.  The  question  of  detention  and  seizure  of  goods 
en  route  from  eastern  cities  to  points  in  States  heretofore  declared  by  procla 
mation  to  be  in  insurrection  against  the  government  of  the  United  States  will 
be  decided  by  the  surveyor  of  the  last  port  to  be  passed  on  the  route  of  trans 
portation  ;  and  you  will  receive  the  certificate  to  that  effect  of  any  collector  or 
surveyor  of  customs  as  sufficient  evidence  of  the  loyalty  of  the  shipper.  You 
will  continue  to  issue  permits  for  goods  shipped  from  Pittsburg  and  from 
eastern  ports,  as  heretofore,  when  requested  so  to  do. 

I  am,  &c., 

S.  P.  CHASE,  Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 
GHAS.  W.  BATCHELOR, 

Surveyor,  fyc.,  Pittsburg,  Pa.  • 


No.  35. 
Rules  for  commercial  intercourse  adapted  to  trade  in  the  west. 

The  following  rules  were  approved  by  the  Treasury  Department  April  20, 
1862,  and  were  adopted  and  published  by  the  special  agents  of  the  department 
in  the  western  district  on  the  22d  April,  1862: 

Whereas  commercial  intercourse  has  been  duly  authorized  between  the 
loyal  States  and  those  States  and  parts  of  States  heretofore  declared  to  be  in  in 
surrection  which  may  resume  and  maintain  a  loyal  adhesion  to  the  Union  and 
Constitution  of  the  United  States  or  may  be  occupied  and  controlled  by  the 
forces  of  the  United  States  engaged  in  the  dispersion  of  the  insurgents,  which 
intercourse  is  to  be  governed  by  such  rules  and  regulations  as  are  or  may  be 
prescribed  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury: 

Now,  therefore,  the  said  intercourse  and  all  transportation  connected  there 
with  shall  be  subject  to  the  following  rules  and  regulations : 

1.  All  applications  for  permits  to   ship,   transport,  and  trade  shall  be  ac 
companied  by  the  original  invoices  of  the  merchandise  to  be  shipped,  which 
invoices  shall  state  the  number  and  description  of  the  packages  containing  the 
same,  duplicates  of  which  shall  be  filed  with  the  officer  granting  the  permit. 

2.  All  steamboats   navigating   the  western  and   southwestern   rivers  below 
Louisville  are  required  to  observe  the  following  rules,  viz  :     [MEMORANDUM. — 
The  rules  referred  to  were  the  seven  rules  adopted  and  published  by  William 
P.  Mellen,  special  agent,  on  the  15th  day  of  January,  1862,  q.  v.] 

3.  All  applications  for  permits  to   ship  or  trade  under  the  above-named  au 
thority  shall  state  the  character  and  value  of  the  merchandise  to  be  shipped, 
the  consignee  and  destination  thereof,  the  number  and  kind  of  packages  with 
the  marks  thereon. 

4.  All  applicants  for  permits  to  ship  and  trade  shall  make  and  file  with  the 
officer  granting  the  permit  an  affidavit  that  the  values  of  all  merchandise  are 
correctly  stated  in  the  invoices,  true  copies  of  which  shall  be  annexed  to  the 
affidavit,  and  that  the  packages  contain  nothing  except  as  stated  in  the  invoices; 
that  the  merchandise  so  permitted  to  be  transported  shall  not,  nor  shall  any 


590  TESTIMONY. 

part  thereof,  be  disposed  of  by  him  or  by  his  authority,  connivance,  or  assent, 
in  violation  of  the  terms  of  the  permit;  and  that  neither  the  permit  so  granted, 
nor  the  merchandise  shipped  under  it,  shall  be  so  used  as  in  any  way  to  give 
any  aid,  comfort,  information,  or  encouragement  to  persons  in  insurrection 
against  the  United  States ;  and,  furthermore,  that  the  applicant  is  loyal  to  the 
government  of  the  United  States,  and  will,  in  all  things,  so  deport  himself. 

5.  No  permit  shall  be  granted  to   ship  merchandise  to  States  or  parts  of 
States  heretofore  declared  to  be  in  insurrection  except  for  delivery  to  such  persons 
residing  or  doing  business  therein  as  shall  be  recommended  therefor  by  an  officer 
of  the  government  duly  authorized  to  make  such  recommendation;  and  no  per 
mit  shall  be  granted  for  the  shipment  of  merchandise  from  such  States   or  parts 
of  States  except  by  persons  with  similar  recommendation. 

6.  Surveyors,  before  granting  permits,  may  require  bond  with  surety  in  such 
cases  as  they  think  necessary,  to  prevent  a  violation  of  the  law,  in  a  penalty 
equal  to  the  value  of  the  merchandise  permitted,  and  conditioned  that  there 
shall  be  no  violation  of  the  terms  or  spirit  of  the  permit,  nor  of  the  assevera 
tions  of  the  affidavit  above  provided  for. 

7.  No  permit  shall  be  granted  to   ship  intoxicating  drinks,  or  anything  else 
forbidden  by  the  military  authorities,  into  the  territory  occupied  by  the  forces 
of  the  Ignited  States  or  heretofore  under  insurrectionary  control,  except  upon 
the  written  permission  of  the  commandant  of  the  department  in  which  such 
territory  is  embraced,  or  of  some  person  duly  authorized  by  him  to  grant  such 
permission.     This  rule  does  not  apply  to  ale,  beer,  and  Catawba  wine. 

8.  To  facilitate  trade  and  guard  against  improper  transportation,  "  aids  to  the 
revenue"  shall  be  appointed,  from  time  to  time,  on  boats  desiring  it,  and  en 
gaged  in  the  trade  of  the  west  and  southwest,  which  aids  shall  have  carriage 
and  be  reasonably  compensated  by  the  respective  boats  upon  which  they  are 
appointed,  and  they  may  grant  permits  for  the  shipment  of  way -freights  on 
their  boats,  subject  to  the  approval  of  the  surveyor  of  the  first  port  to  be  passed 
on  the  trip  where  there  is  such  an  officer;  and  no  permits  will  be  granted  for 
transportation  into  States  and  parts  of  States  heretofore   declared  to  be  in  in 
surrection,  except  on  boats  carrying  such  aids  to  the  revenue. 

By  order  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 

WM.  D.  GALLAGHER, 
Special  "Agent  Treasury  Department. 
ST.  Louis,  April 22,  1862. 

MEMORANDUM. — The  foregoing  rules  and  regulations  were  essentially  modi 
fied  by  the  special  agents  on  the  17th  May,  1862,  as  per  copy  of  rules  for 
"  trade  on  the  Mississippi,"  (received  from  Mr.  Gallagher  in  a  letter  of  same 
date,)  q.  v. 


No.  36. 

PORTS    OPENED    TO    TRADE. 

By  the  President  of  the  United  States  of  America.. — A  2)rocJamation. 

Whereas,  by  my  proclamation  of  the  nineteenth  day  of  April,  one  thousand 
eight  hundred  and  sixty-one,  it  was  declared  that  the  ports  of  certain  States, 
including  those  of  Beaufort,  in  the  State  of  North  Carolina ;  Port  Royal,  in  the 
State  of  South  Carolina ;  and  New  Orleans,  in  the  State  of  Louisiana,  were, 
for  reasons  therein  set  forth,  intended  to  be  placed  under  blockade ;  and  whereas 
the  said  ports  of  Beaufort,  Port  Royal,  and  New  Orleans  have  since  been 
blockaded ;  but  as  the  blockade  of  the  same  ports  may  now  be  safely  relaxed 
with  advantage  to  the  interests  of  commerce:  Now,  therefore,  be  it  known  that 


TESTIMONY.  591 

I,  Abraham  Lincoln,  President  of  the  United  States,  pursuant  to  the  authority 
in  me  vested  by  the  fifth  section  of  the  act  of  Congress  approved  on  the  13th 
of  July  last,  entitled  "  An  act  further  to  provide  for  the  collection  of  duties  on 
imports,  and  for  other  purposes,"  do  hereby  declare  that  the  blockade  of  the 
said  ports  of  Beaufort,  Port  Royal,  and  New  Orleans  shall  so  far  cease  and  de 
termine  from  and  after  the  1st  day  of  June  next  that  commercial  intercourse 
with  those  ports,  except  as  to  persons  and  things  and  information  contraband 
of  war,  may  from  that  time  be  carried  on,  subject  to  the  lawfc  of  the  United 
States  and  to  the  limitations,  and  in  pursuance  of  the  regulations  which  are  pre 
scribed  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  in  his  order  of  this  date,  which  is 
appended  to  this  proclamation. 

In  witness  whereof,  I  have  hereunto  set  my  hand  and  caused  the  seal  of  the 
United  States  to  be  affixed. 

Done  at  the  city  of  Washington  this  twelfth  day  of  May,  in  the  year  of  our 
»r        i   Lord  one  thousand  eight  hundred  and  sixty-two,  and  of  the  independ- 
L  '    "J   ence  of  the  United  States  the  eighty-sixth. 

ABRAHAM  LINCOLN. 

By  the  President : 

WILLIAM  H.  SEWARD, 

Secretary  of  State. 


No.  37. 
Regulations  relating  to  trade  wit/i  the  ports  opened  by  proclamation. 

TREASURY  DEPARTMENT,  May  12,  1862. 

1.  To  vessels  clearing  from  foreign  ports,  and  destined  to  ports  opened  by  procla 
mation  of  the  President  of  the  United  States  of  this  date,  viz  :  Beaufort,  in  North 
Carolina;  Port  Royal,  in  South  Carolina;  and  New  Orleans,  in  Louisiana,  licenses 
will  be  granted  by  consuls   of  the  United  States,  upon  satisfactory  evidence 
that  the  vessels  so  licensed  will  convey  no  persons,  property,  or  information  con 
traband  of  war  either  to  or  from  the  said  ports,  wThich  licenses  shall  be  exhibited 
to  the  collector  of  the  port  to  which  said  vessels  may  be  respectively  bound, 
immediately  on  arrival,  and,  if  required,  to  any  officer  in  charge  of  the  blockade; 
and   on  leaving  either  of  said  ports  every  vessel  will  be  required  to  have  a 
clearance  from  the  collector  of  the  customs,  according  to  law,  showing  no  viola 
tion  of  the  conditions  of  the  license.     Any  violation  of  said  conditions  will 
involve  the  forfeiture  and  condemnation  of  the  vessel  and  cargo,  and  the  exclu 
sion  of  all  parties  concerned  from  any  further  privilege  of  entering  the  United 
States  during  the  war  for  any  purpose  whatever. 

2.  To  vessels  of  the  United  States  clearing  coastwise  for  the  ports  aforesaid 
licenses  can  only  be  obtained  from  the  Treasury  Department. 

3.  In  all  other  respects  the  existing  blockade  remains  in  full  force  and  effect, 
as  hitherto  established  and  maintained,  nor  is  it  relaxed  by  the  proclamation, 
except  in  regard  to  the  ports  to  which  the  relaxation  is  by  that  instrument  ex 
pressly  applied.  .  .. 

S.  P.  CHASE, 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 


592  TESTIMONY. 


No.  38. 

Appointment  of  acting  collector,  and  general  instructions  regulating  trade  at 

New  Orleans. 

TREASURY  DEPARTMENT,  May  16,  1862. 

SIR  :  You  are  hereby  appointed  special  agent  of  the  Treasury  Department 
for  the  district  of  New  Orleans,  and,  until  there  shall  be  a  duly  appointed  col 
lector  of  the  customs  for  the  said  district  of  New  Orleans,  you  will  assume  the 
duties  of  that  office  as  "acting  collector." 

On  receipt  of  these  instructions  you  will  proceed  forthwith  to  New  York,  and 
hold  yourself  in  readiness  for  the  first  steamer  to  New  Orleans.  On  arrival  in 
New  York  you  will  report  to  Mr.  Collector  Barney,  and  exhibit  to  him  these 
instructions  for  his  information.  Mr.  Barney  has  been  heretofore  instructed,  by 
telegraph,  to  select  a  competent  person  to  act  as  deputy  collector,  one  as  ap 
praiser,  and  a  third  as  entry  clerk  of  the  custom-house,  who  will  accompany 
you  to  New  Orleans,  and,  as  these  parties  will  be  familiar  with  the  duties  of  the 
custom-house,  they  will  materially  assist  you  in  the  proper  administration  of  the 
revenue  laws  at  that  port. 

After  conferring  with  Mr.  Barney,  and  making  yourself  familiar  with  the 
duties  of  collector,  as  far  as  time  will  permit,  you  will  proceed  with  your  assist 
ants  to  New  Orleans,  and  assume  the  charge  of  the  custom-house  there.  On 
your  arrival  you  will  advise  the  military  commandant  of  the  powers  conferred 
upon  you,  and  freely  confer  with  him,  when  necessary,  in  relation  to  imports 
and  exports,  in  order  that  articles  contraband  of  war  or  otherwise  forbidden  may 
be  neither  imported  nor  exported,  or,  if  imported,  may  not  be  thrown  into  con 
sumption. 

On  your  assuming  the  duties  of  collector  it  will  doubtless  become  necessary 
to  appoint  additional  subordinate  officers.  You  will  be  careful  to  select  none 
disaffected  towards  the  authority  of  the  United  States,  nor  those  entertaining 
views  antagonistic  to  the  policy  of  the  administration.  These  officers  may  be 
appointed  from  citizens  of  New  Orleans,  provided  you  are  satisfied  that  they 
possess  the  qualifications  above  stated ;  otherwise  selections  will  be  made  from 
the  military  of  the  United  States,  after  consultation  with  General  Butler,  or  the 
officer  in  command.  You  will  report  your  proceedings  under  these  instructions, 
with  the  names  of  all  parties  appointed,  as  frequently  as  there  are  mail  commu 
nications  with  Washington.  In  all  your  official  communications,  of  whatever 
nature,  you  will  sign  yourself  "  Special  Agent  of  the  Treasury  Department  and 
Acting  Collector  of  Customs."  The  compensation  of  the  officers  of  the  customs 
at  New  Orleans  will  be  the  same  as  that  heretofore  allowed  at  that  port,  in  re 
gard  to  which  the  Commissioner  of  the  Customs  will  instruct  you. 

I  transmit  herewith  a  copy  of  the  instructions  to  the  collectors  of  the  ports 
authorizing  clearances,  the  provisions  of  which  you  will  faithfully  observe. 
You  will  grant  no  clearances  to  ports  under  control  of  the  insurgents,  nor  allow 
steamers,  or  other  craft,  to  ascend  the  Mississippi,  or  any  of  its  branches,  in  op 
position  to  the  wish  of  the  military  authorities,  or  when  you  have  reason  to 
believe  such  vessels  intend  to  proceed  to  places  in  the  United  States  under 
insurrectionary  control,  and  you  will  be  careful  to  observe  the  provisions  of  the 
act  of  July  13,  1861,  as  well  as  all  other  acts  consequent  upon  the  present 
condition  of  the  country,  applicable  to  the  port  of  New  Orleans.  Vessels  clear 
ing  from  your  port  will  be  required  to  exhibit  a  manifest  of  cargo,  which  will  be 
taken  on  board,  under  the  strict  supervision  of  an  officer  of  the  customs  ;  and  if 
all  the  conditions  of  the  license  have  been  complied  with,  you  will  indorse  the 
clearance  to  that  effect.  Vessels  arriving  at  your  port,  whether  from  foreign  or 
domestic  ports,  will  be  unladen  under  the  strict  inspection  of  an  officer  of  the 


TESTIMONY.  593 

customs,  and  you  will  be  careful  to  enforce  the  provisions  of  law  as  well  as  the 
regulations  of  the  Treasury  Department.  If  there  shall  be  any  violation  of  law 
or  regulation  by  any  vessel  arriving  at  or  within  your  port,  such  as  conveying 
persons,  property,  or  merchandise,  contraband  of  war,  or  failure  to  exhibit  her 
license  and  manifest  to  you  immediately  on  arrival,  or  of  any  other  violation  of 
law  sufficient  to  forfeit  the  vessel  or  cargo,  you  will  forthwith  seize  the  vessel 
and  cargo  and  report  the  facts  to  the  proper  law  officer,  in  order  that  proceed 
ings  may  be  instituted  with  a  view  to  her  condemnation  and  forfeiture.  If 
proper  law  officers,  appointed  by  the  government,  shall  not  have  reached  your 
port,  or  if  no  court  of  the  United  States,  having  jurisdiction  of  the  matter,  shall 
have  been  organized  at  the  time  of  seizure,  you  will  send  the  vessel  and  cargo, 
under  safe  custody,  to  the  care  of  the  collector  of  customs  at  New  York,  or  any 
other  loyal  port,  reporting  to  him  all  the  facts  in  the  case,  in  order  that  he  may 
take  the  proper  steps  for  the  condemnation  and  forfeiture.  The  officer  in  com 
mand  of  the  squadron  will  furnish  you  the  means  to  carry  out  the  above  in 
structions.  All  moneys  collected  by  you,  you  will  keep  in  some  safe  and  proper 
place,  and  for  their  full  security  you  will,  if  necessary,  call  upon  the  command 
ing  general  for  such  aid  as  may  be  required.  You  will  render  your  accounts  in 
accordance  with  your  instructions  from  the  commissioner  of  customs. 
I  am,  &c., 

S.  P.  CHASE, 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 
GEO    S.  DEMSON,  Esq., 

Special  Agent  and  Acting  Collector,  District  of  Neiv  Orleans. 


No.  39. 
Modification  of  the  restrictions  upon  trade  oil  the  Mississippi. 

ST.  Louis,  MISSOURI,  May  17,  1862. 

The  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  having  directed  that  the  restrictions  hereto 
fore  placed  upon  the  trade  and  transportation  of  the  interior  shall  be  removed 
as  fast  as  may  be  done  with  safety,  notice  is  hereby  given  that,  on  and  after 
the  24th  instant,  the  regulations  governing  the  commerce  of  the  upper  Missis 
sippi  and  its  tributaries  will  be  so  far  modified  as  that — 

1st.  All  merchandise,  other  than  munitions  of  Avar,  may,  without  permits, 
pass  from  the  loyal  States  into  the  city  of  St.  Louis ;  into  all  that  part  of  the 
State  of  Missouri  lying  immediately  on  the  Missouri  river,  and  all  north  of  that 
river;  and  into  all  the  States  of  the  northwest,  and  also  the  territories  thereof; 
and  all  the  custom-house  supervision  over  this  trade  is  abolished,  except  such 
as  may  be  deemed  necessary  to  prevent  supplies  of  any  description  being  fur 
nished  to  insurgents. 

2d.  Merchandise  destined  for  any  place  in  that  part  of  the  State  of  Missouri 
lying  south  of  the  Missouri  river  must  still  be  covered  by  custom-house  permits 
before  it  can  go  forward,  but  the  charge  heretofore  collected  for  the  same  is 
hereby  discontinued. 

3d.  All  the  duties  heretofore  devolved  upon  surveyors  and  other  officers  of 
the  customs,  except  such  as  are  abolished  by  these  modifications,  those  officers 
are  expected  still  diligently  and  faithfully  to  perform,  to  the  end  that  this  de 
sirable  removal  of  certain  restrictions  upon  trade  may  not  operate  to  the  preju 
dice  of  the  government,  or  in  any  manner  strengthen  the  hands  of  those  who 
are  in  rebellion  against  its  authority. 

4th.  The  regulations  established  for  conducting  the  commerce  of  the  loyal 
States  with  the  States  and  places  recovered  from  the  insurrectionary  forces  by 

Part  iii 38 


594  TESTIMONY. 

soldiers  of  the  United  States  engaged  in  suppressing  the  rebellion  remain  un 
changed. 

W.  D.  GALLAGHER, 
Special  Agent  Treasury  Department. 


Circular  to  collecto't  s  of  Atlantic  ports  concerning  clearances  to  ports  opened  by 
proclamation,  enumerating  articles  contraband  of  war. 

TREASURY  DEPARTMENT,  May  23,  1862. 

SIR  :  In  pursuance  of  the  provisions  of  the  proclamation  of  the  President, 
modifying  the  blockade  of  the  ports  of  Beaufort,  Port  Royal,  and  New  Orleans, 
and  the  regulations  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  relating  to  trade  with 
those  ports,  no  articles  contraband  of  war  will  be  permitted  to  enter  at  either  of 
said  ports,  and  you  will  accordingly  refuse  clearances  to  vessels  bound  for 
those  ports,  or  either  of  them,  with  any  such  articles  on  board. 

Until  further  instructed  you  will  regard  as  contraband  of  war  the  following- 
articles,  viz :  Cannons,  mortars,  fire-arms,  pistols,  bombs,  grenades,  fire-locks, 
flints,  matches,  powder,  saltpetre,  balls,  bullets,  pikes,  swords,  sulphur,  helmets 
or  boarding  caps,  sword-belts,  saddles  and  bridles,  (always  excepting  the  quan 
tity  of  said  articles  which  may  be  necessary  for  the  defence  of  the  ships,  or 
those  who  compose  the  crew,)  cartridge-bag  material,  percussion  and  other  caps, 
clothing  adapted  for  uniforms,  resin,  sail-cloth  of  all  kinds,  hemp  and  cordage, 
masts,  ship  timber,  tar  and  pitch,  ardent  spirits,  military  persons  in  the  service1* 
of  the  enemy,  despatches  of  the  enemy,  and  articles  of  like  character  with  those 
specially  enumerated. 

You  will  also  refuse  clearances  to  all  vessels  which,  whatever  the  ostensible 
destination,  are  believed  by  you,  on  satisfactory  grounds,  to  be  intended  for 
ports  or  places  in  possession  or  under  control  of  insurgents  against  the  United 
States,  or  that  there  is  imminent  danger  that  the  goods,  wares,  or  merchandise, 
of  whatever  description,  laden  on  such  vessels,  will  fall  into  the  possession  or 
under  the  control  of  such  insurgents.  And  in  all  cases  where,  in  your  judg 
ment,  there  is  ground  for  apprehension  that  any  goods,  wares,  or  merchandise 
shipped  at  your  port  will  be  used  in  any  way  for  the  aid  of  the  insurgents  or 
the  insurrection,  you  will  require  substantial  security  to  be  given  that  such  goods, 
wares,  or  merchandise  shall  not  be  transported  to  any  place  under  insurrec 
tionary  control,  and  shall  not  in  any  way  be  used  to  give  aid  or  comfort  to  such 
insurgents. 

You  will  be  specially  careful,  upon  applications  for  clearances,  to  require 
bonds,  with  sufficient  sureties,  conditioned  for  fulfilling  faithfully  all  the  condi 
tions  imposed  by  law  or  departmental  regulations,  from  shippers  of  the  following 
articles  to  the  ports  opened,  or  to  any  other  ports  from  which  they  may  easily 
be,  and  are  probably  intended  to  be,  reshipped  in  aid  of  the  existing  insurrec 
tion,  namely :  Liquors  of  all  kinds,  coals,  iron,  lead,  copper,  tin,  brass,  tele 
graph  instruments,  wire,  porous  cups,  platina,  sulphuric  acid,  zinc,  and  all  other 
telegraphic  materials,  marine  engines,  screw  propellers,  paddle  wheels,  cylinders, 
cranks,  shafts,  boilers,  tubes  for  boilers,  fire-bars,  and  every  article,  or  any  other 
component  part  of  an  engine  or  boiler,  or  any  article  whatever  which  is,  can,  or 
may  become  applicable  for  the  manufacture  of  marine  machinery,  or  for  the 
armor  of  vessels. 

I  am,  &c.,  &c., 

S.  P.  CHASE, 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 


TESTIMONY.  595 

No.  41. 

Form  of  permit  issued  to  officers  of  the  customs  to  grant  clearances   to  ports 

under  blockade. 

TREASURY  DEPARTMENT, ,  186  . 

SIR  :  The  War  Department  having  certified  that  the  shipment  proposed  to  be 

made  by to ,  consisting  of  the  following  articles,  viz : 

,  is  required  for  military  purposes,  and  having  requested  that  the 

transportation  of  the  same  may  be  permitted,  you  are  hereby  authorized  to  grant 
a  clearance  for  the  same,  subject  to  the  condition  that  all  parties  interested  in 
the  proposed  shipment  shall  have  first  taken  the  prescribed  oath  of  allegiance, 
and  that  the  vessel  and  all  her  cargo  are  to  be  forfeited  to  the  United  States  if 
any  other  goods  are  found  on  board  of  her  than  those  specified  above,  on  ex 
amination  by  the  custom-house  officers,  or  by  the  military  or  naval  authorities, 
after  clearing  for . 

You  will  insert  the  above  condition  in  the  clearance,  and  you  will  also  require 
a  suitable  bond,  that  none  of  the  articles  so  conveyed  shall  be  used  with  the 
consent  or  knowledge  of  the  shippers,  or  their  agents,  to  give  aid  or  comfort  to 
the  insurgents. 

I  am,  very  respectfully, 

Per  order.  , 

Assistant  Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 

,  Esq.,  Collector,  Spc.,  fyc. 


No.  42. 

Circular  to  certain  collectors  relative  to  sending  supplies  for  the  relief  of 

Norfolk. 

TREASURY  DEPARTMENT,  June  5,  1862. 

SIR  :  The  Secretary  of  War  has  just  sent  me  a  telegram  from  General  Dix, 
representing  that  much  suffering  exists  in  Norfolk,  and  asking  that  some  ship 
ments  of  provisions  may  be  made  to  that  place  for  the  relief  of  the  inhabitants. 

As  Norfolk  is  a  blockaded  port,  this  can  only  be  done  as  a  military  measure, 
and  at  the  request  of  the  Secretary  of  War. 

I  have  therefore  verbally  advised  the  Secretary,  through  his  chief  clerk,  that 
I  would  refer  the  matter  to  the  several  collectors  of  Baltimore,  Philadelphia, 
New  York,  and  Boston,  with  instructions  to  confer  with  any  reliable  and  loyal 
persons  who  may  be  disposed  to  make  a  shipment,  consisting  exclusively  of 
provisions  and  clothing,  and  materials  for  clothing ;  and  in  case  any  such  person 
is  found,  to  request  him  to  forward  at  once  a  statement  of  the  articles  proposed 
to  be  shipped,  with  a  request  for  a  clearance,  to  this  department.  On  receipt  of 
the  statement,  and  a  request,  it  will  be  submitted  to  the  Secretary  of  War,  and 
the  clearance  authorized,  on  his  statement  of  the  military  necessity  and  request, 
in  the  usual  way. 

It  is  not  best  to  authorize  more  than  one,  or,  at  most,  two  shipments  from 
each  port,  until  further  instructions  as  to  the  character  and  urgency  of  the 
necessity. 

I  am,  &c.,  &c., 

S.  P.  CHASE, 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 

J.  Z.  GOODRICH,  Esq.,  Collector,  8fc.,  Boston. 

HIRAM  BARNEY,  Esq.,  Collector,  &c.,  New  York. 

WILLIAM  B.  THOMAS,  Esq.,  Collector,  fyc.,  Philadelphia. 

HENRY  W.  HOFFMAN,  Esq.,  Collector,  fyc.,  Baltimore. 


596  TESTIMONY. 

No.  43. 
Rules  for  trade  at  Memphis. 

A  "local  board  of  trade"  was  appointed  for  Memphis  by  W.  D.  Gallagher, 
esq.,  special  agent,  consisting  of  Messrs.  B.  D.  Nabers  and  C.  P.  Ware,  to  which 
W.  P.  Mellen,  esq.,  special  agent,  added  Mr.  Ruel  Hough.  June  17,  1862. 

The  following  rules  were  established  at  the  same  time : 

1.  The  military  commander  of  the  post  details  a  squad  of  men  to  be  at  the 
landing  at  all  times,  and  on  the  arrival  of  every  boat  to  see  that  no  merchandise 
is  taken  from  the  landing,  except  upon  permits  first  obtained  from  the  board  of 
trade. 

2.  The  board  of  trade  grant  permission  to  receive  and  sell  goods  to  such  per 
sons  only  as  take  the  usual  oath  as  to  disposing  of  them ;   and  the  oath  of  alle 
giance  is  made  a  part  of  the  affidavit. 

3.  The  military  pickets  around  the  city  are  allowed  to  pass  out  of  the  city 
only  such  persons  with  merchandise  as  have  the  permit  of  the  board  covering 
the  merchandise. 

4.  The  board  permit  persons  in  and  out  of  the  city  to  purchase  family  sup 
plies  in  such  quantities  as  may  be  necessary  for  individual  use,  without  question 
as  to  loyalty ;   but  no  goods  can  be  sold  for  purposes  of  trade  in  or  out  of  the 
city,  except  by  and  to  persons  having  the  permit  to  trade,  and  this  will  only  be 

given  upon  the  affidavit  above  named. 

***********  ** 

WILLIAM  P.  MELLEN, 

Special  Agent. 

MEMORANDUM. — The  foregoing  regulations  were  approved  by  the  Secretary 
of  the  Treasury,  July  8,  1862. 


No.  44. 

Letter  to  the  Secretary  of  War,  embodying  the  "  modus  opcrandi"  in  the  trans- 
mittal  of  supplies  to  places  declared  by  the  President  to  be  under  blockade. 

TREASURY  DEPARTMENT,  June  23,  1862. 

SIR  :  I  have  the  honor  to  return  the  letter  of  George  Bent,  addressed  to  this 
department,  requesting  permission  to  ship  a  cargo  of  provisions  and  other  articles 
to  St.  Augustine,  Florida,  from  New  York,  to  which  you  say  you  have  no 
objection. 

Since  the  port  of  St.  Augustin  is  under  blockade,  and  wholly  within  the 
control  of  the  naval  and  military  authorities,  and,  by  the  proclamation  of  the 
President,  all  commercial  intercourse  is  forbidden  at  that  point,  I  do  not  feel 
authorized  to  grant  permission  for  the  shipment  of  articles  thither,  unless  the 
War  or  Navy  Department  shall  certify  that  they  are  needed  for  military  or 
naval  purposes,  and  request  their  transmission. 

Whether,  under  the  head  of  military  or  naval  purposes,  may  be  properly  in 
cluded  the  furnishing  of  such  supplies  or  provisions,  clothing,  and  the  like,  to 
the  inhabitants,  as  may  be  justly  thought  necessary  to  insure  their  tranquility 
and,  mediately,  the  success  of  military  operations,  is  a  question  for  your  deter 
mination,  not  for  mine. 

My  jurisdiction  in  the  premises  extends  no  further  than  to  the  granting  of 
clearances  for  whatever  cargoes  you,  in  the  exercise  of  your  discretion,  may  see 
fit  to  certify  to  be  needed  as  above  stated,  and  to  request  clearances  for. 


TESTIMONY.  597 

Without  such  certificate  and  request,  I  apprehend  foreign  powers  and  prize 
courts  might  regard  and,  perhaps,  justly,  coastwise  clearances,  as  annulling  the 
blockade. 

I  am,  &c.,  &c., 

S.  P.  CHASE, 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 
Hon.  EDWIN  M.  STAN  TON,  Secretary  of  War. 


No.  45. 
Additional  instructions  to  the  acting  collector  at  Neiv  Orleans. 

TREASURY  DEPARTMENT, 

June  27,  1862. 

SIR: 

##*####*** 

Until  otherwise  directed  you  will  permit  no  shipments  by  sea  from  any  point 
on  the  Mississippi  river  or  tributaries,  except  New  Orleans,  at  which  place  all 

goods  will  be  laden  on  board  under  the  inspection  of  the  officers  of  the  customs. 

##*####### 

I  am,  &c., 

S.  P.  CHASE, 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 
GEORGE  S.  DENISON,  Esq., 

Acting  Collector,  fyc.,  New  Orleans,  La. 


No.  46. 
Certificates  of  permission  to  trade  to  be  granted  to  loyal  parties. 

TREASURY  DEPARTMENT, 

July  I,  1862. 

SIR  :  Referring  you  to  the  modifications  of  the  system  of  issuing  permits  for 
trade  with  those  sections  of  the  country  heretofore  declared  under  insurrection 
ary  control,  under  the  rules  and  regulations  governing  internal  commercial  in 
tercourse,  adopted  on  the  29th  of  March  last,  you  are  hereby  directed,  when 
applied  to  by  parties  desiring  to  make  shipments  of  goods  to  those  sections,  to 
furnish,  if  satisfied  of  their  loyalty,  and  of  the  good  faith  of  the  proposed  trans 
action,  certificates  to  that  effect,  which  will  be  regarded  as  sufficient  evidence 
on  those  points  by  the  surveyors  of  customs  at  the  internal  ports,  to  whom  ap 
plication  for  permits  may  be  made  by  the  shippers,  unless  such  surveyors  shall 
be  satisfied  of  disloyal  intent  on  grounds  not  publicly  known. 
I  am,  &c., 

S.  P.  CHASE, 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 
To  COLLECTORS  of  Atlantic  Ports. 


598  TESTIMONY. 


No.  47. 

Instructions  to  special  agents  of  the  Treasury  Department  in  view  of  opening 
trade  on  the  Mississippi  river,  fyc. — Mode  of  procedure. 

TREASURY  DEPARTMENT, 

July  10,  1862. 

SIR  :  Whenever  any  section  of  the  country  bordering-  on  the  Mississippi 
river,  or  its  affluents,  heretofore  declared  to  be  under  insurrectionary  control, 
shall  come  into  the  possession  of  the  United  States  forces,  such  arrangements 
should  be  made  for  the  resumption  of  trade  therewith,  under  the  general  regu 
lations  now  in  force  governing  internal  commercial  intercourse,  as  will  allow  all 
persons  desiring  to  participate  in  such  trade  equal  opportunities  for  so  doing. 

It  is  suggested  that  when,  in  the  opinion  of  any  one  of  the  special  agents  of 
this  department,  it  is  proper  to  reopen  trade  with  any  such  section,  he  will 
promptly  communicate  the  fact  to  the  other  agents  of  the  department  having 
co-operative  supervision,  and,  if  they  shall  concur  in  his  views,  they  will  fix 
upon  a  day  after  which  shipments, of  goods  may  be  made  thence,  giving  public 
notice  thereof,  and  advising  forthwith  this  department. 

Should  they  disagree  they  will  submit  the  facts  to  the  Secretary-  of  the 
Treasury  for  his  consideration. 
Very  respectfully, 

S.  P.  CHASE, 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 


No.  48. 

Instructions   to  surveyors  of  customs  at  Pittsburg  and    Wheeling,  requiring 
steamers  to  take  out  clearances  each  trip,  fyc. 

PITTSBURG,  My  18,  1862. 

SIR  :  Hereafter,  and  till  otherwise  advised,  you  will  require  all  boats  clearing 
at  this  port  for  points  and  places  below  Cincinnati,  to  take  out  regular  clearances 
for  each  trip ;  and  you  will  also  require  permits  to  be  taken  out  at  your  office 
for  each  shipment  of  goods  to  points  and  places  on  both  sides  of  the  river,  below 
Louisville. 

For  clearances  you  will  charge  twenty-five  cents,  and  for  the  permits  twenty 
cents  each. 

Very  respectfully, 

THOMAS  HEATON, 
Special  Agent,  Treasury  Department. 
To , . 

The  foregoing  instructions  were  approved  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury, 
July  25,  1862,  with  the  following  construction  : 

"  Provided,  that  the  boatmen  and  shippers  shall  not  be  required  to  take  out 
clearances  or  permits  at  any  other  point  for  the  same  trip  or  shipment." 


TESTIMONY.  599 


No.  49. 
Instructions  to  surveyors  in  western  districts,  relative  to  trading  boats. 

LOUISVILLE,  Kv.,  July  IS,  1862. 

SIR:  I  am  satisfied  that  "trading  boats,"  that  have  been  permitted  to  go 
down  the  Mississippi  river,  are  guilty  of  gross  violations  of  the  regulations  of  the 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  and  of  conveying  aid  and  comfort  to  rebels,  and 
that  there  is  no  way  in  which  transportation  of  merchandise  by  such  craft  can 
be  permitted  with  safety  to  the  public  interests. 

You  will,  therefore,  please  grant  no  permit  to  any  trading  boat  whatsoever, 
to  go  down  the  Mississippi  river,  no  matter  what  pretences  or  circumstances  they 
may  present  to  you,  either  for  purposes  of  trade  by  the  way  or  of  transportation 
to  a  point  named. 

In  all  cases  of  permitting  barges  or  flatboats,  loaded  with  produce  for  a  desti 
nation  on  the  Mississippi,  named,  you  will  require  bond,  in  the  full  value  of  the 
cargo,  that  no  part  thereof  shall  be  landed  or  delivered  at  any  place  other  than 
that  named  in  the  permit,  as  the  final  destination  thereof. 

WILLIAM  P.  MELLEN, 
Special  Agent,  Treasury  Department. 

The  foregoing  letter  of  instructions  was  sent  to  all  the  surveyors  in  the  dis 
tricts  involved,  and  the  same  was  approved  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  in 
letter  to  Mr.  Mellen,  dated  July  29,  1862. 


No.  50. 

Modification  of  the  instructions  to  the  acting  collector  of  customs  at  New  Or 
leans,  of  June  27,  1862. 

TREASURY  DEPARTMENT,  August  15,  1862. 

SIR  :  It  is  represented  that  strict  compliance  with  the  instructions  of  June 
27th  last,  directing  you  to  permit  no  shipments  by  sea,  from  any  point  on  the 
Mississippi  river  or  tributaries,  except  New  Orleans,  works  injustice  to  owners 
of  produce  lying  below  New  Orleans,  in  consequence  of  the  trouble  and  expense 
of  transporting  it  to  that  point  for  clearance. 

You  are  therefore  authorized,  when  applied  to  for  clearance  by  parties  under 
such  circumstances,  and  when  satisfied  of  the  good  faith  of  the  proposed  trans 
action,  to  detail  an  inspector  to  visit  the  point  and  supervise  the  shipment,  and 
issue  a  clearance  on  his  certificate ;  provided  that  all  expense  attending  such 
special  shipments  shall  be  borne  by  the  parties  making  the  same. 
I  am,  &c., 

S.  P.  CHASE,  Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 
GEORGE  S.  DENISON,  Esq. 

Special  Agent  and  Acting  Collector,  New  Orleans,  La. 


600  TESTIMONY. 

No.  51. 
[Act  of  Congress  July  13,  1861,  and  an  act  supplementary  thereto,  May  20,  1862.] 

Regulations  concerning  internal  and  coastwise  intercourse,  to  which  are  appended 
the  accompanying  orders  of  the  Secretary  of  War  and  the  Secretary  of  the 
Navy. 

TREASURY  DEPARTMENT,  August  28,  1862. 

In  pursuance  of  law,  and  by  virtue  of  the  authority  conferred  upon  the  Secre 
tary  of  the  Treasury  by  the  act  of  Congress  approved  July  13,  1861,  entitled, 
"An  act  further  to  provide  for  the  collection  of  duties  on  imports,  and  for  other 
purposes,"  and  an  act  supplementary  thereto,  approved  May  20,  1862,  and  for 
the  purpose  of  preventing  the  conveyance  of  arms,  munitions  of  war,  and  other 
supplies  to  persons  in  insurrection  against  the  United  States,  the  following  regu 
lations  concerning  commercial  intercourse  with  insurrectionary  States  and  sec 
tions  are  prescribed. 

S.  P.  CHASE, 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 

I.  No  goods,  wares,  or  merchandise,  whatever  may  be  the  ostensible  destina 
tion  thereof,  shall  be  transported  to  any  place  now  under  the  control  of  insurgents ; 
nor  to  any  place  on  the  south  side  of  the  Potomac  river;  nor  to  any  place  on  the 
north  side  of  the  Potomac,  and  south  of  the  Washington  and  Annapolis  railroad ; 
nor  to  any  place  on  the  eastern  shore  of  the  Chesapeake  ;  nor  to  any  place  on 
the  south  side  of  the  Ohio  river  below  Wheeling,  except  Louisville ;  nor  to  any 
place  on  the  west  side  of  the  Mississippi  river  below  the  mouth  of  the  Des 
Moines,  except  St  Louis  without  a  permit  of  a  duly  authorized  officer  of  the 
Treasury  Department.     And  the  special  agents  of  this  department  may  tempo 
rarily  extend  these  restrictions  to  such  other  places  in  their  respective  districts, 
and  make  such  local  rules  to  be  observed  therein,  as  may  from  time  to  time 
become  necessary,  promptly  reporting  their  action  to  the  Secretary  of  the  Trea 
sury  for  his  sanction  or  disapproval. 

II.  All  transportation  of  coin  or  bullion  to  any  State  or  section  heretofore 
declared  to  be   in  insurrection  is  absolutely  prohibited,  except  for  military  pur 
poses  and  under  military  orders,  or  under  the  special  license  of  the  Secretary  of 
the  Treasury.     And  no  payment  of  gold  or  silver  shall  be  made  for  cotton  or 
other  merchandise  within  any  such  State  or  section.     And  all  cotton  or  other 
merchandise  purchased  or  paid  for  therein,  directly  or   indirectly,  in  gold  or 
silver,  shall  be  forfeited  to  the  United  States. 

III.  No  clearance  or  permit  whatsoever  will  be  granted  for  any  shipment  to 
any  port,  place,  or  section  affected  by  the  existing  blockade,  except  for  military 
purposes,  and  upon  the  certificate  and  request  of  the  Department  of  War  or  the 
Department  of  the  Navy. 

IV.  All  applications  for  permits  to  transport  or  trade  under  these  regulations 
shall  state  the  character  and  value  of  the  merchandise  to  be  transported,  the 
consignee  and  destination  thereof,   with  the  route  of  transportation  and  the 
number  and  description  of  the  packages,  with  the  marks  thereon. 

V.  Every  applicant  for  such  permits   shall  present  with  his  application  the 
original  invoices  of  the  goods,  wares,  and  merchandise  to  be  transported,  and 
shall  make  and  file  with  the  officer  granting  the  permit  an  affidavit  that  the 
quantities,  descriptions,  and  values  are  correctly  stated  in  said  invoices,  true 
copies  of  which  shall  be  annexed  to  and  filed  with  the  affidavit;  and  that  the 
packages  contain  nothing  except  as  stated  in  the  invoices;  that  the  merchandise 
so  permitted  shall  not,  nor  shall  any  part  thereof,  be  disposed  of  by  him  or  by 


TESTIMONY.  601 

his  authority,  connivance,  or  assent,  in  violation  of  the  terms  of  the  permit,  and 
that  neither  the  permit  so  granted,  nor  the  merchandise  to  be  transported  shall 
be  so  used  or  disposed  of  by  him  or  by  his  authority,  connivance  or  assent,  as 
in  any  way  to  give  aid,  comfort,  information,  or  encouragement  to  persons  in 
insurrection  against  the  United  States.  And  furthermore,  that  the  applicant  is 
loyal  to  the  government  of  the  United  States  and  will  in  all  things  so  deport 
himself. 

VI.  No  permit  shall  be  granted  to  ship  goods,  wares,  or  merchandise  to  States 
or  parts  of  States  heretofore  declared  to  be  in  insurrection,  or  to  places  under 
insurrectionary  control,  or  occupied  by  the  military  forces  of  the  United  States, 
except  to  persons  residing  or  doing  business  therein  whose  loyalty  and  good 
faith  shall  be  certified  by  an  officer  of  the  government  or  other  person  duly  au 
thorized  to  make  such  certificate,  or  by  a  duly  appointed  board  of  trade  therein, 
by  whose  approval  and  permission  only  the  same  shall  be  unladed  or  disposed 
of.     And  no  permit  shall  be  granted  to  ship  merchandise  from  any  such  State 
or  part  of  State  in  violation  of  any  order  restricting  shipments  therefrom,  made 
for  military  purposes  by  the  commandant  of  the  department  from  which  such 
shipment  is  to  be  made. 

VII.  Collectors  or  surveyors  of  customs,  before  granting  clearances  or  permits, 
may  require  bond,  with  reasonable  surety,  in  such  cases  as  they  shall  think  ne 
cessary,  to  protect  the  public  interests,  conditioned  that  there  shall  be  no  viola 
tion  of  the  terms  or  spirit  of  the  clearance  or  permit,  or  of  the  averments  of  the 
affidavit  upon  which  the  same  is  granted. 

VIII.  No  permit  shall  be  granted  to  ship  intoxicating  drinks,  or  other  things 
prohibited  by  the  military  authorities,  into  territory  occupied  by  the  military 
forces  of  the  United  States,  except  upon  the  written  request  of  the  commandant 
of  the  department  in  which  such  territory  is  embraced,  or  of  some  person  duly 
authorized  by  him  to  make  such  request. 

IX.  In  order  to  defray  the  expenses  under  these  regulations,  a  fee  of  twenty 
cents  will  be   charged  for  each  permit  granted ;  and  shipments  perrnited  to  and 
from  States  heretofore  declared  to  be  in  insurrection  shall,  in  addition  thereto, 
be  charged  with  the  following  fees,  viz :  Five  cents  on  each  one  hundred  dollars 
over  three  hundred  dollars  on  all  shipments  to  such  States  or  sections;   fifty 
cents  on  each  one  thousand  pounds  of  cotton,  and  twenty-five  cents  on  each  one 
thousand  pounds  of  sugar  permitted  from  such  State. 

X.  Xo  vessel,  boat,  or  vehicle  used  for  transportation  upon  or  south  of  the 
Potomac  river,  or  north  of  the  Potomac  and  south  of  the  Washington  and  An 
napolis  railroad,  or  to  the  eastern  shore  of  the  Chesapeake,  or  southwardly  on 
or  from  the  Ohio  river  below  Wheeling,  or  westwardly  or  southwardly  on  or 
from  the  Mississippi  river  below  the  mouth  of  the  Des  Monies,  shall 'receive  on 
board  any  goods,  wares  or  merchandise  destined  to  any  place,  commercial  inter 
course  with  which  now  is  or  hereafter  may  be  restricted  as  aforesaid,  unless  the 
same  be  accompanied  with  a  permit  of  a  duly  authorized  officer  of  the  Treasury 
Department,  except  as  hereinafter  provided  in  regulation  number  XIV. 

XI.  No  vessel,  boat,  or  other  vehicle  used  for  transportation  from  eastern 
cities,  or  elsewhere  in  the  loyal  States,  shall  carry  goods,  wares,  or  merchandise 
into  any  place,  section,  or  State  restricted  as   aforesaid,  without  the  permit  of 
the  duly  authorized  officer  of  the  customs,  applications  for  which  permit  may  be 
made  to  such   authorized  officer  near   the  point  of  destination  as  may  suit  the 
convenience  of  the  shipper. 

XII.  No  vessel,  boat,   or  other  vehicle  used  for  transportation  shall  put  off 
any  goods,  wares,  or  merchandise  at  any  place  other  than   that  named  in  the 
permit  as  the  place  of  destination. 

XIII.  Before  any  boat  or  vessel  running  on  any  of  the  western  waters  south 
of  Louisville  or   St  Louis,  or  other  waters  within  or  adjacent  to  any  State  or 
section,  commercial  intercourse  with  which  now  is  or  may  hereafter  be  restricted 


602  TESTIMONY. 

as  aforesaid,  shall  depart  from  any  port  where  there  is  a  collector  or  surveyor  of 
customs,  there  shall  be  exhibited  to  the  collector  or  surveyor,  or  such  other 
officer  as  may  be  authorized  to  act  in  his  stead,  a  true  manifest  of  its  entire 
cargo  and  a  clearance  obtained  to  proceed  on  its  voyage ;  and  when  freights  are 
received  on  board  at  a  place  where  there  is  no  collector  or  surveyor,  as  herein 
after  provided  in  regulation  XIV,  then  the  same  exhibit  shall  be  made  and 
'clearance  obtained  at  the  first  port  to  be  passed  where  there  is  such  an  officer, 
^and  such  vessel  or  boat  shall  be  reported  and  the  manifest  of  its  cargo  exhibited 
to  the  collector  or  surveyor  of  every  port  to  be  passed  on  the  trip  where  there 
is  such  an  officer ;  but  no  new  clearance  shall  be  necessary  unless  additional 
freights  shall  have  been  taken  on  board  after  the  last  clearance.  Immediately 
oil  arriving  at  the  port  of  final  destination,  and  before  discharging  any  part  of 
its  cargo,  the  manifest  shall  be  exhibited  to  the  surveyor  of  such  port,  or  other 
officer  authorized  to  act  in  his  stead,  whose  approval  for  landing  the  cargo  shall 
be  indorsed  on  the  manifest  before  any  part  thereof  shall  be  discharged  ;  and  the 
clearance  and  shipping  permits  of  all  such  vessels  and  boats  shall  be  exhibited 
<to  the  officer  in  command  of  any  naval  vessel  or  military  post  whenever  such 
officer  may  require  it. 

XIV.  To  facilitate  trade  and  guard  against  improper  transportation,  "  aids  to 
the  revenue"  will  be  appointed  from  time  to  time  on  cars,  vessels,  and  boats, 
when  desired  by  owners,  agents,  or  masters  thereof,  which  aids  will  have  free 
•carriage  on  the  respective  cars,  vessels,  and  boats  on  which  they  are  placed,  and 
will  allow  proper  way  freights  to  be  taken  on  board  without  permit,  keeping  a 
statement  thereof,  and  reporting  the  same  to  the  collector  or  surveyor  of  the  first 
port  to  be  passed  on  the  trip  where  there  is  such  an  officer,  from  whom  a  permit 
therefor  must  be  obtained,  or  the  goods  returned  under  his  direction.     No  permit 
will  be  granted  for  transportation  into  any  insurrectionary  State  or  district,  ex- 
vcept  on  cars,  vessels,  and  boats  carrying  such  aids. 

XV.  All  vessels,  boats,  and  other  vehicles  used  for  transportation,  violating 
•any  of  the  above  regulations,  and  all  goods,  wares,  and  merchandise  shipped  or 
transported  in  violation  thereof,  will  be  forfeited  to  the  United  States.     If  any 
false  statement  be  made  or  deception  practiced  in  obtaining  a  permit,  such  permit 
and  all  others  connected  therewith  or  affected  thereby  will  be  absolutely  void, 
and  all  merchandise  shipped  thereunder  shall  be  forfeited  to  the  United  States. 
In  all  cases  of  forfeiture,  as  aforesaid,  immediate  seizure  will  be  made  and  pro 
ceedings  instituted  promptly  for  condemnation.     The  attention  of  all  officers  of 
the  government,  common  carriers,  shippers,  consignees,  owners,  masters,  agents, 
drivers,  and  other  persons  connected  with  the  transportation  of  merchandise  or 
trading  therein,  is  particularly  directed  to  the  acts  of  July  13,  1861,  and  May 
20,  1862,  above  referred  to. 

XVI.  All  army  supplies  transported  under  military  orders  are  excepted  from 
the  above  regulations.     But  this  exception  does  not  extend  to  sutlers'  goods  or 
others  designed  for  sale  at  military  posts  or  camps. 

XVII.  When  any  officer  of  the  customs  shall  find  in  his  district  any  goods, 
wares,  or  merchandise,  which,  in  his  opinion,  are  in  danger  of  being  transported 
to  insurgents,  he  may,  if  he  thinks  it  expedient,  require  the  owner  or  holder 
thereof  to  give  reasonable  security  that  they  shall  not  be  transported*  to  any 
place  under  insurrectionary  control,  and  shall  not  in  any  way  be  used  to  give 
aid  or  encouragement  to  the  insurgents. 

If  the  required  security  be  not  given,  such  officer  shall  promptly  state  the 
facts  to  the  United  States  marshal  for  the  district  within  which  such  goods  are 
situated,  or,  if  beyond  the  jurisdiction  of  a  United  States  marshal,  then  to  the 
commandant  of  the  nearest  military  post,  whose  duty  it  shall  be  to  take  posses 
sion  thereof,  and  hold  them  for  safe-keeping,  reporting  the  facts  promptly  to  the 
^Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  and  awaiting  instructions. 

XVIII.  Where  ports  heretofore  blockaded  have  been  opened  by  the  procla- 


TESTIMONY.  603 

mation  of  the  President,  licenses  will  be  granted,  by  United  States  consuls,  on 
application  by  the  proper  parties,  to  vessels  clearing  from  foreign  ports  to  the 
ports  so  opened,  upon  satisfactory  evidence  that  the  vessel  so  licensed  will  con 
vey  no  person,  property,  or  information  contraband  of  war,  either  to  or  from 
said  ports,  which  license  shall  be  shown  to  the  collector  of  the  port  to  which 
the  vessel  is  bound,  and,  if  required,  to  any  officer  in  charge  of  the  blockade. 
And  on  leaving  any  port  so  opened,  the  vessel  must  have  a  clearance  from  the 
collector,  according  to  law,  showing  no  violation  of  the  conditions  of  the  license. 
Any  violation  of  the  conditions  will  involve  the  forfeiture  and  condemnation  of 
the  vessel  and  cargo,  and  the  exclusion  of  all  parties  concerned  from  entering 
the  United  States  for  any  purpose  during  the  war. 

XIX.  United  States  vessels  clearing  from  domestic  ports  to  any  of  the  ports 
so  opened  will  apply  to  the  custom-house  officers  of  the  proper  ports,  in  the 
usual  manner,  for  licenses  or  clearances  under  the  regulations  heretofore  estab 
lished. 


WAR  DEPARTMENT, 

Washington  City,  August  28,  1862. 

The  attention  of  all  officers  and  others  connected  with  the  army  of  the  United 
States  is  called  to  the  regulations  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  concerning 
commercial  intercourse  with  insurrectionary  States  or  sections,  dated  August 
28,  1862. 

I.  Commandants   of  departments,  districts,  and  posts,  will  render  all   such 
military  aid  as  may  become  necessary  in  carrying  out   the  provisions   of  said 
regulations  and  enforcing  observance  thereof  to  the  extent  directed  by  the  Secre 
tary  of  the  Treasury,  so  far  as  can  possibly  be  done,  without   danger  to   the 
operations  or  safety  of  their  respective  commands. 

II.  There  will  be  no  interference  with  trade  or  shipments  of  cotton  or  other 
merchandise  conducted  in  pursuance  of  said  regulations  within  any  territory 
occupied  and  controlled  by  the  forces   of  the  United  States,  unless   absolutely 
necessary  to  the  successful  execution  of  military  plans   or  movements  therein. 
But  in  cases   of  the  violations   of  the  conditions   of  any  clearance   or  permit 
granted  under  such  regulations,  and  in  cases  of  unlawful  traffic,  the  guilty  party 
or  parties  will  be  arrested  and  the  facts  promptly  reported  to  the   commandant 
of  the  department  for  orders. 

III.  No  officer  of  the  army  or  other  person   connected  therewith  will  seize 
cotton  or  other  property  of  individuals   unless  exposed  to  destruction  by  the 
enemy,  or  needed  for  military  purposes,  or  for  confiscation  under  the  act  of 
Congress,  and  in  all  such  cases  of  seizure  the  same  shall  be  promptly  reported 
to  the  commandant  of  the  department  wherein  they  are  made  for  his   orders 
therein. 

EDWIN  M.  STANTON, 

Secretary  of  War. 


NAVY  DEPARTMENT,  August  28,  1862. 

The  attention  of  naval  officers  is  called  to  the  regulations  of  the  Secretary  of 
the  Treasury  concerning  commercial  intercourse  with  insurrectionary  States  or 
sections,  dated  August  28,  1862. 

I.  Commanders  of  naval  vessels  will  render  such  aid  as  may  be  necessary  in 
carrying  out  the  provisions  of  said  regulations,  and  enforcing  observance  thereof 
to  the  extent  directed  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  so  far  as  can  possibly 
be  done,  without  danger  to  the  operations  or  safety  of  their  respective  commands. 


604  TESTIMONY. 

II.  There  will  be  no  interference  with  trade  in  or  shipments   of  cotton  or 
other  merchandise  conducted  in  pursuance  of  said  regulations  within  any  of  the 
waters  controlled  by  the  naval  forces   of  the  United  States,  unless  absolutely 
necessary  to  the  successful  execution  of  military  or  naval  plans  or  movements. 
But  in  cases  of  the  violation  of  the  conditions  of  any  clearance  or  permit  granted 
under  said  regulations,  and  in  cases  of  unlawful  traffic,  the  guilty  party  or  par 
ties  will  be  arrested  and  the  facts  promptly  reported. 

III.  No  officer  of  the  navy  Avill  seize  cotton  or  other  property  of  individuals 
within  the  territory  opened  to  traffic,  and  subject  to  the  regulations  of  the  Sec 
retary  of  the  Treasury,  unless  the  same  is  exposed  to  destruction  by  the  enemy 
or  needed  for  naval  purposes,  or  for  confiscation  under  the  act  of  Congress ;  and 
in  all  such  cases  the  fact,  with  all  attendant  circumstances,  shall  be  promptly 
reported  to  the  department. 

GIDEON  WELLES,  Secretary. 


AN  ACT  further  to  provide  for  the  collection  of  duties  on  imports,  and  for  other  purposes. 

~Be  it  enacted  by  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  of  the  United  States 
of  America  in  Congress  assembled,  That  whenever  it  shall,  in  the  judgment  of 
the  President,  by  reason  of  unlawful  combinations  of  persons  in  opposition  to  the 
laws  of  the  United  States,  become  impracticable  to  execute  the  revenue  laws 
and  collect  the  duties  on  imports  by  the  ordinary  means,  in  the  ordinary  way, 
at  any  port  of  entry  in  any  collection  district,  he  is  authorized  to  cause  such 
duties  to  be  collected  at  any  port  of  delivery  in  said  district  until  such  obstruc 
tion  shall  cease ;  and  in  such  case  the  surveyors,  at  said  ports  of  delivery  shall 
be  clothed  with  all  the  powers  and  be  subject  to  all  the  obligations  of  collectors 
at  ports  of  entry ;  and  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  with  the  approbation  of 
the  President,  shall  appoint  such  number  of  weighers,  gangers,  measurers,  in 
spectors,  appraisers,  and  clerks  as  may  be  necessary,  in  his  judgment,  for  the 
faithful  execution  of  the  revenue  laws  at  said  ports  of  delivery,  and  shall  fix  and 
establish  the  limits  within  which  such  ports  of  delivery  are  constituted  ports  of 
entry,  as  aforesaid ;  and  all  the  provisions  of  law  regulating  the  issue  of  marine 
papers,  the  coasting  trade,  the  warehousing  of  imports,  and  collection  of  duties, 
shall  apply  to  the  ports  of  entry  so  constituted  in  the  same  manner  as  they  do 
to  ports  of  entry  established  by  the  laws  now  in  force. 

SEC.  2.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  That  if,  from  the  cause  mentioned  in  the 
foregoing  section,,  in  the  judgment  of  the  President,  the  revenue  from  duties  on 
imports  cannot  be  effectually  collected  at  any  port  of  entry  in  any  collection  dis 
trict,  in  the  ordinary  way  and  by  the  ordinary  means,  or  by  the  course  provided 
in  the  foregoing  section,  then  and  in  that  case  he  may  direct  that  the  custom 
house  for  the  district  be  established  in  any  secure  place  within  said  district, 
either  on  land  or  on  board  any  vessel  in  said  district  or  at  sea  near  the  coast; 
and  in  such  case  the  collector  shall  reside  at  such  place,  or  on  shipboard,  as  the 
case  may  be,  and  there  detain  all  vessels  and  cargoes  arriving  within  or  ap 
proaching  said  district,  until  the  duties  imposed  by  law  on  said  vessels  and  their 
cargoes  are  paid  in  cash  :  Provided,  That  if  the  owner  or  consignee  of  the  cargo 
on  board  any  vessel  detained  as  aforesaid,  or  the  master  of  said  vessel  shall  de 
sire  to  enter  a  port  of  entry  in  any  other  district  of  the  United  States  where  no 
such  obstructions  to  the  execution  of  the  laws  exist,  the  master  of  such  vessel 
may  be  permitted  so  to  change  the  destination  of  the  vessel  and  cargo  in  his 
manifest,  whereupon  the  collector  shall  deliver  him  a  written  permit  to  proceed 
to  the  port  so  designated :  And  provided,  further,  That  the  Secretary  of  the 
Treasury  shall,  with  the  approbation  of  the  President,  make  proper  regulations 
for  the  enforcement  on  shipboard  of  such  provisions  of  the  laws  regulating  the 


TESTIMONY.  605 

assessment  and  collection  of  duties  as  in  his  judgment  may  be  necessary  and 
practicable. 

SEC.  3.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  That  it  shall  be  unlawful  to  take  any 
vessel  or  cargo  detained  as  aforesaid  from  the  custody  of  the  proper  officers  of 
the  customs  unless  by  process  of  some  court  of  the  United  States ;  and  in  case 
of  any  attempt  otherwise  to  take  such  vessel  or  cargo  by  any  force,  or  combi 
nation,  or  assemblage  of  persons,  too  great  to  be  overcome  by  the  officers  of  the 
customs,  it  shall  and  may  be  lawful  for  the  President,  or  such  person  or  persons 
as  he  shall  have  empowered  for  that  purpose,  to  employ  such  part  of  the  army 
or  navy  or  militia  of  the  United  States,  or  such  force  of  citizen  volunteers  as 
may  be  deemed  necessary,  for  the  purpose  of  preventing  the  removal  of  such 
vessel  or  cargo,  and  protecting  the  officers  of  the  customs  in  retaining  the  cus 
tody  thereof. 

SEC.  4.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  That  if,  in  the  judgment  of  the  President, 
from  the  cause  mentioned  in  the  first  section  of  this  act,  the  duties  upon  imports 
in  any  collection  district  cannot  be  effectually  collected  by  the  ordinary  means 
and  in  the  ordinary  way,  or  in  the  mode  and  manner  provided  in  the  foregoing 
section  of  this  act,  then  and  in  that  case  the  President  is  hereby  empowered  to 
close  the  port  or  ports  of  entry  in  said  district,  and  in  such  case  give  notice 
thereof  by  proclamation  ;  and  thereupon  all  right  of  importation,  warehousing, 
and  other  privileges  incident  to  ports  of  entry,  shall  cease  and  be  discontinued 
at  such  ports  so  closed,  until  opened  by  the  order  of  the  President  on  the  cessa 
tion  of  such  obstructions  ;  and  if,  while  said  ports  are  so  closed,  any  ship  er  ves 
sel  from  beyond  the  United  States,  or  having  on  board  any  articles  subject  to 
duties,  shall  enter  or  attempt  to  enter  any  such  port,  the  same,  together  with  its 
tackle,  apparel,  furniture,  and  cargo,  shall  be  forfeited  to  the  United  States. 

SEC.  5.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  That  whenever  the  President,  in  pursu 
ance  of  the  provisions  of  the  second  section  of  the  act  entitled  "An  act  to  pro 
vide  for  calling  forth  the  militia  to  execute  the  laws  of  the  Union,  suppress 
insurrections,  and  repel  invasions,  and  to  repeal  the  act  now  in  force  for  that 
purpose,"  approved  February  twenty-eight,  seventeen  hundred  and  ninety-five, 
shall  have  called  forth  the  militia  to  suppress  combinations  against  the  laws  of 
the  United  States,  and  to  cause  the  laws  to  be  duly  executed,  and  the  insurgents 
shall  have  failed  to  disperse  by  the  time  directed  by  the  President,  and  when 
said  insurgents  claim  to  act  under  the  authority  of  any  State  or  States,  and  such 
claim  is  not  disclaimed  or  repudiated  by  the  person  exercising  the  functions  of 
government  in  such  State  or  States,  or  in  the  part  or  parts  thereof  in  which  said 
combination  exists,  nor  such  insurrection  suppressed  by  said  State  or  States,  then 
and  in  such  case  it  may  and  shall  be  lawful  for  the  President,  by  proclamation,  to 
declare  that  the  inhabitants  of  such  State,  or  any  section  or  part  thereof,  where 
such  insurrection  exists,  are  in  a  state  of  insurrection  against  the  United  States ; 
and  thereupon  all  commercial  intercourse  by  and  between  the  same  and  the  citi 
zens  thereof  and  the  citizens  of  the  rest  of  the  United  States  shall  cease  and  be 
unlawful  so  long  as  such  condition  of  hostility  shall  continue;  and  all  goods  and 
chattels,  wares  and  merchandise,  coming  from  said  State  or  section  into  the  other 
parts  of  the  United  States,  and  all  proceeding  to  such  State  or  section,  by  land 
or  water,  shall,  together  with  the  vessel  or  vehicle  conveying  the  same,  or  con 
veying  persons  to  or  from  such  State  or  section,  be  forfeited  to  the  United 
States :  Provided,  however,  That  the  President  may,  in  his  discretion,  license 
and  permit  commercial  intercourse  with  any  such  part  of  said  State  or  section, 
the  inhabitants  of  which  are  so  declared  in  a  state  of  insurrection,  in  such  arti 
cles,  and  for  such  time,  and  by  such  persons,  as  he,  in  his  discretion,  may  think 
most  conducive  to  the  public  interests  ;  and  such  intercourse,  so  far  as  by  him 
licensed,  shall  be  conducted  and  earned  on  only  in  pursuance  of  rules  and  regu 
lations  prescribed  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury.  And  the  Secretary. of  the 
Treasury  may  appoint  such  officers,  at  places  where  officers  of  the  customs  are 


606  TESTIMONY. 

not  now  authorized  by  law,  as  may  be  needed  to  carry  into  effect  such  licenses, 
rules,  and  regulations  ;  and  officers  of  the  customs  and  other  officers  shall  receive 
for  services  under  this  section,  and  under  said  rules  and  regulations,  such  fees 
and  compensation  as  are  now  allowed  for  similar  service  under  other  provisions 
of  law. 

SEC.  6.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  That,  from  and  after  fifteen  days  after  the 
issuing  of  the  said  proclamation,  as  provided  in  the  last  foregoing  section  of  this 
act,  any  ship  or  vessel  belonging  in  whole  or  in  part  to  any  citizen  or  inhabitant 
of  said  States  or  part  of  a  State  whose  inhabitants  are  so  declared  in  a  state  of 
insurrection,  found  at  sea,  or  in  any  port  of  the  rest  of  the  United  States,  shall 
be  forfeited  to  the  United  States. 

SEC.  7.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  That,  in  the  execution  of  the  provisions 
of  this  act,  and  of  the  other  laws  of  the  United  States  providing  for  the  collec 
tion  of  duties  on  imports  and  tonnage,  it  may  and  shall  be  lawful  for  the  Presi 
dent,  in  addition  to  the  revenue  cutters  in  service,  to  employ  in  aid  thereof  such 
other  suitable  vessels  as  may,  in  his  judgment,  be  required. 

SEC.  8.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  That  the  forfeitures  and  penalties  incurred 
by  virtue  of  this  act  may  be  mitigated  or  remitted,  in  pursuance  of  the  authority 
vested  in  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  by  the  act  entitled  "An  act  providing 
for  mitigating  or  remitting  the  forfeitures,  penalties,  and  disabilities  accruing  in 
certain  cases  therein  mentioned,"  approved  March  third,  seventeen  hundred  and 
ninety-seven,  or  in  cases  where  special  circumstances  may  seem  to  require  it, 
according  to  regulations  to  be  prescribed  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 

SEC.  9.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  That  proceedings  on  seizures  for'forfeitures 
under  this  act  may  be  pursued  in  the  courts  of  the  United  States  in  any  district 
into  which  the  property  so  seized  may  be  taken  and  proceedings  instituted ; 
and  such  courts  shall  have  and  entertain  as  full  jurisdiction  over  the  same  as  if 
the  seizure  was  made  in  that  district. 

Approved  July  13,  1861. 


AN  ACT  supplementary  to  an  act  approved  on  the  thirteenth  July,  eighteen  hundred  and 
sixty-one,  entitled  "An  act  to  provide  for  the  collection  of  duties  on  imports,  and  for 
other  purposes." 

Be  it  enacted  by  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  of  the  United- 
States  of  America  in  Congress  assembled,  That  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury, 
in  addition  to  the  powers  conferred  upon  him  by  the  act  of.  the  thirteenth  July, 
eighteen  hundred  and  sixty-one,  be,  and  he  is  hereby,  authorized  to  refuse  a 
clearance  to  any  vessel  or  other  vehicle  laden  Avith  goods,  wares,  or  merchandise, 
destined  for  a  foreign  or  domestic  port,  whenever  he  shall  have  satisfactory  reason 
to  believe  that  such  goods,  wares,  or  merchandise,  or  any  part  thereof,  whatever 
may  be  their  ostensible  destination,  are  intended  for  ports  or  places  in  possession 
or  under  control  of  insurgents  against  the  United  States ;  and  if  any  vessel  or 
other  vehicle  for  which  a  clearance  or  permit  shall  have  been  refused  by  the 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  or  by  his  order,  as  aforesaid,  shall  depart  or  attempt 
to  depart  for  a  foreign  or  domestic  port  without  being  duly  cleared  or  permitted , 
such  vessel  or  other  vehicle  with  her  tackle,  apparel,  furniture,  and  cargo, 
shall  be  forfeited  to  the  United  States. 

SEC.  2.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  That  whenever  a  permit  or  clearance  is 
granted,  for  either  a  foreign  or  domestic  port,  it  shall  be  lawful  for  the  collector 
of  the  customs  granting  the  same,  if  he  shall  deem  it  necessary,  under  the  cir 
cumstances  of  the  case,  to  require  a  bond  to  be  executed  by  the  master  or  the 
owner  of  the  vessel,  in  a  penalty  equal  to  the  value  of  the  cargo,  and  with 
sureties  to  the  satisfaction  of  such  collector,  that  the  said  cargo  shall  be  delivered 
at  the  destination  for  which  it  is  cleared  or  permitted,  and  that  no  part  thereof 


TESTIMONY.  607 

shall  be  used  in  affording  aid  or  comfort  to  any  person  or  parties  in  insurrection 
against  the  authority  of  the  United  States. 

SEC.  3.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  That  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  be,, 
and  he  is  hereby,  further  empowered  to  prohibit  and  prevent  the  transportation, 
in  any  vessel  or  upon  any  railroad,  turnpike,  or  other  road  or  means  of  trans 
portation  within  the  United  States,  of  any  goods,  wares,  or  merchandise,  of 
whatever  character,  and  whatever  may  be  the  ostensible  destination  of  the  same,, 
in  all  cases  where  there  shall  be  satisfactory  reasons  to  believe  that  such  goods, 
wares,  or  merchandise  are  intended  for  any  place  in  the  possession  or  under  the 
control  of  insurgents  against  the  United  States ;  or  that  there  is  imminent 
danger  that  such  goods,  wares,  or  merchandise  will  fall  into  the  possession  or 
under  the  control  of  such  insurgents;  and  he  is  further  authorized,  in  all  cases 
where  he  shall  deem  it  expedient  so  to  do,  to  require  reasonable  security  to  be 
given  that  goods,  wares,  or  merchandise  shall  not  be  transported  to  any  place 
under  insurrectionary  control,  and  shall  not,  in  any  way,  be  used  to  give  aid  or 
comfort  to  such  insurgents ;  and  he  may  establish  all  such  general  or  special 
regulations  as  may  be  necessary  or  proper  to  carry  into  effect  the  purposes  of 
this  act ;  and  if  any  goods,  wares,  or  merchandise  shall  be  transported  in  viola 
tion  of  this  act,  or  of  any  regulation  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  estab 
lished  in  pursuance  thereof,  or  if  any  attempt  shall  be  made  so  to  transport 
them,  all  goods,  wares,  or  merchandise  so  transported  or  attempted  to  be  trans 
ported  shall  be  forfeited  to  the  United  States. 

SEC.  4.  And  l>e  it  further  enacted,  That  the  proceedings  for  the  penalties 
and  forfeitures  accruing  under  this  act  may  be  pursued,  and  the  same  may  be 
mitigated  or  remitted  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  in  the  modes  prescribed 
by  the  eighth  and  ninth  sections  of  the  act  of  July  thirteenth,  eighteen  hundred 
and  sixty-one,  for  which  this  act  is  supplementary. 

SEC.  5.  And  be  it  further  enacted,  That  the  proceeds  of  all  penalties  and 
forfeitures  incurred  under  this  act,  or  the  act  to  which  this  is  supplementary, 
shall  be  distributed  in  the  manner  provided  by  the  ninety-first  section  of  the 
act  of  March  second,  seventeen  hundred  and  ninety-nine,  entitled  "An  act  to. 
regulate  the  collection  of  duties  on  imports  and  tonnage." 

Approved  May  20,  1862. 


No.  52. 

Special  order  concerning  trade  on  the  Mississippi  river,  below  Memphis,  pro 
mulgated  by  the  Treasury  Department,  in  conjunction  with  the  military  com 
mander. 

HEADUUARTERS  FIFTH  DIVISION, 
Memphis,  Tennessee,  September  8,  ]862. 

Until  trade  shall  be  regularly  opened  with  ports  and  places  on  the  Mississippi 
river  below  Memphis,  all  commercial  intercourse  between  this  city  and  Helena, 
and  with  intermediate  points,  will  be  under  joint  military  and  civil  jurisdiction, 
and  be  governed  by  the  following  regulations,  the  object  being,  while  guarding 
against  the  conveyance  of  supplies,  of  whatever  description,  to  individuals  or 
bands  in  armed  or  other  hostility  to  the  government  of  the  United  States,  not 
to  deny  their  usual  family  and  plantation  supplies  to  persons  who  have  refused 
or  declined  to  engage  in  or  otherwise  promote  the  existing  rebellion. 

I.  All  permits  shall  be  issued  by  the  board  of  trade  in  Memphis,  and  no  mer 
chandise,  which  is  not  so  permitted,  shall  be  received  on  board  of  any  steamboat 
or  other  vessel  or  vehicle  engaged  in  the  business  of  common  carriers,  except 
army  supplies,  moving  under  military  authority. 


608  TESTIMONY. 

II.  Merchandise  needed  for  family  and  plantation  supply,  (not  including  arms 
and  ammunition,)  will  be  permitted  by  the  board  of  trade  to  persons  residing  on 
either  side  of  the  Mississippi  river,  between  Memphis  and  Helena,  or  at  Helena 
and  its  neighborhood,  who  have  not  taken  any  active  part  in  the  rebellion  them 
selves,  or  directly  or  indirectly,  by  connivance  or  assent,  aided  or  encouraged 
those  who  have.     Such  supplies,  however,  must  go  forward  from  time  to  time, 
in  limited  quantities ;  and  before  the  delivery  of  the  first  the  recipient  will  be 
required  to  appear  in  person  at  either  Memphis  or  Helena,  and  make  affidavit, 
before  a  proper  officer,  that  no  part  of  the  supplies  so  delivered  shall  be  sold,  or 
otherwise  disposed  of,  to  other  parties,  or  used  in  any  manner  or  for  any  purpose 
whatever,  except  for  the  consumption  of  his  or  her  plantation  laborers. 

III.  For  the  purpose  of  guarding  against  the  abuse  of  this  privilege,  and  of 
detecting  attempts  to  evade  or  violate  its  terms,  a  list  of  persons  of  the  character 
above  described,  residing  or  having  their  plantations  within  the  district  of  country 
named,  and  who  have  remained  at  their  usual  places  of  residence,  attending  to 
their  legitimate  business,  will  be  prepared  at  as  early  a  period  as  practicable  for 
the  use  of  the  board  of  trade.     This  list  will,  at  all  times,  be  subject  to  revision, 
that  proper  names  Avhich,  at  first,  may  be  omitted,  may  be  added  to  it,  and  im 
proper  ones,  enrolled  through  misrepresentation,  be  erased. 

IV.  For  the  present,  and  until  otherwise  provided,  all  this  special  transporta 
tion  will  be  committed  to  a  single  steamboat,  to  be  selected  by  the  board  of  trade, 
the  master  of  which  shall  execute  bond,  with  a  reasonable  security,  that  he  will 
not  deliver  any  package  of  merchandise,  or  any  part  thereof,  at  any  place  other 
than  that  for  which  it  shall  have  been  duly  permitted.     And  such  boat  shall 
carry,  and  reasonably  remunerate,  a  revenue  aid,  to  be  appointed  subject  to  the 
approval  of  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  whose  scope  of  duties  shall  be  the 
same  as  those  of  similar  officers  on  boats  engaged  in  the  St.  Louis  and  Memphis 
trade. 

V.  The  bar  of  this  boat,  and  of  all  other  boats  running  upon  the  waters 
within  the  district  prescribed,  shall  carry  among  its  stores  no  intoxicating  liquors 
for  sale  or  barter  along  the  coast,  and  shall  be  immediately  closed  upon  arriving 
at  any  port  or  place  where  the  drinking  saloons  have  been  closed  by  either  civil 
or  military  authority. 

VI.  All  lots  of  cotton,  horses,  mules,  or  wagons  shipped  north  from  the  lower 
Mississippi  must  be  accompanied  by  the  bills  of  sale,  witnessed  by  at  least  two 
witnesses,  and  duly  receipted  at  the  time  of  delivery  to  the  purchaser. 

VII.  These  regulations  are  at  all  times  subject  to  change  or  revocation  by  the 
authority  that  establishes  them. 

W.  T.  SHERMAN, 

Major  General,  Commanding  5th  Division. 
W.  D.  GALLAGHER, 

Special  Agent  Treasury  Department. 


No.  53. 

Special  instructions  to  collector  at  Baltimore  concerning  restrictions  on  trade. 

TREASURY  DEPARTMENT, 

September  22,  1862. 

SIR  :  All  special  permits  addressed  to  you,  authorizing  shipments  of  goods  to 
places  in  those  sections  heretofore  declared  to  be  in  insurrection,  are  hereby 
revoked.     Parties  holding  them  will  be  referred  by  you  to  this  department. 
In  your  action  under  the  regulations  concerning  internal  and  coastwise  inter- 


TESTIMONY.  609 

course,  promulgated  August  28,  1862,  you  will  pay  strict  attention  to  the  bound 
ary  lines  therein  described,  and  you  will  grant  no  permit  or  clearance  for  ship 
ments  of  goods  to  the  sections  specified  until  all  parties  interested  or  concerned 
in  the  proposed  shipment  shall  have  taken  the  prescribed  oath  of  allegiance  to 
the  government  of  the  United  States.  This  you  will  regard  as  applying  to 
each  individual  member  of  the  firm  from  whom  the  goods  may  be  bought,  or 
proposing  to  make  the  shipment,  whether  as  principals  or  agents,  and  the  owner, 
master,  or  agent  of  the  means  of  transportation  proposed  to  be  used,  as  well  as 
the  consignee  or  prospective  recipient  of  the  goods  proposed  to  be  shipped. 

In  granting  permits  or  clearances  for  shipments  to  the  eastern  shore  of  Mary 
land,  you  will  exercise  the  greatest  vigilance  to  prevent,  either  by  the  frequency 
of  permission  or  by  the  great  quantity  desired  at  any  one  shipment,  a  larger 
amount  of  goods  or  supplies  reaching  any  one  person  than  is  reasonably  pre- 
'sumed  to  be  sufficient  for  home  consumption. 
Very  respectfully, 

S.  P.  CHASE, 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 
HENRY  W.  HOFFMAN,  Esq., 

Collector,  fyc.,  Baltimore,  Maryland. 


No.  54. 

Order  imposing  additional  restrictions  on  the  trade  with  Kentucky  and   Ten 
nessee  west  of  the  Cumberland  river. 

CINCINNATI,  Ohio,  September  22,  1862. 

SIR  :  The  present  condition  of  the  country  bordering  on  the  Tennessee  and 
Cumberland  rivers  and  on  the  line  of  the  Mobile  and  Ohio  railroad  renders  it 
necessary  to  suspend  all  permits  to  trade  there  at  present.  You  will,  therefore, 
grant  no  permits,  whatever,  for  any  shipment  of  merchandise  to  points  or  places 
upon  either  of  said  rivers  or  down  said  railroad  below  Columbus,  until  notified 
of  a  relaxation  of  this  rule. 

You  will  allow  no  salt  to  leave  your  place  for  Tennessee  or  any  part  of  Ken 
tucky  in  the  valley  of  the  Cumberland  river,  or  west  thereof,  for  sale,  nor 
more  to  any  one  person  than  is  absolutely  necessary  for  his  own  use.  All  other 
merchandise  that  can  be  used  by  the  rebels  you  will  restrict  to  very  small 
quantities  at  any  one  time. 
Very  respectfullv, 

THO.  HEATON, 
Special  Agent  Treasury  Department. 

The  foregoing  instructions  were  sent  to  surveyors  in  the  districts  under  super 
vision  of  Thomas  Heaton,  special  agent,  and  William  P.  Mellen,  special  agent. 
They  were  approved  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  by  letter  to  Mr.  Heaton, 
dated  October  4,  1862. 


No.  55. 
Order  restricting  trade  on  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  railroad. 

CINCINNATI,  Ohio,  September  24,  1862. 

SIR  :  In  accordance  with  the  spirit  and  letter  of  the  regulations  promulgated 
by  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  on  the  28th  of  August  ultimo,  you  will  not 

Part  iii 39 


610  TESTIMONY. 

allow  any  goods,  wares,  or  mechandise  to  be  shipped  over  the  Baltimore  and 
Ohio  railroad  unless  accompanied  by  a  permit  issued  from  your  office ;  and  you 
will,  in  every  respect,  conform  your  action  to  the  requirements  of  the  regula 
tions  referred  to ;  anything  contained  in  previous  orders  or  instructions  to  the 
contrary  notwithstanding. 

Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

THO.  HEATON, 

Special  Agent  Treasury  Department. 
THOMAS  HORNBROOK,  Esq., 

Surveyor  of  Customs,   Wheeling,  Virginia. 

Approved  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  October  4,  1862. 


No.  56. 

Order  restricting  trade  between  Parkersburg  and  Point  Pleasant,  in  Western 

Virginia. 

WHEELING,  Virginia,  September  25,  1862. 

SIR  :  As  the  section  of  country  between  Parkersburg  and  Point  Pleasant,  in 
Western  Virginia,  is  at  present  under  insurrectionary  control,  you  will  allow  no 
goods,  wares,  or  merchandise  to  leave  your  city  destined  for  that  section,  which 
are  intended  for  sale;  but  family  supplies  in  such  limited  quantities  as  you 
may  regard  necessary  for  personal  use  and  consumption  may  be  permitted. 
Very  respectfully, 

THO.  HEATON, 
Special  Agent  Treasury  Department. 
THOMAS  HORNBROOK,  Esq., 

Surveyor  of  Customs,  Wlieeling,  Virginia. 

Approved  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  October  4,  1862. 


No.  57. 

Further  instructions  to  the  acting  collector  at  New  Orleans,  relative  to'trade 

below  the  city. 

TREASURY  DEPARTMENT,  October  I,  1862. 

gIR.        #####*:*#### 

You  are  now  further  authorized  to  permit  the  unlading  of  vessels,  on  arrival 
at  points  below  the  city,  on  such  vessels  being  duly  entered  at  New  Orleans, 
exercising  the  same  care  as  in  case  of  shipments  from  the  points  in  question, 
and  detailing  an  inspector  to  supervise  the  discharge  of  the  cargo,  in  each  case ; 
provided,  that  all  extra  expense  consequent  upon  the  unlading  at  such  points 
shall  be  borne  by  the  parties  interested. 
I  am,  &c., 

S.  P.  CHASE, 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 
GEO.  S.  DENISON,  Esq., 

Special  Agent  and  Acting  Collector,  New  Orleans,  La. 


TESTIMONY.  611 

No.  58. 

p 

Communication  to  the  Secretary  of  State  as  to  the  effect  of  Treasury  regulations 
upon  trade  in  and  exportation  of  cotton  and  other  products  of  the  insurrection 
ary  sections,  to  which  is  annexed  letter  from  Wm.  P.  Mellen,  special  agent, 
of  September  26,  1862,  in  relation  to  the  cotton  trade  of  the  southwest,  $c.,  and 
the  reply  of  the  Secretary  of  the.  Treasury  of  October  1,  1862. 

TREASURY  DEPARTMENT,  October  1,  1862. 

SIR:  I  have  carefully  reviewed  the  regulations  concerning  internal  and  coast 
wise  intercourse,  to  which  Mr.  Stuart  refers,  in  his  "private  memorandum"  to 
which  you  have  invited  my  attention. 

There  is  nothing  in  those  regulations  which  conflicts  with  a  very  free  export 
of  cotton  from  all  places  in  which  it  is  grown,  through  ports  of  the  United  States ; 
unless  it  be  found  in  regulation  II,  which  forbids  the  transportation  of  coin  and 
bullion  into  insurrectionary  districts  and  payments  for  cotton  and  other  merchan 
dise  within  them,  in  gold  or  silver. 

This  regulation  was  adopted  upon  considerations  of  policy,  affecting  mainly 
citizens  of  the  United  States.  If  abrogated  as  to  subjects  of  other  powers,  it 
must,  of  course,  be  abrogated  altogether.  It  can,  at  most,  occasion  but  a  slight 
inconvenience  to  purchasers,  whether  American  or  foreign ;  for  they  can  easily 
convert  gold  or  silver  designed  for  the  purchase  of  cotton  into  United  States 
notes  or  the  notes  of  banks  of  the  United  States,  or  can  deposit  it  with  any 
bank  or  firm  in  any  city  of  the  United  States  and  make  their  own  bills  on  such 
deposits.  With  these  notes  or  bills  purchases  may  be  made  to  any  extent  that 
military  exigencies  will  permit. 

If  you  are  of  opinion,  however,  that  any  implication  has  arisen  from  the  acts 
of  our  generals  or  from  assurances  of  your  own,  which  would  make  the  enforce 
ment  of  this  order  a  ground  for  the  imputatien  by  foreign  powers  of  any  willing 
ness,  however  slight,  to  disappoint  expectations  reasonably  excited,  it  shall  be 
suspended. 

To  show  you  how  entirely  unfounded  every  suspicion  that  any  disposition 
exists  in  any  branch  of  the  government  to  abridge,  beyond  actual  necessity,  the 
freedom  of  purchasing  cotton  or  other  products  of  the  rebel  States,  I  enclose  a 
copy  of  a  letter  from  Mr.  Mellen,  one  of  the  special  agents  of  this  department, 
with  a  copy  of  my  reply.  It  is  my  wish  to  have  just  as  much  cotton,  rice,  sugar, 
and  tobacco  brought  out  of  the  insurrectionary  States  as  possible,  without  too 
sejious  injury  to  the  general  interests  of  our  own  and  other  countries,  by  increas 
ing  the  resources  of  the  rebels,  and  thus  prolonging  the  war. 

The  regulations  and  action  of  this  Department  are  inspired  by  this  wish ;  but 
the  interests  involved  in  the  suppression  of  the  rebellion  are,  of  course,  para 
mount  to  the  temporary  advantages  to  flow  from  an  increase,  necessarily  limited 
until  the  war  shalf  be  ended,  of  the  supply  of  the  products  referred  to. 
With  great  respect,  &c.,  &c., 

S.  P.  CHASE, 
Secrethry  of  the  Treasury. 

Hon.  WILLIAM  H.  SEWARD,  Secretary  of  State. 


Cotton  trade  in  the  Southwest. 
[Letter  from  Special  Agent  William  P.  Mellen,  Esq.] 

CINCINNATI,  Ohio,  September  26,  1862. 

SIR  :  Mr.  Gallagher  and  I  do  not  understand  alike  as  to  our  duties  of  inquiring 
into  the  antecedents  of  cotton  offered  for  shipment  at  any  port  with  which  com 
merce  is  opened. 


612  TESTIMONY. 

I  do  not  understand  that  I  am  to  investigate  the  morals  of  transactions  con 
nected  with  any  lot  of  cotton  previous  to  its  shipment  from  any  port  where  our 
official  duties  are  exercised,  nor  how  it  got  there  even,  nor  whence  it  came  from, 
nor  who  raised  or  owned  it,  except,  possibly,  as  far  as  may  be  necessary  to  learn 
whether  it  is  liable  to  confiscation ;  and,  if  even  this  inquiry  be  made,  it  is 
doubtful  whether  much,  if  any,  of  the  cotton  we  get,  if  the  title  be  followed 
back  to  the  original  owner,  will  escape  liability  under  the  confiscation  act. 

As  strong  a  case  as  I  know  of  against  my  construction  of  my  official  duty, 
occurred  here  a  short  time  ago,  viz :  Five  negroes,  formerly  slaves  in  Western 
Tennessee,  who  had  performed  valuable  service  in  a  regiment  of  sappers  and 
miners,  came  here  with  a  letter  from  the  colonel  of  the  regiment  certifying  the 
fact,  and  brought  with  them,  under  his  certificate  of  approval,  a  few  bales  of 
cotton  formerly  belonging  to  their  masters.  It  had  been  shipped  from  Columbus, 
via  Cairo,  in  conformity  with  the  regulations  of  the  Treasury  Department.  Was 
it  my  official  duty  to  have  inquired  into  the  history  of  that  cotton,  or  how  they 
had  earned  or  paid  for  it,  or  by  what  means  they  had  become  possessed  of  it  ? 

It  is  charged,  and  possibly  true,  that  negroes  and  military  men  about  Helena 
and  elsewhere  become  possessed  of  considerable  lots  of  cotton  improperly.  But 
it  seems  to  me  that  the  official  duty  of  those  supervising  the  commerce  of  the 
country  does  not  require  them  to  ascertain  whether  the  negroes  take  the*  money 
back  to  their  masters  or  how  military  officers  become  possessed  of  it.  This  is 
the  business  of  magistrates,  or  others,  it  seems  to  me. 

My  understanding  is,  that  when  cotton  is  offered  for  shipment,  in  a  regular 
way,  if  the  shipment  is  proper  we  have  no  further  official  duty. 

I  hope  for  your  immediate  instructions  on  the  subject. 
I  am,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

WILLIAM  P.  MELLEN, 

Special  Agent. 

Hon.  S.  P.  CHASE,  Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 

Foregoing  letter  of  Mr.  Mellen  was  replied  to  by  the  Secretary  on  the  1st  of 
October,  1862,  q.  v. 


Morals  of  cotton  transactions  anterior  to  regular  shipment  not  a  proper  question 
for  officers  of  the  Treasury  Department  to  determine. 

[Reply  to  letter  of  William  P.  Mellen,  of  September  26,  1862.] 

TREASURY  DEPARTMENT,  October  1,  1862. 

SIR  :  I  have  received  your  letter  of  the  26th  ultimo,  wherein  you  state  that 
Mr.  Gallagher  and  yourself  do  not  understand  alike  your  duties  in  regard  to  the 
"  inquiring  into  the  antecedents  of  cotton  offered  for  shipment  at  any  port  with 
which  commerce  is  open,"  and  ask  for  instructions  from  this  department  on  the 
subject. 

I  concur,  generally,  in  the  opinion  held  by  you,  and  approve  your  action. 

All  cotton,  or  other  produce,  arriving  under  proper  authority  at  ports  open  to 
commerce,  will  be  treated  alike,  and  it  is  not  competent  for  any  officer  of  this 
department  to  inquire  into  or  decide  upon  the  morals  of  transactions  connected 
with  it  previous  to  its  shipment  from  any  port  within  the  limits  of  their  official 
duties. 

It  is,  of  course,  not  within  my  wishes  to  countenance  any  evasion  of  the 
confiscation  act,  or  within  my  power  to  exempt  any  property  from  its  operation. 
It  is  only  to  caution  the  officers  of  the  department  against  unnecessarry  inter- 


TESTIMONY.  613 

ruption  of  commerce,  and  unnecessary  interference  with  private  business.  To 
warrant  any  action  against  cotton,  or  other  products,  as  confiscated,  there  must 
be  clear  and  satisfactory  evidence  of  liability. 

Should  any  cases  arise  involving  the  detention  or  seizure  of  cotton,  or  other 
produce,  so  arriving,  they  will  be  promptly  reported  to  this  department. 
I  am,  &c.,  &c., 

S.  P.  CHASE,  Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 
WILLIAM  P.  MELLEN,  Esq., 

Special  Agent,  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 


No.   59. 

Rules  governing  trade  in  Tennessee,  adopted  by  Major  General  Grant,  upon 
the  suggestion  of  Wm.  P.  Mcllen,  esq.,  special  agent  Treasury  Department, 
October  4,  1862. 

1st.  All  district  and  post  commanders  are  to  observe  the  order  of  the  War 
Department  of  August  28,  18G2,  and  not  to  interfere  with  any  shipment  or 
transportation  of  cotton  or  other  merchandise  moving  under  regulations  of  the 
Treasury  Department. 

2d.  Under  Section  VIII  of  treasury  regulations,  the  commandants  of  the 
posts  at  Memphis,  Jackson,  Corinth,  and  Bolivar,  are  authorized  to  recommend 
parties  in  their  respective  districts  for  permits  to  ship  liquors,  &c.,  for  general 
purposes. 

3d.  All  post  commanders  may  recommend  persons  within  their  commands  to 
receive  liquors,  &c.,  for  their  individual  use. 

4th.  All  packages  for  soldiers  or  officers  within  any  post  command,  to  be  for 
warded  to  the  commandant  thereof  for  delivery. 

5th.  No  military  goods  or  other  thing  intended  for  sale  to  officers  and  soldiers 
of  the  army  are  to  be  permitted  to  go  into  any  military  post  except  under 

permits  to  sutlers. 

********* 

WILLIAM  P.  MELLEN, 

Special  Agent. 


The  foregoing  rules  were  approved  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  by 
letter  dated  October  13,  1862. 


No.  60. 

Additional  rules  restricting  trade  in  the  west  and  south. 

The  following  rules  or  instructions  were  addressed  to  all  the  surveyors  in  the 
western  collection  districts  on  the  23d  October,  1862,  adopted  by  all  the  special 
agents,  and  were  approved  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  by  letter  to 
William  P.  Mellen,  esq.,  dated  October  28,  1862. 

CINCINNATI,  Ohio,  October  23,  1862. 

SIR  :  On  and  after  the  first  day  of  November  next  you  will  please  observe 
the  following  rules  in  addition  to  those  now  in  force  as  to  shipments  from  your 
port,  viz : 


614  TESTIMONY. 

1st.  The  restrictions  upon  internal  commerce,  under  the  regulations  of  the 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury  of  August  28,  1862,  are  extended  so  as  to  embrace 
all  the  counties  on  the  north  side  of  the  Ohio  river,  bordering  thereon,  below 
Evansville.  All  shipments  of  merchandise  to  any  place  in  the  counties  named 
must  be  subject  to  permits  under  the  same  regulations  as  if  made  to  places  on 
the  south  side  of  the  Ohio  river. 

2d.  No  goods  shall  be  permitted  to  go  to  Ford's  Ferry  or  Cave  in  Rock,  nor 
to  the  vicinity  of  those  places,  for  sale  there,  except  upon  the  recommendation 
of  John  Mitchell. 

3d.  No  goods  shall  be  permitted  to  go  to  any  place  on  the  south  side  of  the 
Ohio  river,  Jbelow  Henderson,  except  upon  the  satisfactory  evidence  that  the 
person  to  whom  they  are  permitted  to  go  is  a  reliable  friend  of  the  government 
of  the  United  States. 

4th.  No  goods  shall  be  permitted  to  go  to  any  place  in  the  valley  of  the 
Cumberland  river,  nor  to  any  place  in  Kentucky  or  Tennessee  west  of  the  river, 
for  sale,  except  to  Smithland,  Paducah,  Columbus,  and  Hickman,  except  as 
follows,  viz:  permits  may  be  granted  for  snipments  for  purposes  of  sale  to 
Maysfield,  Kentucky,  upon  the  recommendation  of  the  surveyor  of  Paducah, 
and  subject  to  his  supervision  upon  arrival  thereof  at  Paducah ;  to  Jackson, 
Tennessee,  and  Trenton,  Tennessee,  upon  the  recommendation  of  the  respective 
commandants  of  those  posts,  whose  personal  signatures  to  such  recommendation 
shall  in  all  cases  be  required  before  permit  can  be  granted. 

5th.  Shipments  of  boots,  shoes,  leather,  salt,  hats,  caps,  ready-made  clothing, 
woollen  goods,  blankets,  tanner's  oil,  lard  oil,  or  other  material  that  can  be  used 
for  lubricating  purposes,  to  any  place  or  section  where  there  has  recently  been 
or  is  in  danger  of  being  a  rebel  raid  or  robbery  must  be  restricted  to  such  small 
quantities  as  are  necessary  for  the  immediate  use  of  the  loyal  people  of  the 
neighborhood  to  which  the  shipment  is  to  be  made,  and  in  no  case  amounting 
in  the  aggregate  to  over  three  hundred  dollars  ($300.) 

6th.  All  shipments  to  military  posts  of  military  goods,  or  other  things  intended 
for  sale  to  the  soldiers  and  officers,  may  duly  be  permitted  upon  the  certificate 

of  the  respective  commanders  thereof  that  such  shipment  is  desired  by  them. 

*  *  #  *  #  *  *  #  * 

WILLIAM  P.  MELLEN, 
Special  Agent  Treasury  Department. 


No.  61. 
Regulations  restricting  trade  north  of  the  Potomac. 

PHILADELPHIA,  Pa.,  November  3,  1862. 

SIR  :  After  the  receipt  hereof  you  will  please  to  observe  the  following  rule, 
in  addition  to  those  now  in  force,  as  to  shipments  and  transportation  from  your 
port: 

The  restrictions  upon  internal  commerce,  under  the  regulations  of  the  Secre 
tary  of  the  Treasury  of  August  28,  1862,  are  extended  so  as  to  embrace  all 
the  counties  in  Maryland  on  the  north  side  of  the  Potomac,  bordering  thereon, 
west  of  Baltimore,  and  all  that  portion  of  the  counties  of  Adams  and  Franklin, 
in  Pennsylvania,  south  of  the  parallel  of  Gettysburg. 

All  transportation  of  merchandise  to  any  place  in  the  districts  thus  restricted 
must  be  subject  to  permits  under  the  same  regulations  as  if  made  to  places  in 
Maryland,  south  of  the  Washington  and  Annapolis  railroad.  Packages  sent 
to  officers  and  soldiers  of  the  army  by  their  friends  are  excepted  from  this 
restriction. 


TESTIMONY.  615 

Shipments  of  boots,  shoes,  leather,  tanner's  oil,  salt,  hats,  caps,  ready-made 
clothing,  woollen  goods,  and  blankets,  to  any  place  within  the  districts  above 
named  should  be  carefully  guarded,  and  restricted  in  quantities  to  the  supply  of 
the  neighborhoods  to  which  they  are  sent  for  the  necessary  and  immediate  use 
thereof. 

I  am,  very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

WM.  P.  MELLEN, 
Special  Agent  Treasury  Department. 


The  foregoing  rules  were  sent  to  the  various  collectors  immediately  interested 
in  this  trade — Baltimore,  New  York,  and  Philadelphia. 

The  same  were  approved  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  by  letter  of  the 
5th  November,  1862,  to  William  P.  Mellen,  esq. 


No.  62. 
Instructions  relative  to  trade  on  the  Kanawha  river. 

GALLIPOLIS,  Ohio,  November  8,  1862. 

SIR  :  You  will  require  every  steamboat  departing  from  this  port  for  Charles 
ton,  Virginia,  on  the  Kanawha  river,  or  points  above  that  place,  to  exhibit  to 
you  a  true  manifest  of  its  cargo,  and  obtain  a  clearance  before  proceeding  on  its 
voyage. 

Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

THOMAS  HEATON, 
Special  Agent  Treasury  Department. 
WILLIAM  NASH,  Esq., 

Aid  to  the  Revenue,  Gallipolis,  Ohio. 


The  above  instructions  were  approved  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  by 
letter  to  Thomas  Heaton,  esq.,  dated  November  15,  1862. 


No.  63. 
Restrictions  on  trade  on  the  north  side  of  the  Ohio  river. 

TREASURY  DEPARTMENT,  November  5,  1862. 
gTR:  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  * 

You  are  hereby  authorized  to  apply  such  restrictions  on  trade  with  points  on 
the  Ohio  side  of  the  river  as  are  now  imposed  on  trade  with  places  on  the  oppo 
site  side,  making  such  exceptions  as  you  think  proper,  and  sending,  for  my 


616  TESTIMONY. 

approval,  such  specific  instructions  as  you  may  issue  on  the  subject  under  this 
letter. 

I  am,  &c.,  &c., 

S.  P.  CHASE, 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 
THOMAS  HEATON,  Esq., 

Special  Agent,  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 


MEMORANDUM. — These  restrictions  were  modified  by  Mr.  Heaton  December 
12,  1862,  q.  v.  The  above  letter  was  in  reply  to  suggestions  of  Mr.  Heaton  in 
letter  not  on  file. 


No.  64. 
Restrictions  on  trade  in  Maryland. 

The  several  portions  of  Maryland,  lying  on  the  Chesapeake  bay,  were 
divided  into  eleven  districts,  for  which  "boards  of  trade"  were  appointed,  and 
to  each  of  which  the  following  letter  of  appointment  and  instructions  was 
delivered  : 

BALTIMORE,  Maryland,  November  25,  1862. 

GENTLEMEN  :  You  have  been  appointed,  by  direction  of  the  Secretary  of  the 

Treasury,  a  "  board  of  trade,"  for  all  that  part  of county,  Maryland, 

lying  south  of  the  parallel  of ,  and  north  of  the  parallel  of . 

You  are  appointed  for  the  purpose  of  supervising  the  trade  of  the  district 
named,  in  such  a  manner  as  wih1  prevent  supplies  going  thence  to  rebels,  caus 
ing  no  more  inconvenience  to  loyal  citizens,  in  so  doing,  than  may  be  necessary 
to  insure  the  desired  end. 

On  and  after  the  15th  day  of  December  next,  no  permit  will  be  granted  by 
any  officer  of  the  customs  to  ship  merchandise  to  any  place  in  said  district, 
except  on  presentation  to  him  of  your  certificate,  or  that  of  a  similar  board  in 
an  adjoining  district,  that  he  has  taken  the  oath  herewith  enclosed,  (usual ;) 
and  that  you  are  satisfied  that  no  part  of  the  goods  to  be  permitted  will  be  so 
disposed  of  as  to  give  aid  and  comfort  to  the  enemy. 

A  memorandum  of  the  articles  wanted  must  be  presented  to  you,  stating  the 
estimated  quantities  and  values  thereof.  You  must  write  across  the  face  of  this 
memorandum,  "  Approved,"  and  sign  your  names  to  it,  and  attach  it  to  your 
certificate.  You  must  date  your  approval,  indorsed  on  the  memorandum  and 
the  certificate  of  the  same  day,  that  frauds  may  not  be  practiced  by  attaching 
certificates  and  memorandums  that  do  not  belong  together. 

It  does  not  follow  that,  because  a  man  takes  the  oath,  he  shall  be  entitled,  as 
a  matter  of  course,  to  your  certificate ;  this  is  left  to  your  sound  discretion ; 
you  should  be  satisfied,  by  his  daily  conduct,  that  he  is  a  loyal  man,  and  will 
act  in  good  faith. 

You  should  be  careful,  also,  to  restrict  the  amounts  which  you  certify  for,  so 
that  there  may  be  at  no  time  within  your  district  more  goods  than  are  required 
for  the  proper  use  and  consumption  of  the  people  thereof. 

You  will  please  notify  the  people  of  your  district,  as  soon  and  as  generally 
as  you  can,  of  your  appointment  and  its  object ;  and  that,  after  the  date  named, 


TESTIMONY.  617 

they  will  not  be  permitted  to  take  merchandise  there  without  your  certificate 
as  above. 

(Printed  blanks  for  affidavits  and  certificates  will  be  found  at  the  custom-house 
in  Baltimore.  If  you  will  send  for  them  by  some  of  your  neighbors,  who  are 
coming  up  here,  you  can  get  what  you  need.) 

As  your  office  is  without  compensation,  you  can  charge  twenty-five  cents  for 
each  affidavit. 

All  officers  of  the  customs  are  informed  of  your  appointment  and  of  the  pur 
pose  of  it,  and  will  be  governed  in  their  action  by  your  certificates. 

You  will  please  to  communicate  with  me,  from  time  to  time,  as  to  any  matters 
connected  with  your  duties.     You  will  address  me  at  Washington  city,  in  care 
of  Hon.  S.  P.  Chase,  Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 
Very  respectfully, 

WM.  P.  MELLEN, 
Special  Agent  Treasury  Department. 

MEMORANDUM. — The  foregoing  boards  of  trade,  each  consisted  of  two  per 
sons. 

The  collectors  of  customs  of  Baltimore,  Philadelphia,  and  New  York  were 
notified  of  the  above  rules,  and  of  the  appointment  of  the  several  Boards  of 
Trade,  and  their  respective  districts. 

The  restrictions,  thus  arranged  by  Mr.  Mellen,  were  approved  by  the  Secre 
tary  of  the  Treasury  on  the  5th  December,  1862. 


No.  65. 

Board  of  Trade  at  Memphis  dissolved. 
NOTICE. 

The  Board  of  Trade  for  the  city  of  Memphis  is  hereby  dissolved.  All  com 
mercial  matters  heretofore  transacted  by  that  board  will  receive  attention,  until 
the  surveyor  of  the  port  is  duly  commissioned,  by 

THOS.  H.  YEATMAN, 
Special  Agent  Treasury  Department. 
MEMPHIS,  Tennessee,  December  2,  1862. 


The  foregoing  notice  of  dissolution  of  Board  of  Trade  of  Memphis  was  ap 
proved  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  on  the  16th  day  of  December,  1862. 


No.  66. 

Circular  relating  to  trade  below  Memphis,  issued  by  Thomas  H.  Ycaiman,  esq., 

special  agent. 

SPECIAL  AGENCY,  TREASURY  DEPARTMENT, 

Memphis,  Tennessee,  December  12,  1862. 

In  pursuance  of  instructions  and  regulations  by  the  honorable  Secretary  of 
the  United  States  Treasury,  August  28,  1862,  referring  to  certain  acts  of  Con 
gress  approved  July  13,  1861,  and  May  20,  1862,  authorizing  "  special  agents 


618  TESTIMONY. 

of  the  department  to  temporarily  extend  restrictions  to  places  in  their  respec 
tive  districts,  and  make  such  local  rules  to  be  observed  therein  as  may  from 
time  to  time  become  necessary,  promptly  reporting  their  action  to  the  Secretary 
of  the  Treasury  for  his  sanction  or  disapproval." 

Now,  in  accordance  with  the  authority  and  with  the  consent  of  the  military 
and  naval  commanding  officers,  clearances  will  be  granted  for  steamboats  to  pass 
down  the  Mississippi  river,  as  far  as  within  ten  miles  of  the  mouth  of  White 
river,  with  permitted  goods,  not  of  a  contraband  character,  and  intended  only 
for  family  supplies ;  the  delivery  thereof  to  be  supervised  by  the  revenue  .aid, 
and  receipted  for  on  oath  by  the  parties  receiving  the  same,  that  they  will  not 
be  used  directly  or  indirectly  for  any  other  purpose,  and  receive  in  exchange 
cotton. 

1  In  all  cases  it  will  be  distinctly  understood,  by  parties  making  such  an  ad 
venture,  that  no  reclamation  will  be  acknowledged,  by  the  government  of  the 
United  States,  for  any  loss  of  boat  or  cargo  by  persons  in  insurrection ;  and, 
furthermore,  boats  making  the  trip  will  be  required  to  give  bond  in  double  the 
amount  of  their  value  for  their  return  to  Helena  or  Memphis  ;  and  an  additional 
bond  of  twenty  thousand  dollars  that  no  goods,  of  any  kind  whatever,  shall  be 
landed  from  said  boat  which  are  not  fully  set  forth  on  her  manifest  and  bills 
permitted  by  the  proper  authorities.  Aids  and  other  loyal  citizens  will  report 
the  name  of  any  persons  or  boats  paying  out  gold,  or  other  articles  of  contra 
band,  in  exchange  for  cotton. 

THOS.  H.  YEATMAN, 
Special  Agent  Treasury  Department. 


No.  67. 
Restrictions  an  trade  on  the  north  side  of  the  Ohio  river  modified. 

PITTSBURG,  Penn.,  December  12,  1862. 

SIR  :  The  order  in  regard  to  restrictions  on  trade  to  places  on  the  north  side 
of  the  Ohio  river  is  so  far  modified  as  not  to  require  permits  for  shipments  to 
such  places  of  general  merchandise,  and  imposing  restrictions  only  on  shipments 
of  powder,  lead,  shot,  percussion-caps,  or  other  munitions  of  war,  and  also  on 
quinine,  chloroform,  quicksilver,  and  morphine. 
Very  respectfully,  &c., 

THO.  HEATON,  Special  Agent. 
Hon.  S.  P.  CHASE, 

Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 


MEMORANDUM. — The  foregoing  notice  of  restrictions,  &c.,  was  approved  by 
the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  December  19,  1862. 


No.  68. 
Trade  below  Helena,  Arkansas,  prohibited;  no  trade  opened  below  Memphis. 

TREASURY  DEPARTMENT,  December  16,  1862.- 

SIR  :  I  have  received  your  letter  of  the  4th  instant,  informing  me  that,  with 
the  consent  of  certain  military  officers,  you  are  permitting  family  supplies  to  go 
below  Helena,  to  be  exchanged  for  cotton. 


TESTIMONY.  619 

Your  action  in  the  premises  is  not  approved.  No  trade  has  been  opened  be 
low  Memphis  with  the  sanction  of  this  department;  and  no  new  sections  can 
be  opened  to  trade  except  upon  the  agreement  of  all  the  special  agents  exer 
cising  concurrent  jurisdiction,  or,  should  they  fail  to  agree,  by  direction  of  the 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury.  You  will  therefore  grant  no  permission  for  any 
section  of  country  not  thus  regularly  opened  to  trade. 
Respectfully, 

S.  P.  CHASE, 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 
THOS.  H.  TBATMAN,  Esq., 

Special  Agent,  Memphis,  Tennessee. 


No.  69. 
Order  suspending  trade  with  points  in  Kentucky  and  Tennessee. 

CINCINNATI,  Ohio,  December  22,  1862. 

SIR  :  Until  further  notice  you  will  not  permit  any  goods  to  points  on  the  Mo 
bile  and  Ohio  railroad  south  of  Columbus,  Kentucky ;  nor  up  the  Cumberland 
river  above  Southland. 

Very  respectfully, 

DAVID  G.  BARNITZ, 
Special  Agent  Treasury  Department. 
WARREN  THORNBERRY,  Esq., 

Surveyor,  Paducah,  Kentucky. 

Letters  of  same  tenor  sent  to  the  other  surveyors. 


The  foregoing  order  was  approved  by  the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  on  the 
16th  December,  1862. 


No.  70. 
Modification  of  restrictions  upon  trade  in  salt,  in  Kentucky,  directed. 

TREASURY  DEPARTMENT,  January  24,  1863. 

SIR  :  It  is  represented  to  the  department  that  the  restrictions  at  present  im 
posed  upon  shipments  of  salt  into  Kentucky  are  onerous  and  unnecessary. 

You  will  therefore,  as  soon  as  practicable  after  the  receipt  of  this  letter,  confer 
with  Special  Agent  Barnitz,  and  ascertain  and  report  to  the  department,  as  early 
as  possible,  whether  the  restrictions  now  in  relation  to  shipments  of  salt  into  Ken 
tucky  may  be  removed,  and  that  article  placed  upon  the  same  footing  as  other 
merchandise ;  and  to  what  extent  they  may,  with  safety,  be  removed  or  modi 
fied.  Also,  whether  such  removal  or  modification  could  apply  to  the  whole 
State  or  only  certain  portions  or  sections  thereof,  which  you  will  please  desig 
nate. 

Very  respectfully, 

GEO.  HARRINGTON, 
Acting  Secretary  of  the  Treasury. 
THO.  HEATON,  Esq., 

Special  Agent,  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 


620  TESTIMONY. 

No.  71. 
Conditions  upon  which  trade  with  Helena,  Arkansas,  is  opened. 

The  only  places  on  the  Mississippi,  between  Memphis  and  Cairo,  to  which 
merchandise  can  be  permitted  to  go,  for  sale,  are  Columbus,  Hickman,  and  New 
Madrid.  Permits  to  all  other  places  can  only  be  granted  for  strictly  family 
supplies,  upon  the  personal  application  of  the  party  who  is  to  use  them,  and 
upon  his  affidavit  that  they  are  for  his  own  use,  and  shall  not  be  sold  or  other 
wise  disposed  of  to  other  parties,  and  that  he  is  loyal  to  the  government  of  the 
United  States,  and  will  in  all  things  so  deport  himself. 

It  is  agreed  that  trade  with  Helena,  Arkansas,  shall  be  opened  from  the  1st 
of  January,  1863,  subject  to  the  following  conditions,  viz  : 

1.  Permits  may  be  granted  to  ship  merchandise  to  that  place  only  upon  the 
recommendation  of  the  Board  of  Trade,  to  be  at  once  appointed  there  by  the 
special  agent  of  the  Treasury  Department  at  Memphis. 

2.  Persons  residing  on  or  near  the  river,  between  Memphis  and  Helena,  may 
have  permits  for  strictly  family  supplies  for  their  own  use ;  but  all  applications 
for  such  permits  must  be  made  in  person  by  the  party  who  is  to  use  them  to 
the  surveyor  at  Memphis  or  Board  of  Trade  at  Helena,  and  the  permits  granted 
must  be  subject  to  compliance  with  any  military  orders  pertaining  to  the  place 
of  destination. 


The  foregoing  rules  were  submitted  by  David  G.  Barnitz,  esq.,  special  agent 
of  the  Treasury  Department,  on  the  12th  day  of  January,  1863,  after  having 
been  agreed  upon  by  the  several  special  agents  having  co-ordinate  supervision 
over  the  trade  on  the  western  rivers,  and  were  approved  by  the  Secretary  of  the 
Treasury,  by  letter  to  Mr.  Barnitz,  dated  January  20,  1363. 


COMMUNICATING  COUNTERSIGN  TO  THE  ENEMY. 


IN  THE  HOUSE  OF  REPRESENTATIVES, 

February  11,  1862. 
Mr.  F.  A.  CONKLING  submitted  the  following,  which  were  adopted : 

Whereas,  it  is  asserted,  on  authority  worthy  the  notice  of  this  House,  that 
the  countersign  of  the  army  was  in  possession  of  the  rebel  pickets,  on  the  west 
side  of  the  Potomac,  before  it  had  been  communicated  to  our  men,  on  the  day 
the  Pensacola  ran  the  gauntlet  of  the  river  batteries ;  -and  whereas  it  is  also 
asserted  that  information  of  the  movement  of  the  national  army  and  fleets  is 
frequently  communicated  in  advance  to  the  enemy,  under  circumstances  which 
justify  a  suspicion  of  treachery  on  the  part  of  persons  in  the  civil  or  military 
service ;  therefore — 

Resolved,  That  the  joint  committee  on  the  conduct  of  the  war  be  requested, 
at  their  earliest  convenience,  to  investigate  these  charges  and  report  such  action 
in  the  premises  as  the  circumstances  shall  warrant. 

Attest :  EM.  ETHEEJDGE,  Clerk. 


TESTIMONY.  621 

WASHINGTON,  March  4,  1862. 

Lieutenant  Colonel  J^RANK  S.  FISKE  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  chairman  : 

Question.  What  is  your  rank  and  position  in  the  army  ? 

Answer.  I  am  Lieutenant  Colonel  of  the  2d  New  Hampshire  regiment. 

Question.  Where  are  you  stationed  ? 

Answer.  In  General  Hooker's  division,  below  Matawoman  creek,  near  Budd's 
Ferry. 

Question.  Please  state  what  you  know  about  the  enemy  obtaining  possession 
of  our  countersign  on  any  occasion  ? 

Answer.  I  was  told  by  a  staff  officer,  whose  name  I  do  not  now  remember,  I 
>  think  about  the  8th  of  February,  that  the  afternoon  previous,  our  pickets  had 
reported  to  the  officer  of  the  picket  that  the  enemy  had  cried  out  the  counter 
sign  to  them  across  the  river  before  they  had  received  it. 

Question.  What  time  is  this  countersign  given  out  ? 

Answer.  The  orders  were  that  the  brigade  officer  of  the  day  should  report  to 
brigade  headquarters  at  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  and  receive  the  counter 
sign.  The  pickets  reported  to  their  officers  that  they  had  received  the  counter 
sign  from  the  enemy  before  that  time. 

Question.  So  the  enemy  announced  the  countersign  about  the  time  it  was 
given  out  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir ;  a  little  before. 

Question.  What  other  information  did  they  have  ? 

Answer.  Lieutenant  Ellis,  the  signal  officer  there,  told  me  that  he  heard  the 
enemy  give  the  countersign.  He  was  in  my  tent  the  next  morning,  and  said  it 
was  the  subject  of  general  conversation  among  the  officers  there.  He  said  he 
heard  the  enemy  give  it. 

Question.  What  was  the  countersign  on  that  occasion  ? 

Answer.  "  Chippeway." 

Question.  What  did  the  enemy  say  in  regard  to  it  ? 

Answer.  This  was  the  day  when  the  Pensacola  was  expected  down.  That 
is  another  fact.  That  was  one  reason  why  some  supposed  it  might  have  been 
taken  from  the  telegraph  wire.  The  information  was  telegraphed  down  to  our 
division  that  the  Pensacola  would  come  down  that  night,  what  they  cried  out 
was  :  "  The  Pensacola  is  coming  down  to-night,  isn't  she  ?  Damn  her,  we 
are  ready  for  her.  We  have  got  your  countersign — Chippeway." 

Question.  And  both  particulars  were  correct  1 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  What  is  the  mode  of  giving  out  these  countersigns  1 

Answer.  The  mode  now  is,  as  I  understand  it,  that  one  of  the  staff  of  the 
brigadier  general  reports  at  division  headquarters  at  about  two  o'clock  in  the 
afternoon,  and  receives  the  countersign,  and  from  him  it  is  given  to  the  brigade 
officer  of  the  day,  and  he  gives  it  to  the  regimental  officers  of  the  guard. 

Question.  From  whom  does  it  come  at  first  ? 

Answer.  When  I  was  with  my  regiment,  alone,  at  the  station,  I  used  to  re 
ceive  a  list  of  countersigns  for  the  succeeding  week,  one  for  each  day ;  for 
instance,  for  Monday,  so  and  so  ;  Tuesday,  so  and  so,  and  so  on  through  the 
week. 

Question.  Have  you  any  theory  to  explain  the  way  the  enemy  obtained 
possession  of  that  information,  or  have  you  any  suspicion  of  any  person  who 
might  have  given  it  ? 

Answer.  None  whatever.  I  have  always  supposed  that  it  came  down  the 
river  on  the  other  side.  It  was  impossible  for  them  to  get  it  from  our  side, 
because  there  was  no  means  of  crossing  there  in  the  daytime,  certainly,  and  no 
one  would  shout  out  that  information  to  them,  because  they  would  be  heard 


622  TESTIMONY. 

by  us.  And  I  think  we  watched  so  closely  that  no  signals  could  have  been 
made.  ^ 

Question.  Where  were  the  enemy  situated  as  from  you  ? 

Answer.  Directly  opposite  from  us.  In  a  still  day,  particularly  if  the  weather 
is  a  little  heavy,  the  sentinels  frequently  converse  across  the  river. 

Question.  How  wide  is  the  river  there  ? 

Answer.  From  a  mile  to  a  mile  and  a  quarter  or  a  mile  and  a  half. 

Question.  When  did  you  come  up  from  down  there  ? 

Answer.  Last  Saturday. 

Question.  What  is  the  condition  of  the  army  there  now  ? 

Answer.  I  think  it  is  in  a  very  good  condition,  indeed.  We  have  only  one 
man  sick.  There  are  nine  in  the  hospital  who  are  somewhat  ailing,  but  not  so 
sick  as  to  need  to  be  taken  out  of  their  quarters.  But  they  are  in  the  hospital, 
because  the  hospital  is  empty,  and  they  might  as  well  be  there  as  in  their 
quarters. 

Question.  Have  you  any  evidence  to  show  whether  the  enemy  have  left  on 
the  other  side  ? 

Answer.  I  went  up  in  a  balloon  the  other  day,  and  I  concluded  that  they  had 
left  and  that  they  had  returned.  Their  pickets  along  the  shore  were  nearly 
trebled  during  last  week,  and  their  encampments  have  reappeared ;  some  of  them 
in  the  same  places  as  before,  and  some  in  different  localities.  They  used  to  be 
constantly  firing  from  their  batteries,  but  they  have  never  done  any  injury  at 
all.  We  were  calculating  the  other  day  the  number  of  shots  they  must  have 
fired,  and  we  made  it  out  that  they  had  fired  from  8,000  to  10,000  shots  since 
they  have  been  there,  and  no  person  has  been  injured,  and  no  vessel  has  been 
injured  seriously. 

Question.  Are  the  ranges  of  the  shots  too  long  ? 

Answer.  The  officer  of  the  gunboats  said  he  thought  that  they  changed  their 
companies  too  often ;  before  one  could  learn  how  to  manage  the  guns  it  was 
changed.  Another  reason  was  that  the  quaility  of  their  powder  was  unequal. 

Question.  Is  there  any  difficulty  in  taking  those  batteries  and  clearing  the 
river  ] 

Answer.  There  would  be  no  difficulty  at  all  if  we  could  land.  But  we  could 
not  land  near  there  without  being  exposed  to  a  very  destructive  fire  of  canister. 
There  is  a  little  promontory  there,  a  semicircle,  running  out  so  that  they  could 
fire  up  and  down.  They  have  some  very  good  guns  there.  If  we  could  once 
land  a  force  there  I  should  think,  frotn  the  topography  of  the  country,  they 
could  be  driven  out. 

Question.  Could  you  not  land  out  of  reach  of  their  canister  ? 

Answer.  There  are  a  great  many  marshes  and  ravines  over  there.  There 
would  be  some  difficulty  in  landing.  If  they  have,  as  is  supposed,  30,000  or 
40,000  men  there,  it  would  be  difficult  to  land  up  at  Freestone  Point,  or  near 
there,  and  get  down  to  the  batteries  before  they  could  send  a  large  force  down 
there  to  meet  us. 

Question.  The  truth  is  if  you  could  drive  out  their  army  from  the  country 
there,  their  batteries  fall  of  course  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  I  think  if  we  could  have  sent  over  a  regiment  when  their 
pickets  were  not  so  numerous  as  now,  if  you  could  have  landed  a  regiment  in 
the  night,  you  could  have  taken  the  batteries  very  easily.  It  might  have  been 
a  sharp  struggle,  but  the  result  could  not  be  doubtful. 

Question.  Do  you  know  why  that  has  not  been  attempted  1 

Answer.  I  do  not  know. 

Question.  Where  are  those  batteries  located  to  which  you  refer  ? 

Answer.  There  is  one  at  Cockpit  Point,  a  short  distance  below  Powell  creek  ; 
another  on  Shipping  Point  just  below  Quantico  creek;  and  there  are  two  bat 
teries  on  the  same  promontory  below,  which  are  called  the  Evansport  batteries, 
I  think. 


TESTIMONY.  623 

PAYMASTERS,  &c. 


WASHINGTON,  January  2,  1862. 
General  B.  F.  LARNED  sworn  and  examined. 

By  the  chairman: 
Question.  What  is  your  position  1 
Answer.  I  am  row  paymaster  general  of  the  army. 

By  Mr.  Odell: 

Question.  We  wanted  to  find  from  you  to  what  extent  paymasters  are  re 
quired  in  the  service  as  it  has  developed  itself  during  the  last  four  or  six  months. 
We  thought  the  best  information  we  could  get  would  be  from  you. 

Answer.  I  long  since  requested  the  President  and  Secretary  of  War  to  appoint 
no  more  paymasters,  for  I  thought  I  had  enough.  As  the  army  is  situated  now 
I  have  just  about  enough,  but  none  to  spare.  They  have  to  work  very  hard  to 
meet  all  the  demands  upon  them,  particularly  as  the  troops  are  scattering. 

Question.  Our  inquiry  is  in  reference  to  paymasters  ranking  as  majors  1 

Answer.  I  think  I  have  enough  now  to  accomplish  the  whole  payment  of  the 
army.  I  do  not  think  I  have  too  many. 

Question.  Do  you  know  how  many  you  have  now? 

Answer.  I  think  about  one  hundred  and  twenty-one  additional  paymasters, 
and  twenty-seven  regulars.  The  law  would  give  the  President  power  to  appoint 
three  hundred. 

Question.  That  is  one  to  every  two  regiments  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Are  the  whole  of  these  one  hundred  and  forty-eight  men  now  on 
duty? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Have  you  any  data  from  which  you  can  give,  or  can  you  give  from 
memory,  how  they  are  divided  up  ? 

Answer.  I  have  six  on  the  Pacific  slope ;  I  have  about  thirty  in  Missouri  and 
Leavenworth ;  I  have  some  ten  in  Kentucky ;  about  the  same  number  in  Illinois ; 
and  about  the  same  number  in  Western  Virginia;  and  between  fifty  and  sixty 
here,  including  those  belonging  to  the  expeditions. 

Question.  That  does  not  embrace  them  all? 

Answer.  I  give  these  numbers  from  recollection  only,  not  undertaking  to  be 
specific. 

Question.  Can  you  not  give  us  from  your  office  a  statement  as  to  where  these 
one  hundred  and  forty -eight  paymasters  are  posted? 

Answer.  I  could  in  a  little  while. 

Question.  Could  you  do  it  in  a  day  or  two? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  We  want  more  paymasters  out  west,  and  I  am  only  trying 
to  get  through  this  payment,  which  is  a  very  fyeavy  one,  in  order  to  send  more 
out  west. 

Question.  From  the  force  you  have  here  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  In  your  judgment  how  much  can  one  paymaster  do  in  the  army  as 
it  is  situated  upon  the  Potomac? 

Answer.  He  can  pay  four  regiments ;  that  is  double  what  the  law  allows. 
The  States  are  constantly  calling  upon  me  to  send  paymasters  to  the  regiments 
they  are  organizing,  and  have  organized.  I  have  a  call  from  Massachusetts  for 


624  TESTIMONY. 

them,  a  call  from  Vermont,  from  Wisconsin,  from  Michigan;  hence  I  have  to 
send  paymasters  from  here  in  all  directions  to  meet  these  demands.  And  some 
times  it  embarrasses  me  a  great  deal,  because  they  are  hard  at  work  here. 

Question.  Your  department  is  so  organized  that  these  men  can  be  detailed  to 
be  sent  anywhere  1 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Does  each  paymaster  have  a  clerk  1 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  What  is  his  salary  ? 

Answer.  They  get  $700  a  year,  and  75  cents  a  day  for  subsistence. 

Question.  Do  they  have  mileage  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir ;  they  have  their  actual  expenses  when  they  travel  under 
orders. 

Question.  What  is  the  pay  of  paymasters  ? 

Answer.  I  suppose  you  might  put  them  down  at  an  average  of  $2,500. 

Question.  That  is  exclusive  of  mileage  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.     They  get  mileage  when  they  travel,  as  any  other  officer. 

Question.  Ten  cents  a  mile  1 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Anything  for  subsistence  1 

Answer.  No,  sir;  except  their  pay. 

Question.  The  clerks  get  subsistence  as  well  as  their  pay? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  seventy  five  cents  a  day.  The  salary  of  a  paymaster's 
clerk  is  small — is  considerably  less  than  the  lowest  class  of  clerks  in  this  city. 
And  it  is  very  difficult  ordinarily  to  get  that  class  of  men  for  paymaster's  clerks 
which  we  really  need.  We  want  intelligent  men — men  of  great  integrity,  for 
we  must  trust  them. 

Question.  And  men  of  some  clerkly  abilities,  too,  I  suppose  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  Some  clerks  are  a  great  deal  better  than  the  paymasters 
themselves.  In  many  cases  they  are  dependent  upon  their  clerks. 

Question.  Now,  in  brief,  what  are  the  duties  of  these  paymasters  ?  What 
papers  do  they  have  to  prepare  ? 

Answer.  Whenever  the  muster-rolls  of  the  regiments  come  in,  they  are  placed 
in  the  paymasters'  hands.  They  have  then  to  take  blank  pay-rolls  and  draw 
off  the  names,  and  make  up  calculations  of  the  amounts  due  to  the  men  in  the 
regiments — each  company  by  itself — and  they  then  go  and  pay  them. 

Question.  Do  they  make  duplicate  pay-rolls  1 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  everything  is  in  duplicate.  He  keeps  one  pay-roll  for 
himself,  and  sends  one  to  my  office  for  examination. 

Question.  That  has  to  be  done  for  every  regiment  in  duplicate  1 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  And  that  is  done  by  himself  or  his  clerk  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

By  the  chairman  : 

Question.  And  that  is  done  every  payment  that  is  made  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  How  often  is  that  ? 

Answer.  The  whole  of  the  troops  are  paid  every  two  months.  But  in  the 
mean  time  a  large  number  of  these  paymasters  are  in  their  offices  every  day  pay 
ing,  hard  at  work.  For  instance,  we  have  particular  officers  designated  so  as  to 
keep  the  accounts  together.  We  have  a  paymaster  who  is  assigned  to  paying 
resigned  officers.  He  is  paying  from  twenty  to  forty  and  fifty  officers  a  day, 
being  kept  at  work  until  5  o'clock. 

Question.  He  is  connected  with  your  office  ? 


TESTIMONY.  625 

Answer.  He  is  an  additional  paymaster,  and  we  assign  this  matter  to  him  in 
order  to  keep  his  accounts  together. 

Question.  His  duties  are  discharged  in  your  paymaster's  department  ? 
Answer.  Not  necessarily. 

By  Mr.  Gooch : 

Question;  Does  he  have  any  regiments  to  pay  besides  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir;  he  has  no  time  for  that.  Another  paymaster  is  assigned  to 
paying  discharged  men,  which  amount  sometimes  to  seventy  and  eighty  a  day ; 
and  you  may  judge  that  that  is  as  much  as  one  man  can  do. 

By  Mr.  Odell : 

Question.  And  then  there  is  another  who  pays  the  accounts  of  prisoners  ? 
Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

By  the  chairman : 

Question.  You  say  you  have  none  now  out  of  employ1? 

Answer.  No,  sir.  There  is  one  man  about  getting  his  bonds  whom  I  am  ex 
ceedingly  anxious  to  send  away.  He  has  not  yet  furnished  his  bonds.  The 
President  appointed  this  man — a  sort  of  secret  appointment,  as  I  afterwards 
learned — and  ordered  him  to  report  to  the  Secretary  of  State. 

Question.  We  are  thus  minute  in  our  inquiries,  because  we  are  told  all  around 
that  we  had  more  paymasters  than  were  needed — a  great  supernumerary  number 
of  paymasters,  and  that  many  of  them  could  be  dispensed  with. 

Answer.  That  is  a  mistake. 

By  Mr.  Odell : 

Question.  If  there  are  160  of  them,  it  is  not  a,  mistake,  is  it,  by  your  testi 
mony  here  ? 

Answer.  That  would  be  but  one  to  six. 

Question.  I  do  not  speak  with  reference  to  how  many  it  would  be.  You  say 
you  have  enough,  and  if  there  are  160  additional  paymasters,  that  is  forty  more 
than  you  say  you  are  using. 

Answer.  That  is  my  mistake.  I  had  got  the  impression  that  I  had  counted 
up  these  officers  and  found  that  there  were  121  of  them;  but  taking  the  new 
rolls,  I  think  I  have  more.  But  I  do  not  think  I  have  160. 

By  the  chairman : 

Question.  But,  more  or  less,  you  employ  them  all — every  man  1 
Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  And,  of  course,  it  is  your  judgment  that  you  could  not  dispense 
with  any  without  injury  to  the  service  ? 
Answer.  I  think  not. 

By  Mr.  Gooch : 

Question.  How  many  regiments  can  one  paymaster  pay  ? 

Answer.  There  is  a  great  difference  in  paymasters.  One  will  pay  six  regi 
ments  while  another  will  pay  two. 

Question.  I  mean  a  competent  man. 

Answer.  They  all  pretend  to  be  competent.  They  are  very  slow,  timid,  fear 
ful  that  they  are  going  to  make  mistakes,  and  will  take  a  week  to  do  what  others 
would  do  in  two  days. 

Question.  Then  such  men  are  not  fit  for  the  service  1 

Answer.  They  are  not  the  best,  that  is  certain ;  but  they  all  think  they  are 
competent. 

Question.  How  many  men  are  employed  in  paying  discharged  soldiers,  offi 
cers,  &c.? ' 

Part  iii — 40 


626  TESTIMONY. 

Answer.  I  am  speaking  of  those  around  here,  for  I  cannot  judge  of  other 
points.  Perhaps  you  may  say  there  are  five  here,  constantly  engaged,  with  as 
much  as  they  can  do. 


WASHINGTON,  January  2,  1862. 

E.  H.  BROOKS  sworn  and  examined.  (Paymaster  General  Larned  being 
present  during  the  examination.) 

By  the  chairman  : 

Question.  What  position  do  you  hold  ? 

Answer.  I  am  chief  clerk  in  the  paymaster  general's  department. 
Question.  Have  you  heard  the  testimony  of  General  Larned  ? 
Answer.  I  have. 

Question.  Do  you  concur  in  it  all  1 
Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Gooch: 

Question.     How  long  will  it  take  a  paymaster  to  pay  a  regiment  1 

Answer.  If  he  is  a  good  one  he  can  do  it  in  three  days. 

Question.  Do  all  that  is  necessary  to  be  done  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  However,  that  depends  upon  where  the  regiment  is  situ 
ated.  In  General  Hooker's  division,  it  will  take  the  paymaster  six  day3  to  go 
down  there,  pay  a  regiment,  and  come  back. 

By  Mr.  Odell : 

Question.  Suppose  it  takes  him  six  days,  what  has  he  then  to  do  ? 

Answer.  In  the  first  place,  he  has  copies  of  all  the  allotment  rolls  to  send  or 
take  to  the  person  designated  to  receive  them.  By  this  last  law,  where  he  has 
to  draw  a  check  for  every  man,  he  must  double  his  work. 

General  Larned  :  Certainly.  Where  a  man  could  before  pay  a  regiment  in 
three  days,  under  this  allotment  law  he  cannot  do  it  now  in  less  than  ten  days. 

The  witness  :  He  must  use  up  eight  check-books  in  paying  off  one  regiment. 

Question.  If  the  soldiers  make  the  allotments,  how  is  that  ? 

Answer.  Some  of  the  regiments  come  in  with  the  allotment  rolls  full ;  others 
have  only  two  or  three  to  a  company. 

By  Mr.  Julian : 

Question.  Wh^t  is  a  paymaster  doing  after  he  pays  the  regiment  ? 
Answer.  He  has  just  as  much  as  he  can  do,  after  paying  his  regiments,  going 
around  to  pay  the  sick  in  the  hospitals,  &c.,  to  make  up  and  close  his  accounts 
in  the  two  months. 

Question.  How  long  do  paymasters  work  ] 

Answer.  Some  of  them  say  they  work  all  night.     Others,  as  I  see,  work  as 
long  as  I  do,  and  I  leave  the  office  at  5  o'clock. 
By  the  chairman : 

Question.  You  do  not  expect  a  decrease  of  the  labor  in  the  future  1 
Answer.  No,  sir.  The  further  the  troops  are  sent  from  Washington  the  more 
labor  there  will  be.  The  labor  increases  every  payment.  To  make  the  present 
payment,  some  of  the  paymasters  go  up  as  far  as  Cumberland — go  up  to  Gen 
eral  Banks's  column.  We  take  a  four-horse  wagon  and  go  up  there,  and  go 
from  regiment  to  regiment  to  pay  the  men,  and  it  will  take  a  week — some  of 
them  ten  days — to  get  through  their  payments. 

Question.  Do  you  concur  with  the  paymaster  general  in  saying  that  you  have 
enough  paymasters  now  ? 


TESTIMONY.  627 

Answer.  I  think  we  could  do  the  work  with  what  we  have. 

Question.  Do  you  think  you  could  spare  any  without  injury  to  the  service  1 

Answer.  No,  sir ;  I  do  not,  because  you  are  increasing  the  work  every  pay 
ment.  But  as  they  become  more  familiar  with  their  duties  they  can,  of  course, 
do  more.  There  are  certain  paymasters  who,  this  last  payment,  paid  six  regi 
ments,  while  others  could  hardly  get  through  three. 

General  Larned :  We  could  very  well  exchange  some  of  them ;  but  that  is 
not  in  our  power. 

The  witness :  We  are  about  making  a  payment  at  Annapolis  for  this  expe 
dition  that  is  about  getting  off.  We  expect  to  make  that  payment  by  the 
end  of  this  week,  though  we  only  got  the  rolls  on  Wednesday.  But  that  is 
done  by  extraordinary  work,  and  a  detail  for  the  duty.  We  sent  off,  yesterday, 
some  eight  paymasters  to  go  to  that  expedition  and  pay  it  off  before  it  sailed. 

Question.  We  make  this  inquiry  because  we  had  it  from  what  we  considered 
very  good  authority  that  there  was  quite  an  expense  to  the  government,  in  this 
matter  of  paymasters,  that  might  be  dispensed  with  without  injury  to  the  service. 

Answer.  I  don't  see  it. 

Question.  Of  course  you  are  the  one  to  see  it,  if  it  is  so. 

Answer.  If  there  are  any  particular  persons,  we  can  now  find  out  what  work 
they  are  doing.  Every  man  that  is  here  is  charged  with  all  the  work  he  does. 
Away  from  here  we  cannot  tell  exactly  now ;  but  we  can  after  the  accounts 
come  in.  But  here  we  can  tell,  after  each  payment,  what  each  man  has  done. 

Question.  We  had  no  reference  to  any  one  in  particular,  but  as  a  general 
thing.  We  supposed  that  perhaps  the  President  had  been  forced,  by  the  pressure 
upon  him,  to  make  more  appointments  than  there  is  any  necessity  for.  " 

Answer.  A  great  deal  of  this  comes  from  men  who  are  disposed  to  brag  of 
what  they  have  done.  Some  of  them  come  in  and  say:  "I  have  paid  five  or 
six  regiments,  while  such  a  person  has  not  done  anything."  Now,  they  do  not 
know  that,  for  they  do  not  know  what  that  person  has  done. 

By  Mr.  Odell : 

Question.  Who  appoints  the  paymaster's  clerk  1 

Answer.  The  paymaster  himself.  And  I  will  remark  here  that  the  expenses 
of  a  paymaster's  clerk  are  just  as  much  as  the  expenses  of  a  paymaster  himself. 

By  Mr.  Johnson  : 

Question.  How  many  regiments  are  there  to  be  paid  off  at  Annapolis  ? 
Answer.  About  seventeen  regiments. 

By  Mr.  Odell : 

Question.  You  sent  so  many  paymasters  there  in  order  to  pay  them  off 
rapidly,  I  suppose  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir ;  we  expect  to  pay  them  off  in  forty-eight  hours. 

Question.  Are  these  men  detailed  on  special  duty,  or  are  they  subject  to  the 
orders  of  the  paymaster  general  to  go  to  and  fro  as  he  may  order  ? 

Answer.  They  are  subject  to  the  orders  of  the  paymaster  general  to  go  where 
he  chooses  to  send  them. 

Question.  Are  there  paymasters  who  go  with  expeditions,  and  belong  to  those 
expeditions  especially  ? 

Answer.  There  were  three  sent  with  General  Sherman's  expedition  who  will 
go  back  again,  I  suppose. 

Question.  They  came  back  from  there  ? 

Answer.  They  have  to  come  back  for  their  money  as  a  matter  of  course. 

General  Larned :  You  refer  to  using  up  the  time  between  the  payments. 
There  is  one  thing  to  be  taken  into  consideration.  We  do  not  get  the  rolls  and 
get  the  money  from  the  Treasury  Department  to  make  this  payment  at  the  end 


628  TESTIMONY. 

of  December.  We  shall  not  accomplish  it  until  within  a  day  or  two  of  the  next 
month,  on  the  28th  of  February.  We  have  to  wait  to  get  our  money.  And  we 
are  going  to  be  exceedingly  embarrassed  now  by  the  stoppage  of  specie  pay 
ments  by  the  government  and  by  the  banks.  We  cannot  get  the  specie  to  make 
our  change.  What  we  are  going  to  do  I  cannot  imagine.  It  is  going  to  em 
barrass  us  exceedingly,  unless  the  men  agree,  after  receiving  the  even  amounts 
which  we  can  pay  them,  to  club  together  for  the  balances  and  put  them  in  the 
hands  of  the  captain  or  some  one  else. 

Mr.  Odell :  I  suppose  the  paymaster  could  arrange  for  that  by  taking  a  little 
change. 

General  Larned :  We  cannot  get  it ;  the  treasury  will  not  give  it,  and  the 
banks  will  not  give  it.  And  I  think  it  will  come  to  compelling  Congress  to 
use  small  bills. 

The  witness:  Each  regiment,  at  the  lowest  calculation,  takes  $1,500  in  small 
change. 

Mr.  Odell :  They  can  manage  that  by  four  or  five  men  clubbing  together  to 
make  an  even  amount. 

General  Lamed :  They  dislike  very  much  to  do  that. 

By  Mr.  Gooch : 

Question.  (To  witness.)  Do  your  paymasters  average  four  regiments  ? 
Answer.  I  think  they  do.     I  only  speak  of  the  army  here.     I  cannot  tell  ex 
actly  how  it  is  in  other  places. 


WASHINGTON,  January  21,  1862. 
Captain  WILLIAM  WILSON  sworn  and  examined, 
By  Mr.  Covode  : 

Question.  What  is  your  rank  and  position  in  the  army  ] 

Answer.  I  am  brigade  commissary  of  subsistence,  with  the  rank  of  captain. 

Question.  In  what  division? 

Answer.  In  the  fifth  division,  commanded  by  General  Blenker. 

Question.  You  have  opportunities  of  knowing  what  is  the  condition  of  that 
division  as  regards  sobriety,  &c.?  Go  on  and  state  what  you  know  about  it. 

Answer.  I  would  state  this :  that  I  think  there  must  be  in  that  division  not 
less  than  fifteen,  and  probably  as  many  as  twenty-five,  establishments  where 
they  sell  liquor,  lager  beer  especially,  and  they  all  have  whiskey  that  they  sell 
privately' at  the  same  stands.  But  lager  beer  is  the  principal  article  they  deal 
in;  that  they  deal  out  in  great  abundance.  It  is  all  over  the  division.  I  do 
not  think  there  is  a  tent  in  the  division  but  what  has  more  or  less  of  it.  All 
the  sutlers  keep  it,  and  the  stands  are  crowded  all  the  while. 

Question.  To  what  extent  do  they  drink — so  as  to  make  them  unfit  for  ser 
vice  ]  . 

Answer.  I  think  if  you  were  to  pass  through  the  division  any  day  you  will 
find  from  one  hundred  to  five  hundred  men  unfit  for  duty. 

Question.  In  consequence  of  drinking  1 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Officers  and  men  ? 

Answer.  They  are  about  all  alike.  They  all  drink,  and  drink  in  great  abun 
dance.  I  have  occasion  very  frequently  to  go  to  officers  to  get  papers  signed, 
and  documents  certified,  in  connexion  with  my  post,  and  I  frequently  have  to 
wait  an  hour  or  two  hours,  perhaps  longer.  I  have,  of  course,  to  go  to  the  in 
ferior  officers  to  get  my  papers  presented,  and  it  takes  them  a  considerable 
time  before  they  can  approach  their  superior  officers,  and  very  frequently  I 


TESTIMONY.  629 

am  detained  as  much  as  two  or  three  hours  to  get  my  papers  to  transact  my 
business  with  the  brigade. 

Question.  Is  this  dissipation  in  the  army  general,  or  is  it  confined  to  particu 
lar  divisions'? 

Answer.  I  have  been  a  great  deal  through  other  divisions,  but  I  have  seen 
nothing  like  that  existing  in  any  of  the  divisions  but  ours.  A  great  many  men 
from  other  regiments  and  divisions  come  into  ours  to  get  liquor.  The  nine 
teenth  Indiana  regiment  is  situated  about  a  half  a  mile  from  where  I  am,  and 
I  know  a  great  many  men  in  that  regiment.  In  fact,  I  know  nearly  all  of  them ; 
for  I  was  in  Camp  Morton,  at  Indianapolis,  before  I  came  away,  and  I  know  that 
many  of  them  come  over  to  our  camp  and  get  liquor,  and  go  home  intoxicated. 

Question.  They  cannot  get  it  in  their  own  division  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir.     There  are  men  from  other  regiments   who   come  there. 
There  are  a  great  many  troops  scattered  around  there,  and  when  the  men  get 
furloughs  they  come  into  our  division  and  get  what  they  want. 
By  Mr.  Julian : 

Question.  Is  there  much  drunkenness  in  the  nineteenth  Indiana  regiment  ? 

Answer.  I  do  not  think  they  have  any  intoxicating  liquor  in  that  regiment. 
I  know  the  man  who  is  the  sutler  there,  and  I  am  satisfied  that  he  is  a  strictly 
temperance  man,  and  keeps  nothing  of  the  kind. 

By  Mr.  Covode : 

Question.  Do  all  the  officers  in  your  division  keep  liquor? 
Answer.  They  all  keep  their  wines  and  brandies;  all  of  them. 
Question.  That  is,  in  General  Blenker's  division  ? 
Answer.  Yes,  sir. 
Question.  Do  they  sell  liquor! 

Answer.  They  sell  it  a  little  on  the  private ;  they  keep  it  and  do  sell  it. 
By  the  chairman : 

Question.  Do  the  sutlers  make  arrangements  to  go  snacks  in  the  profits  ? 

Answer.  It  is  the  presumption  that  the  officers  are  all  connected  with  the 
sutlers,  and  make  a  division  of  the  profits.  That  is  only  a  presumption,  how 
ever,  of  those  who  have  observed  these  things. 

By  Mr.  Covode : 

Question.  Do  you  state  that  the  number  of  men  thus  rendered  unfit  for  ser 
vice  in  this  division  amount  to  500  a  day  ? 

Answer.  1  think  it  is  safe  to  say  that  you  can  go  there  any  day  in  the  week 
and  find,  on  an  average,  500  men  in  that  division  who  you  would  say  were  unfit 
for  duty ;  enough  to  put  the  whole  division  to  flight  on  the  field  of  battle. 

Question.  Do  you  see  any  remedy  for  this  thing  ? 

Answer.  I  know  of  no  remedy  in  the  world  that  you  can  devise,  except  to 
cut  off  liquor  from  officers  and  all ;  or  to  break  up  the  division,  separate  the 
brigades  and  put  them  in  other  divisions  with  good  commanders.  There  are 
three  brigades,  in  that  division.  If  you  were  to  separate  them,  and  put  them  in 
other  divisions  with  good  commanders,  good  sober  officers,  I  think  they  would 
make  very  good  soldiers. 

By  the  chairman : 

Question.  Who  know  these  facts  besides  yourself? 

Answer.  There  are  two  other  commissaries  there  who  are  Americans,  and 
have  been  appointed  as  I  have  been.  The  soldiers  are  all  Germans.  I  do  not 
think  there  are  100  Americans  in  the  whole  division.  J.  B.  Salisbury  and  L. 
G.  Hewling  are  the  other  commissaries.  They  know  about  these  matters.  Mr. 
Salisbury  is  a  son-in-law  of  General  Jesup. 


630  TESTIMONY. 

By  Mr.  Odell : 

Question.  Who  is  your  general  ? 

Answer.  General  Bowlin  is  the  general  of  my  brigade.     He  is  a  German,  and 
acts  as  brigadier  general  of  the  third  brigade. 

Question.  General  Blenker  is  in  charge  of  the  division  ? 
Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Who  are  the  brigadier  generals  1 

Answer.  General  Bowlin  is  one ;   the  other  two  I  cannot  give  the  names  of. 
The  other  commissaries  can  give  them,  as  they  serve  under  them.     The  briga 
dier  general  of  the  second  brigade,  as  I  am  told,  is  a  sober  man,  and  would 
tladly  see  this  thing  stopped  entirely.     I  do  not  know  that  fact  myself,  but  Mr. 
alisbury,  the  commissary  of  that  brigade,  tells  me  so. 


WASHINGTON,  January  29,  18C2. 
Captain  THORNTON  SMITH  sworn  and  examined. 

By  the  chairman: 

Question.  What  is  your  rank  and  position  in  the  army. 

Answer.  I  am  quartermaster  of  the  Excelsior  brigade,  with  the  rank  of 
captain;  appointed  by  the  War  Department. 

Question.  What  do  you  know  with  regard  to  the  administration  of  affairs 
under  General  Sickles  ? 

Answer.  Previous  to  my  taking-  charge  of  the  brigade  I  was  told  by  the 
acting  quartermaster  who  had  been  assigned  to  that  dut}r  by  General 
Sickles  that  I  would  have  a  great  deal  of  trouble  with  that  brigade;  that 
the  general  and  other  officers  had  been  in  the  habit  of  getting  everything* 
they  wanted  from  the  quartermaster's  department  without  requisitions.  I 
told  him  I  should  have  no  trouble  at  all  in  that  respect,  for  they  could  not 
have  them  without  requisitions  ;  that  I  was  going  into  that  department  with 
sureties  entered  against  me  that  would  make  me  responsible.  The  first  day 
after  I  got  there  one  of  the  general's  orderlies  came  down  for  supplies  without 
a  requisition;  I  told  him  I  should  not  furnish  them  without  a  requisition. 
That  was  the  last  of  that  line,  and  requisitions  always  came  afterwards. 
When  I  began  to  look  around  to  find  the  property  that  had  been  captured 
there  from  the  rebels,  I  founcj^that  the  horse  the  general  was  riding,  a  very 
fine  white  horse,  bad  been  taken  from  a  man  of  the  name  of  Cox,  and  never 
turned  over  to  the  quartermaster's  department,  as  should  have  been  done. 
And  Doctor  Brown,  surgeon  of  the  1st  regiment,  had  got  a  horse  captured 
on  the  same  expedition,  which  he  has  sold,  arid  has  appropriated  the  proceeds 
to  his  own  use.  And  the  colonel  of  the  first  regiment  I  think  beyond  a 
doubt,  sold  me  a  horse  for  $125  that  he  traded  two  government  horses  for  to 
an  Indiana  cavalryman,  whose  name  I  do  not  know.  That  is  the  way  the 
horse  was  obtained.  I  paid  him  $125  for  the  horse.  Lieutenant  Colonel 
Potter,  of  the  2d  regiment,  captured  a  horse  down  in  Maryland,  and  sold  him 
to  Captain  Bradley,  of  his  own  regiment,  and  the  proceeds,  I  presume,  he 
appropriated  It  has  never  been  returned  to  the  department,  and  I  believe, 
to  the  best  of  my  knoweledge,  that  four-fifths  of  all  the  property  captured 
in  lower  Maryland  has  been  appropriated  by  General  Sickles  and  his  officers 
to  their  own  private  uses. 

Question.  What  amount  of  property  has  been  captured  there  ? 

Answer.  I  think  there  was  one  instance  of  a  store  out  of  which  $1,000 
worth  of  property  was  taken  and  distributed  among  the  officers,  sutlers,  &c. 
Every  man  who  could  get  his  hand  on  it  took  it. 

Question.  Do  you  now  hold  the  position  of  quartermaster  there  ? 


TESTIMONY.  631 

Answer.  I  do  not.  I  was  relieved  from  duty  there  because  General 
Sickles  had  a  man  of  his  own  choice  from  New  York  city  that  he  wished 
to  be  quartermaster.  I  was  told  when  I  was  assigned  there  that  I  could 
not  stay;  that  he  would  have  no  man  in  his  brigade  that  was  not  pliable 
enough  to  be  used  for  his  own  purposes. 

Question.  Who  told  you  that  ? 

Answer.  A  member  of  the  brigade. 

Question.  Were  you  acting  in  the  capacit}'  of  quartermaster  there  when 
this  property  was  captured  ? 

Answer.  I  was  not.     There  was  a   person  named  Gerard  who 

acted  as  quartermaster  at  that  time. 

Question.  Do  you  know  whether  any  property  that  was  captured  has  been 
returned  to  the  owners  ? 

Answer.  Some  of  it  has  been,  but  a  very  small  part  of  it. 

Question.  From  whom  was  this  property  taken  ? 

Answer.  It  was  taken  from  various  men.  There  was  one  by  the  name  of 
Cox,  who  owns  the  horse  that  General  Sickles  now  rides. 

Question.  Was  he  a  secessionist  ? 

Answer.  There  appears  to  be  no  evidence  to  that  effect.  He  still  lives 
there  in  Maryland. 

Question.  How  was  the  property  captured — in  battle  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir;  he  went  there  and  took  it.  A  farmer  will  not  stand 
out  in  the  face  of  a  parcel  of  officers  who  ride  up  and  demand  these  things. 

Question.  They  took  this  property  from  the  citizens,  without  capturing  it 
in  battle,  or  anything  of  that  sort  ? 

Answer.  Certainly.  There  have  been  no  battles  there.  There  is  one  case 
which  I  have  handed  over  to  General  Meigs,  of  the  quartermaster's  depart 
ment,  and  also  a  copy  to  the  military  committee  of  the  Senate,  of  which 
Mr.  Wilson  is  chairman.  It  is  the  case  of  a  bill  of  three  hundred  and  odd 
dollars,  of  citizens  within  three  miles  of  that  place,  against  General  Sickles 
and  Colonel  White,  for  keeping  horses  and  boarding  them,  they  telling  him 
that  the  bill  would  be  paid  by  the  quartermaster.  That  bill  has  been  sworn 
to,  and  was  presented  to  me  for  payment,  and  there  is  no  place  where  the 
brigade  has  been  but  what  the  officers  have  left  their  individual  bills  in 
that  way.  That  has  been  the  case  all  through  that  section  of  the  country, 
until  the  presence  of  the  brigade  is  dreaded,  from  the  fact  that  they  take 
what  they  want,  and  their  individual  bills  are  not  paid.  Any  of  them  will 
sign  a  voucher  for  anything  to  be  paid  for  by  the  government.  I  know  of 
one  instance  where  I  went  to  get  a  voucher  signed  for  sixteen  cords  of 
wood  where  the  first  brigade  was  located,  which  I  considered  was  the 
amount  of  fuel  burned.  The  fences  I  considered  damages  which  should  not 
go  into  the  fuel  account.  The  colonel  of  the  regiment,  who  had  not  paid 
his  individual  bill,  altered  it  from  16  to  71  cords  for  the  destroying  of  the 
fences,  and  I  do  not  know  but  what  it  may  have  been  to  remunerate  the 
man  for  his  board,  which  the  colonel  never  paid  for. 

Question.  What  do  the  people  say  or  do  when  this  property  is  taken  from 
them  ?  Do  they  make  complaints  about  it  ? 

Answer.  They  make  complaints,  but  what  redress  have  they  ?  The  War 
Department  does  not  recognize  or  assume  the  individual  bills  of  officers. 
They  will  pay  whatever  belongs  to  the  government  to  pay — whatever  is 
taken  for  government  supplies.  But  if  an  officer  or  a  soldier  goes  to  a  citi 
zen  there  and  compels  him  to  board  him  and  feed  his  horse,  and  then  goes 
away  without  paying  him,  the  citizen  has  no  redress  as  against  the  govern 
ment. 

Question.  Have  they  entered  no  complaints  here  at  the  War  Department 
against  this  mode  of  proceeding  ? 


632  TESTIMONY. 

Answer.  I  know  that  this  man  from  whom  I  have  sent  a  communication 
here  has  been  working-  with  General  McClellan  and  the  War  Department 
for  the  last  four  months,  and  he  never  has  received  a  dollar.  He  lives  at 
Good  Hope,  where  the  brigade  was  encamped,  I  think,  from  June  up  to  the 
first  of  November. 

Question.  Do  you  know  any  more  instances  of  delinquency  on  the  part  of 
General  Sickles  or  any  of  his  officers  ? 

Answer.  In  this  second  regiment,  Colonel  White,  who  has  been  in  com 
mand  of  tke  brigade  during  General  Sickles's  absence — and  he  has  been 
absent  a  month — has  had  charges  preferred  against  him  for  drunkenness, 
and  various  charges  of  that  kind.  The  lieutenant  colonel  has  had  the  same 
charge  preferred  against  him.  Three  of  the  captains  are  under  arrest  upon 
various  charges,  and  the  result  is  that  that  regiment  is  entirely  demoralized 
from  the  fact  that  there  is  hardly  an  officer  in  it  that  has  not  been  involved 
in  one  way  or  another;  and  when  you  come  to  ascertain  what  the  brigade  is 
made  of,  what  its  officers  are,  you  find  that  the  lieutenant  colonel  of  the 
second  regiment  was  one  of  those  engaged  in  the  slaver  Wanderer;  another 
colonel  was  one  of  those  in  the  Lopez  expedition  and  in  the  Walker  Nica 
ragua  expedition.  That  class  of  men  are  all  through  that  brigade  as 
officers.  So  that  their  high  moral  character  will  not  sustain  them  very  far. 

Question.  Do  slaves  come  into  the  camp  there  ? 

Answer.  There  have  some  come  in.  What  have  come  in  have  been  gen 
erally  kept  and  secreted.  There  are  slaves  there  now.  General  Sickles  has, 
I  think,  six  at  his  headquarters  that  he  uses  for  his  help.  They  were  cap 
tured  over  in  Virginia.  A  special  order  came  from  General  McClellan, 
through  General  Hooker,  to  return  them  to  the  government  ;  but  they  have 
never  been  returned,, 

Question.  To  return  them  to  the  government  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir  ;  to  send  them  up  to  Washington. 

Question.  Are  any  of  these  slaves  ever  returned  to  their  masters  ? 

Answer.  Not  that  I  know  of.  I  have  not  seen  any  that  have  been  re 
turned. 


WASHINGTON,  April  10,  1862. 
General  DANIEL  E.  SICKLES  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  chairman: 

Question.  What  is  your  rank  and  position  in  the  army,  and  where  are  you 
stationed  ? 

Answer.  I  have  commanded  a  brigade  on  the  Lower  Potomac,  in  the  divis 
ion  of  General  Hooker,  of  the  army  of  the  Potomac. 

Question.  How  long  have  you  been  stationed  there  ? 

Answer.  I  have  been  stationed  in  Maryland  since  September  last;  I  have 
been  upon  the  Lower  Potomac  since  the  28th  of  October  last.  On  Monday, 
the  6th  instant,  I  was  relieved  from  my  command. 

Question.  We  have  been  directed  by  the  House  of  Representatives  to  in 
quire  into  the  treatment  of  contrabands  coming  within  your  lines.  What 
has  been  the  custom  of  dealing  with  them  in  your  division,  so  far  as  you 
know  and  have  observed  ? 

Answer.  I  will,  if  you  please,  state  my  own  practice  first,  when  not  acting 
under  orders  from  superior  authority.  My  own  practice  has  been,  when  con 
trabands  came  into  my  lines  from  Virginia,  crossing  the  river,  to  examine 
them  and  obtain  what  information  that  was  practicable.  When  I  found  them 
intelligent  and  well  behaved  I  have  retained  them  in  camp,  sometimes  in 


TESTIMONY.  633 

the  quartermaster's  department,  sometimes  in  charge  of  suitable  persons 
near  my  headquarters,  that  they  might  be  employed  as  scouts  and  gukflss. 

When  those  belonging  to,  or  said  to  belong  to,  persons  in  our  own  neigh 
borhood,  or  anywhere  about  Maryland,  came  into  our  lines,  they  have  been 
subject  to  a  general  order  issued  in  September  last;  an  order  having  refer 
ence  chiefly  to  the  police  of  the  camp,  and  the  exclusion  of  persons  not  em 
ployed  in  the  army;  under  that  order  they  have  been  excluded  from  the 
camps.  Sometimes  they  would  make  their  way  back  again,  and  when  no 
objection  has  been  made  they  have  been  employed,  in  a  few  instances,  by 
officers  as  servants. 

At  first  there  were  several  applications  made  by  persons  claiming  them 
as  their  slaves,  and  when  they  were  identified  by  their  description,  applica 
tion  has  been  made  that  they  should  be  surrendered  through  the  action  of 
officers  of  my  command,  which  has  been  declined.  Bat  orders  have  been 
sent  to  the  commanding  officers  of  the  several  camps  that,  if  such  described 
persons  were  within  the  lines,  they  should,  under  the  operation  of  the  gene 
ral  order  to  which  I  have  already  adverted,  be  excluded  from  the  camps,  and 
let  whoever  might  have  a  claim  to  them  assert  that  claim  before  the  civil 
tribunals  of  Maryland. 

That  is,  as  succinctly  as  I  can  state  it,  the  course  I  have  pursued  in 
my  own  command  in  reference  to  those  two  classes  of  cases,  and  I  think  we 
have  had  no  contrabands  within  my  lines  except  those'  from  Virginia  and 
those  from  Maryland. 

Question.  From  whence  did  that  general  order  emanate  to  which  you  have ' 
referred  ? 

Answer.  I  will  now  proceed  and  state  the  orders  upon  the  subject  of  con 
trabands  that  have  come  from  the  headquarters  of  the  army  of  the  Potomac, 
and  those  that  have  come  from  the  headquarters  of  that  division.  I  have 
received  no 'orders  recently  from  the  headquarters  of  the  army  of  the  Poto 
mac.  In  September  and  October  last,  and  perhaps  as  late  as  November,  in 
two  or  three  instances  orders  came  from  the  headquarters  of  the  army  of 
the  Potomac,  directing  that  such  and  such  persons,  naming  them,  claiming 
to  have  slaves  within  one  of  my  camps,  the  camp  being  generally  named, 
should  be  permitted  to  search  the  camp  and  reclaim  their  slaves.  I  ad 
dressed  a  communication  in  regard  to  the  most  important  case  that  occurred, 
five  or  six  persons  being  claimed,  stating  that  such  steps  would  be  likely  to 
lead  to  disorder  and  mischief  in  the  camps;  because  in  several  instances 
the  sympathies  of  the  men  have  been  excited  by  seeing  slaves,  reclaimed 
under  such  circumstances,  very  harshly  treated.  I  recommended  to  the 
headquarters  of  the  army  of  the  Potomac  the  other  practice,  which  I  have 
just  described  as  the  one  pursued  by  myself;  that  I  should  be  permitted  to 
send  the  descriptions  of  the  persons  to  the  camps  with  instructions  that,  as 
in  the  case  of  all  other  camp  followers  not  claiming  to  belong  to  the  army, 
they  should  be  put  outside  of  the  lines,  thus  relieving  the  military  authori 
ties  of  any  action  in  the  premises,  any  identification  with  the  surrender.  ' 
That  course  was  acquiesced  in,  and  I  was  authorized  to  pursue  that  course 
in  the  future. 

By  Mr.  Wright: 

Question.  Was  that  communication  sent  to  General  McClellan  ? 
Answer.  Yes,  sir;  through  his  adjutant  general. 

By  the  chairman: 

Question.  How  late  was  that  order  ? 

Answer.  I  think  it  must  have  been  in  October.  I  will  now  pass  to  the 
action  at  the  division  headquarters  in  the  division  to  which  I  was  assigned 


634  TESTIMONY, 

in  October— the  latter  part  of  October,  I  think — since  which  time  I  have 
had  no  direct  correspondence  with  the  headquarters  of  the  army  of  the 
Potomac  upon  the  subject.  When  I  was  assigned  to  the  division  of  course 
my  own  relation  was  to  the  division  commander  alone.  The  practice  of  the 
division  has  been  to  give  to  Maryland  claimants — Maryland  owners — letters, 
partaking  something  of  the  nature  of  safeguards  and  something  of  the  nature 
of  orders,  to  the  commanding  officers  of  brigades  and  regiments.  I  have 
one  in  my  pocket  now,  which  will  indicate  the  nature  of  the  practice.  The 
purport  of  the  last  was  this,  and  they  are  all  pretty  much  alike:  Orders 
would  be  given  to  John  Doe  and  Richard  Roe  to  visit  any  of  the  camps  in 
the  division,  with  direction  to  the  commanding  officers  of  the  several  camps 
to  permit  those  persons  to  pass  freely  through  the  camps  to  search  for  their 
slaves,  with  leave,  upon  their  identifying  them,  to  take  them  away,  and 
with  instructions  that  if  any  officer  or  man  interfered  he  should  be  reported 
to  division  headquarters.  These  orders  were  not  promulgated  through  the 
regular  military  channel,  but  were  placed  in  the  hands  of  those  persons 
themselves,  and  they  bore  them  to  the  different  camps. 

Question.  From  whom  did  they  emanate  ? 

Answer.  From  the  division  commander,  General  Hooker.  My  attention 
was  called  to  it  in  the  first  instance  by  the  commanding  officer  of  the  first 
regiment  in  my  brigade.  I  had  no  official  knowledge  of  the  matter  before. 
It  was  late  in  February  or  early  in  March  that  my  attention  was  first 
formally  called  to  an  order  of  that  kind.  I  gave  directions  that  if  any  such 
orders  again  came  to  camp  the  persons  bearing  it  should  be  sent  to  me 
before  any  steps  were  taken  under  it.  Some  two  weeks  ago,  as  I  was  visit 
ing  my  camps  for  the  purpose,  I  think,  of  inspecting  the  3d  regiment  in  the 
bayonet  exercise,  as  I  was  approaching  the  camp  of  the  2d  regiment  I 
heard  a  couple  of  pistol  shots,  and,  upon  looking  towards  the  quarter  in 
which  they  were  fired,  I  saw  a  number  of  persons  mounted,  and  one  of  them 
firing  towards  the  woods.  I  sent  an  officer  to  learn  what  it  meant;  and, 
observing  that  a  large  collection  of  soldiers  had  gathered  together  in  the 
camp,  I  put  spurs  to  my  horse  and  hastened  up  to  see  what  was  the  cause 
of  the  excitement.  As  soon  as  I  entered  the  camp  the  commanding  officer 
present,  in  response  to  my  inquiry,  informed  me  that  a  party  of  men  were 
in  the  camp  hunting  for  negroes,  while  another  party  were  waiting  outside, 
and  that  there  was  great  excitement  in  camp  in  consequence.  He  reported 
to  me  immediately,  before  I  got  the  reply  from  the  officer  I  had  sent  for 
information,  that  the  firing  was  from  some  of  the  party  outside  upon  some 
negroes  who  had  left  the  camp,  gone  outside  of  the  lines,  and  flew  towards 
the  woods,  and  that  the  soldiers  were  very  much  exasperated,  as  I  could 
myself  see.  I  asked  by  what  authority  these  men  were  admitted  within  the 
lines,  and  an  order  from  General  Hooker  was  produced,  permitting  nine  of 
them  to  enter  the  camp  for  that  purpose.  There  'were  a  great  many  more 
than  nine  present.  I  should  think  there  were  some  fifteen  or  twenty  there, 
all  mounted,  but  only  nine  had  been  admitted  within  the  lines.  Three  or 
four  of  them  were  passing  up  and  down  the  company  streets,  while  the 
others  had  dismounted  and  were  examining  the  company  quarters.  I  imme 
diately  directed  the  commanding  officer  to  give  orders  to  the  officer  of  the 
day  to  expel  these  men  from  the  carnp,  and  not  again  permit  them  to  enter 
it;  and,  upon  his  calling  my  attention  to  the  peremptory  nature  of  the  order, 
and  the  responsibility  which  would  be  imposed  upon  him,  I  relieved  him 
from  that  responsibility  and  told  him  to  report  that  what  he  did  was  done 
by  my  orders,  so  that,  of  course,  whatever  responsibility  was  to  be  taken 
about  it  would  fall  upon  myself.  The  order  was  immediately  obeyed,  and 
the  men  were  put  outside  of  the  lines;  and  I  gave  directions  that  if  they 
should  return  upon  that  or  any  similar  mission  to  say  that  by  my  directions 


TESTIMONY.  635 

they  could  not  be  admitted.  I  have  heard  nothing  further  since*  that  occur 
rence. 

Question.  How  long  ago  was  that? 

Answer.  I  should  say  that  it  was  about  a  couple  of  weeks  since — some 
time  in  the  latter  part  of  March.  Then  there  was  another  order,  the  last 
one  in  reference  to  contrabands.  It  was  a  portion  of  the  order  for  our 
embarcation.  I  was  directed  on  Sunday  evening  last  to  embark  my  com 
mand  on  board  transports  and  there  wait  marching  orders.  On  Sunday 
evening  I  got  three  regiments  on  board.  On  Monday,  while  waiting  trans 
ports  for  the  other  two  regiments,  I  received  an  order  relieving  me  from  my 
command  of  that  brigade.  What  has  been  subsequent  to  that  I  do  not 
know.  The  part  of  the  order  for  embarcation  to  which  I  refer  is  as  fol 
lows: 

"  Under  no  circumstances  will  officers  or  men  having  slaves,  owned  in  the 
secession  States,  permit  them  to  embark  with  the  troops,  but  will  direct 
that  they  be  left  at  the  depots,  where  they  will  be  protected.  It  is  in  viola 
tion  of  the  laws  of  the  land  to  use  them  for  private  purposes.  JNor  will 
those  having  slaves  owned  in  Maryland,  for  that  is  pillage.  Commanders 
of  brigades  will  see  that  every  part  of  this  order  is  rigidly  observed." 

Under  that  order  I  directed  the  quartermaster  of  my  brigade,  Captain 
Austin,  as  part  of  the  duty  of  embarking  the  troops  which  was  confided  to 
his  superintendence,  to  be  present  at  the  wharf  and  to  see  that  no  negroes 
embarked  on  board  the  vessels  except  the  private  servants  of  officers; 
and  in  case  others  should  attempt  to  go  on  board  to  detain  them,  subject  to 
such  orders  as  might  emanate  from  me  or  through  me;  either  emanating 
from  myself,  or  emanating  from  superior  authority,  and  communicated 
from  me. 

Question.  Who  signed  that  order  which  you  have  read  ? 

Answer.  It  was  from  General  Hooker,  signed  "William  H.  Lawrence,  A. 
D.  C."  After  rny  brigade  had  commenced  to  embark,  Mr.  Posey,  Mr.  Mason, 
and  several  other  persons,  residing  in  that  vicinity — men  of  known  sympa 
thy  with  the  enemy,  one  or  two  of  whom,  Posey  in  particular,  had  been 
under  arrest — came  down  and  asked  permission  to  go  on  board  the  vessels 
and  search  for  negroes.  I  declined  to  give  the  permission.  They  then 
asked  permission  to  reclaim  such  as  might  be  in  the  quartermaster's  depart 
ment,  stating  that  they  had  been  sent  there  for  that  purpose.  But  they 
showed  no  written  authority  to  that  effect.  They  were  among  the  persons 
whom  I  had  seen  at  the  camp  of  the  2d  regiment,  and  ordered  to  be  expelled 
from  the  camp  I  declined  to  give  that  permission  to  them,  and  referred 
them  to  General  Hooker.  I  told  them  that  I  had  no  orders  upon  that  sub 
ject,  and  could  not  take  any  action  of  my  own  authority.  The  following 
morning  I  was  relieved  from  command,  and  of  course  know  nothing  of  what 
steps  may  have  been  taken  since  in  the  matter.  Captain  Austin,  I  think,  is 
still  at  Liverpool  Point;  at  least,  my  orders  were  for  him  to  remain  there 
and  see  to  the  embarcation  of  the  two  remaining  regiments,  and  the  care 
of  the  public  property,  and  then  to  follow  the  troops.  Perhaps,  in  order  to 
give  you  fully  everything  that  bears  upon  the  subject,  I  ought  not  to  pass 
over  some  steps  and  some  correspondence  that  took  place  in  December  last, 
I  think,  upon  this  subject.  I  had  a  regiment  encamped  lower  down  on  the 
peninsula,  part  of  the  time  at  Port  Tobacco  and  part  of  the  time  at  Pope's 
Creek — the  fifth  regiment  of  my  command — under  Colonel  Graham.  I  re 
ceived  several  applications  from  citizens  requesting  me  to  issue  orders  to 
that  regiment  to  permit  them  to  go  in  the  camp  and  search  for  and  take 
their  negroes.  That  neighborhood  was  a  very  strong  secession  neighbor 
hood.  It  was  the  principal  point  where  communication  was  carried  on  ^be 
tween  Maryland  and  Virginia,  by  way  of  Matthias  Point.  And  the  object 


636  TESTIMONY. 

• 

of  stationing  the  regiment  there  was  to  intercept  that  communication  and 
break  it  off.  A  number  of  persons  who  owned  boats  there,  and  were  en 
gaged  in  ferrying  across,  were  arrested  by  my  orders  and  sent  to  Washing 
ton.  And  a  number  of  negroes,  employed  by  their  masters  in  that  business, 
were  taken  by  me  and  detained.  Two  of  those  negroes,  belonging  to  Henry 
Ferguson,  I  was  directed  by  General  Hooker  to  return  to  him.  This  Fergu 
son  was  himself  in  Virginia  when  I  took  possession  of  the  negroes,  had 
abandoned  his  place  in  Maryland  and  been  in  Virginia  for  some  months. 
And  these  negroes,  who  were  very  intelligent,  had  been,  according  to  their 
own  testimony  and  the  testimony  of  neighbors  there,  employed  in  ferrying 
persons  and  goods  over  into  Virginia  from  Ferguson's  Point,  which  was 
still  further  down  the  peninsula.  I  remonstrated  against  the  order  to  give 
these  men  up,  in  a  written  communication,  in  which  I  set  forth  the  facts  I 
have  stated  here,  and  the  grounds  upon  which  they  had  been  taken;  that 
they  had  been  employed  by  their  master  in  acts  of  disloyalty,  and  I  thought 
they  should  not  be  returned.  First,  because,  if  they  were,  I  thought  they 
would  be  so  employed  again  to  our  detriment;  and,  second,  that  if  they 
were  to  be  regarded  as  property,  I  considered  that  they  were  confiscated 
as  property,  having  been  used  in  aid  of  the  rebellion.  I  requested  that  my 
communication  should  be  forwarded  to  the  headquarters  of  the  army  of-  the 
Potomac  to  be  considered  there. 

In  reply,  I  was  informed  by  General  Hooker  that  his  own  instructions 
from  the  headquarters  of  the  army  of  the  Potomac  left  him  no  discretion  in 
the  premises,  but  the  men  must  be  immediately  surrendered  to  their  owner. 
The  owner,  Mr.  Ferguson,  had  called  for  them,  and  I  had  told  him  that  I 
could  not  act  in  the  case  at  that  moment,  because  I  had  addressed  a  commu 
nication  which  I  hoped  would  be  forwarded  to  the  headquarters  of  the  army 
of  the  Potomac,  and  until  action  was  had  upon  it  I  should  not  proceed.  ,  I 
received  General  Hooker's  answer,  stating  that  his  instructions  left  him  no 
discretion.  I  sent  for  the  negroes,  and  told  them  I  could  protect  them  no 
longer.  I  gave  them  a  small  gratuity,  and  told  them  to  go  their  way.  They 
returned  home,  as  I  afterwards  understood,  and  again  came  to  my  camp  some 
ten  or  twelve  days  ago.  They  stated,  and  their  statement  was  corroborated 
by  other  information  that  I  had  from  different  sources,  that  Mr.  Ferguson 
and  several  other  slaveholders  in  that  neighborhood  were  sending  their 
slaves  over  into  Virginia  to  work  upon  the  military  works  of  the  enemy  on 
the  Rappahannock  and  at  Richmond.  I  told  my  quartermaster  to  receive 
those  men  and  take  care  of  them,  and  I  suppose  they  are  still  with  him. 
Other  applications  were  made  to  me  by  citizens  in  the  neighborhood  of  Port 
Tobacco,  requesting  me  to  interfere  and  direct  the  surrender  of  contrabands 
who  were  in  the  camps,  that  had  been,  as  I  had  been  informed,  taken  pos 
session  of  lest  they  might  be  similarly  employed  with  those  I  have  men 
tioned.  But  I  declined  to  interfere,  for  the  reasons  I  have  given,  and  also 
because  one  of  the  residents  of  that  neighborhood,  a  Mr.  Samuel  Cox,  had 
obtained  possession  of  one  of  his  negroes  from  that  camp,  not  through  any 
order  of  mine,  but  through  the  action  of  one  of  the  officers  present  on  duty 
in  the  camp,  and  had  subjected  him  to  very  brutal  treatment,  from  which,  as 
it  was  stated  from  very  respectable  authority,  he  had  died.  Those  circum 
stances  produced  a  great  deal  of  excitement  and  feeling  in  the  5th  regiment, 
which  was  located  in  the  neighborhood,  and  it  was  not  safe  for  any  of  these 
claimants  to  go  into  the  camps  for  their  negroes. 

Question.  Do  you  recollect  the  name  of  the  contraband  said  to  be  abused 
in  that  way  by  Cox  ? 

Answer.  I  do  not  recollect  the  name.  The  matter  has  been  referred  to 
several  times  in  the  newspapers.  He  belonged  to  this  Samuel  Cox,  who  was 
in  Virginia  when  I  was  first  ordered  into  the  lower  part  of  Maryland.  I 


TESTIMONY.  63? 

have  been  ordered  down  there  twice.  When  I  was  myself  in  command,  I 
was  ordered  down  by  General  McClellan  to  make  a  very  thorough  recon- 
noissance  in  person  of  all  the  lower  part  of  Maryland.  That  was  in  Sep 
tember  last.  At  that  lime  I  was  informed  that  Cox  commanded  a  company 
of  cavalry  there,  and  that  a  portion  of  his  company  had  gone  with  him  over 
into  Virginia. 

Question.  He  was  a  secessionist  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir,  openly  and  avowedly  one.  At  that  time  it  was  ex 
pected  that  Maryland  would  take  part  in  the  secession  movement.  The 
election  had  not  taken  place  in  Maryland,  and  especially  that  part  of  the 
State  was  in  a  very  unsettled  condition,  and  was  there  placed  under  mili 
tary  occupation.  It  was  before  the  arrest  of  the  secession  legislature,  all 
f  the  members  of  which  from  that  part  of  the  State  were  afterwards  arrested. 
Uox  and  a  number  of  other  persons  were  looked  after,  and  if  we  could  have 
found  them  we  should  have  arrested  them  and  sent  them  up  here.'  This 
negro  in  question  was  one  of  those  who  had  been  employed  by  him  for  sim 
ilar  disloyal  purposes  as  those  of  Ferguson's.  I  did  not  hear  anything  of 
the  circumstances  of  the  surrender  of  this  man  to  Cox  until  it  was  reported 
to  me  in  connexion  with  the  barbarous  treatment  he  received,  and  its  fatal 
consequences.  I  made  inquiries  of  some  of  the  neighbors,  who  were  reputed 
to  be  Union  men,  as  to  the  truth  of  the  occurrence,  and  they  denied  it  ;  they 
said  it  was  not  true  ;  that  one  of  Cox's  men  had  died.  They  described  him 
to  be  a  bad  fellow,  the  one  who  had  died,  and  said  that  perhaps  he  may 
have  been  flogged  ;  but  they  denied  that  it  was  done  by  Cox  himself  ;  for 
they  insisted  that  Cox  was  not  there.  They  said  that  the  excitement  about 
it  they  thought  had  proceeded  to  a  great  extent  from  false  statements. 
My  course  about  it,  however,  was  predicated  upon  the  fact  that  the  men 
believed. that  it  had  occurred.  I  received  a  sharp  communication  from  Gen 
eral  Hooker,  stating  that  a  number  of  citizens  in  that  part  of  Maryland  had 
complained  to  him  that  the  officers  of  the  5th  regiment  would  not  permit 
them  to  come  within  their  camp  and  reclaim  their  runaways;  and  express 
ing  his  surprise  that  any  of  the  officers  of  his  command  should  be  so  derelict 
in  their  duty  as  to  refuse  them  this  privilege.  I  replied  in  writing,  and 
stated  that  this  duty  was  an  extremely  disagreeable  one;  that  it  was  very 
odious  to  that  regiment;  that  the  men  and  officers  were  from  eastern  States, 
some  of  them  from  New  England,  some  from  New  Jersey,  and  some  from 
New  York;  and  that  the  practice,  if  persisted  in,  would  lead  to  very  serious 
and  unpleasant  events  in  the  regiment.  And  stating  also  that  under  these 
circumstances  I  had  declined  to  issue  any  orders  to  the  regiment,  with  the 
view  to  either  a  surrender  of  negroes  or  to  permit  the  owners  to  go  within 
the  camps;  and  that  if  any  further, orders  were  issued  upon  the  subject  the 
responsibility  must  be  assumed  by  higher  authority  than  myself.  And  there 
the  matter  remained  from  that  time. 

What  few  loyal  people  there  were  about  Port  Tobacco  united  in  a  written 
communication  to  rne,  speaking  in  the  highest  terms  of  the  conduct  of  this 
regiment;  the  protection  it  had  afforded  to  them;  the  order  that  had  been 
observed  about  the  camp;  and  assuming  that  I  had  authority  in  the  matter 
to  order  the  regiment  back  there — this  was  after  it  had  been  called  away — 
requesting  me  to  send  the  regiment  back.  I  had  no  authority  to  do  so,  as  I 
had  recalled  the  regiment  back  to  Liverpool  Point  in  pursuance  to  orders 
from  division  headquarters,  and  there  it  ended. 

Question.  Do  you  remember  the  name  of  the  officer  who  surrendered  this 
man  to  Cox  ? 

Answer.  He  was  a  lieutenant.  This  man,  as  I  understood,  was  employed 
as  a  private  servant;  his  capture,  or  the  possession  taken  of  him,  had  not 
been  reported  to  headquarters.  I  had  no  official  cognizance  of  the  fact  that 


638  TESTIMONY. 

he  was  in  the  camp.  That  officer  resigned  soon  afterwards;  he  is  not  now 
in  the  service.  Colonel  Graham,  at  the  time,  was  under  arrest  and  was  in 
Washington. 

Colonel  Graham  had  shortly  previous  to  that  time  crossed  over  into  Vir 
ginia  and  scoured  out  Matthias  Point  pretty  thoroughly,  and  had  destroyed 
a  house  there  which  was  occupied  by  the  enemy's  pickets — some  of  his  men 
had  done  so.  It  was  a  house  which  the  flotilla  had  shelled  several  times, 
but  had  failed  to  set  it  on  fire.  It  was  a  house  used  by  the  enemy  for  two 
purposes — for  the  protection  of  their  pickets,  and  for  purposes  of  signal 
ling.  Signalling  was  going  on  all  the  time  from  the  Maryland  shore.  The 
destruction  of  this  house  was  contrary  to  the  orders  from  the  headquar 
ters  of  the  army  of  the  Potomac.  In  his  official  report,  Colonel  Graham 
failed  to  state  that  it  had  been  occupied  by  the  enemy  for  military  purposes, 
and  that  was  what  led  to  his  arrest.  He  was  in  Washington  for  some  days, 
arid  upon  his  explanation  of  the  matter  he  was  relieved  from  arrest  and  re 
turned  to  duty.  It  was  in  his  absence  that  this  lieutenant  allowed  this  man 
to  be  taken. 

Question.  It  was  stated  in  the  papers  that  this  negro  man  had  given  you 
information  as  to  where  military  stores  had  been  secreted  by  the  enemy  ? 

Answer.  I  have  always  found  these  contrabands  very  willing  to  tell  all 
they  knew,  and  sometimes  they  told  what  they  thought  they  knew,  but  what 
they  did  not  know.  I  could  not  learn  that  this  man  had  ever  furnished  any  in 
formation  to  any  officers  of  the  5th  regiment.  But  it  is  very  likely  that 
when  I  first  went  down  in  the  lower  part  of  Maryland  and  took  the  1st 
regiment  down,  he  m&y  have  been  one  of  the  persons  who  communicated 
information  to  the  colonel  of  that  regiment.  His  instructions  were  to  look 
after  arms.  A  great  many  arms  had  been  buried  by  the  secessionists  to 
escape  seizure,  which,  it  was  supposed,  were  intended  to  be  carried  over  into 
Virginia  as  rapidly  as  opportunity  presented.  Many  of  these  arms  had 
been  furnished  by  the  State  of  Maryland  soon  after  the  John  Brown  affair; 
and  that  part  of  the  State  was  very  thoroughly  armed.  Those  arms  were 
used  afterwards  in  the  organizations  got  up  in  aid  of  the  rebellion.  Some 
companies  were  organized  there  with  a  view  to  service  in  the  State  in  case 
Maryland  seceded.  When  that  proved  abortive,  as  many  as  possible  were 
got  over  into  Virginia  to  swell  the  Maryland  contingent  there.  We  searched 
very  faithfully  for  these  arms,  and  we  found  a  great  many.  Nearly  all  the 
information  we  got  in  reference  to  them  we  got  from  negroes.  The  Union 
men  there  had  no  knowledge  upon  the  subject,  or  were  under  so  much  terror 
that  they  were  afraid  to  communicate. 

Question.  You  speak  of  some  higher  authority  in  this  matter  ;  do  you 
refer  to  General  McClellan  ? 

Answer.  The  authority  to  which  I  w^fe  immediately  subject  of  course 
would  be  my  immediate  commander,  General  Hooker;  when,  however,  occa 
sion  would  justify  it,  in  a  matter  of  any  grave  importance,  it  would  be  pro 
per  for  me  always  to  apply  through  him,  in  an  open  letter,  to  the  head 
quarters  of  the  army  of  the  Potomac,  which  would  be  the  chief  authority 
which  I  could  address  upon  the  subject. 

Question.  Did  you  ever  make  these  practices  known  to  the  headquarters 
here,  to  General  McClellan,  in  any  communication  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir. 

Question.  You  spoke  of  the  barbarous  treatment  these  men  had  received 
sometimes  when  they  had  been  surrendered  ;  what  can  you  state  about  that 
more  than  you  have  already  stated  ? 

Answer.  Lieutenant  Colonel  Benedict  reported  to  me  one  or  two  instances 
that  had  come  under  his  notice,  where  the  Maryland  owners  had  obtained 
possession  of  their  slaves,  and  would  immediately  set  to  work  flogging  them 


TESTIMONY.  639 

in  view  of  the  troops  ;  and  the  result  would  be  that  the  soldiers  would  go 
out  and  rescue  the  negro,  and  in  some  instances  would  thrash  the  masters. 
That,  of  course,  would  lead  to  a  great  deal  of  excitement,  and  the  result  was 
that  it  was  impossible  to  send  any  communication  of  the  kind  to  any  of  the 
camps  of  that  regiment.  One  or  two  such  instances  of  that  kind  had  oc 
curred  there.  It  was  a  regiment  of  excellent  soldiers,  but  they  were  reso 
lute,  desperate  men  ;  they  were  all  firemen  of  .New  York  city — the  2d 
'regiment  of  Fire  Zouaves — and  they  came  to  the  conclusion — without  any 
efforts  on  the  part  of  the  officers,  for  I  think,  even  if  they  had  been  disposed 
to  exert  their  authority,  they  could  not  have  changed  it — they  came  to  the 
conclusion  that  they  would  not  permit  any  man  to  come  within  their  lines 
upon  a  similar  mission.  It  was  because  I  had  understood  from  officers  and 
( others  that  this  was  the  sentiment  of  the  troops  that  I  was  led,  at  an 
"•early  day,  to  study  the  question  very  carefully,  in  order  to  ascertain  as 
nearly  as  I  could  the  exact  limitations  of  my  duty,  and  I  came  to  this  con 
clusion,  and  it  has  governed  my  own  action  ever  since  :  I  came  to  the  con 
clusion  that  the  rendition  of  fugitive  slaves  was  strictly  a  civil  proceeding. 
I  have  always  regarded  it  as  a  matter  of  constitutional  obligation,  as  a  civil 
proceeding,  and  to  be  faithfully  obeyed  within  that  limit  as  a  judicial  pro 
ceeding  ;  but  that  the  civil  authority  could  take  no  steps  in  aid  of  it,  except 
in  one  contingency,  and  that  was  in  aid  of  civil  process,  when  in  the  hands 
of  the  United  States  marshal.  I  had  determined  in  my  own  mind  that 
whenever  the  question  should  arise,  so  that  I  could  present  it  in  a  proper 
form,  I  would  take  that  ground,  await  orders  through  the  proper  military 
channel  directing  me  to  place  an  indicated  amount  of  force  at  the  disposal 
of  the  United  States  marshal;  such  an  order  I  would  not  have  felt  at  liberty 
to  disregard;  but  in  no  other  case,  or  under  any  other  circumstances,  would 
I  carry  out  such  orders. 

Question.  You  spoke  of  some  orders  of  General  Hooker  directing  that 
certain  men,  who  were  disloyal,  should  be  permitted  to  go  into  their  camp 
and  search  for  their  men. 

Answer.  Some  of  them  were  disloyal. 

Question.  Was  any  inquiry  made  as  to  that  matter  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir;  not  that  I  know  of.  I  know  that  Posey  was  under  ar 
rest  in  Washington  for  some  time,  for  using  his  house  as  a  signal  station  for 
the  enemy. 

Question.  Could  not  these  men  obtain  all  the  information  they  desired  for 
the  enemy,  if  they  were  allowed  to  go  into  your  camps  in  that  way  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  that  was  the  reason  I  assigned  to  Colonel  Toler,  and 
others,  in  reference  to  these  persons,  that  I  believed  them  to  be  dangerous 
as  sp:es. 

Question.  One  would  suppose  that  General  Hooker  must  have  known  that 
he  could  not  have  prevented  information  in  regard  to  our  condition  getting 
to  the  enemy  while  these  things  were  being  allowed  ? 

Answer.  The  probability  is,  that  the  enemy  were  never  at  a  loss  to  know 
the  exact  number  of  the  troops  that  we  had  there.  The  population  surround 
ing  us  was  so  hostile,  and  the  means  of  •communicating  by  signal  lights 
across  the  river  into  Virginia,  along  such  an  extended  peninsula,  were  so 
numerous,  that  I  suppose  they  were  always  pretty  well  informed;  and  of 
course  the  permission  to  persons  to  go  in  and  come  out  of  our  lines  so  fre 
quently  would  be  dangerous,  if  we,  for  instance,  should  have  just  received 
marching  orders,  as  we  recently  had  oi'ders  to  proceed  down  the  Potomac, 
to  Fortress  Monroe,  or  anywhere  else,  or  if  we  were  about  starting  an  expe 
dition,  a  reconnoissance,  or  what  not.  We  were  always  advised  to  take  the 
utmost  precaution  to  prevent  the  enemy  obtaining  information;  and  the  per- 


640  TESTIMONY 

mission  to  disloyal  persons  to  come  in  and  go  out  of  our  lines  was  liable  to 
very  dangerous  abuse  in  that  point  of  view. 

Question.  Congress  some  time  ago  enacted  an  additional  article  of  war, 
making  it  a  penal  offence  for  officers  to  surrender  fugitive  slaves — an  offence 
for  which,  upon  conviction,  they  were  to  be  deprived  of  their  offices.  Has 
that  order  been  communicated  to  your  command  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir. 

Question.  It  never  has  been  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir.  I  know  of  it  unofficially,  only,  from  having  seen  it  in 
the  newspapers.  To  receive  it  formally  I  would  receive  it  through  division 
headquarters. 

Question.  It  would  come  that  way  officially? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  And  it  never  has  come  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir. 

By  Mr.  Julian  : 

Question.  It  is  known  in  the  army  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir,  unofficially,  as  a  newspaper  fact;  as  we  read  the  pro 
ceedings  of  Congress.  The  regular  official  way  is  to  communicate  such 
matters  in  a  general  order.  We  have  never  been  officially  notified  of  any 
such  article. 

By  the  chairman  : 

Question.  Is  it  not  customary  to  communicate  to  the  army  an  order  so 
important  as  that,  one  affecting  so  vitally  the  action  of  the  officers  of  the 
army  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  promptly.  Tae  announcement  in  the  public  journals 
that  Congress  had  passed  that  article  of  war  was  very  gratifying  to  my 
command  at  least,  for  it  relieved  us  from  very  great  embarrassment — relieved 
us  from  carrying  out  an  order  which  ran  counter  to  the  feeling  of  our  troops, 
whose  feelings  were  always  keenly  aroused  whenever  any  of  these  scenes 
occurred.  It  was  rumored  on  board  the  transports  where  I  had  put  three 
regiments  that  these  persons  were  to  be  sent  on  board  on  Monday  with  per 
mission  to  search  the  transports  for  their  people.  But  my  officers  were  of 
the  opinion  that  if  they  came  they  would  be  thrown  into  the  river,  and  that 
no  possible  exertion  of  the  officers  could  prevent  it.  I  mention  that  only  as 
a  fact  to  indicate  the  feeling  of  the  soldiers.  I  have  never  seen  an  instance 
in  which  my  men  failed  to  obey  orders.  Perhaps,  if  they  had  been  ordered 
to  allow  these  men  to  search  they  would  obey  orders.  But  it  was  the  opin 
ion  of  the  officers  that  most  serious  consequences  would  follow.  At  all 
events,  both  for  prudential  reasons  as  well  as  for  the  execution  of  what  I 
regarded  to  be  my  duty,  the  men  were  not  permitted  to  go  on  board. 

By  Mr.  Julian  : 

Question.  I  was  told  yesterday  that  you  knew  some  officers  who  have 
openly  declared  that  they  would  not  execute  this  new  article  of  war.  Is 
that  so  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  I  know  of  one  who  has  said  so.  But  I  would  rather 
not  be  interrogated  on  that  point,  because  all  that  was  said  upon  the  sub 
ject  was  said  unofficially,  was  said  at  dinner  table  sociably,  and  it  was  said 
by  a  person  that  I  dislike,  too;  and  whose  behavior  at  the  table  was  such 
that  I  had  to  tell  him  he  was  impertinent. 

Question.  What  was  his  rank  ? 

Answer.  That  of  brigadier  general.  We  had  quite  a  discussion  on  the 
Subject,  and  it  led  to  some  unpleasant  words. 


TESTIMONY.  641 

By  the  chairman  : 

Question.  Was  he  a  West  Pointer  ? 

Answer.  He  was  reported  to  be;  I  do  not  know  myself  that  he  was. 
By  Mr.  Julian  : 

Question.  Will  you  look  at  this,  and  state  whether  it  is  a  correct  copy  of 
orders  from  your  division  headquarters  ?   [Handing  witness  a  written  paper.] 
Answer.  [Examining  the  paper.]  Yes,  sir;  I  believe  it  to  be  a  correct  copy~ 
The  paper  was  read,  as  follows: 

"  HEADQUARTERS  HOOKER'S  DIVISION, 
"  Camp  Baker,  Lower  Potomac,  Maryland,  March  26,  1862. 

:"  To  the  brigade  and  regimental  commanders  of  this  division  : 

"  Messrs.  Natty,  Gray,  Dummington,  Dent.  Adams,  Speake,  Price,  Posey, 
and  Cobey,  citizens  of  Maryland,  have  negroes  supposed  to  be  with  some  of 
the  regiments  of  this  division.  The  brigadier  general  commanding  directs 
that  they  be  permitted  to  visit  all  the  camps  of  his  command  in  search  of 
their  property,  and  if  found  that  they  be  allowed  to  take  possession  of  the 
same,  without  any  interference  whatever. 

"  Should  any  obstacle  be  thrown  in  their  way  by  any  officer  or  soldier  in 
the  division,  they  will  be  at  once  reported  by  the  regimental  commander  to 
these  headquarters. 

"  By  command  of  Brigadier  General  Hooker. 

"JOS.  DICKINSON, 
"Assistant  Adjutant  General." 

The  witness:  This  is  the  order  that  the  men  had  whom  I  ordered  out  of 
camp  at  the  time  they  fired  upon  the  negroes  there.  Several  of  these  men 
were  well-known  secessionists.  It  was  my  action  on  this  particular  order, 
I  think,  that  deprived  me  of  my  command — at  least,  I  presumed  so.  And 
one  of  the  chaplains  of  my  brigade  applied  to  me  for  official  copies  of  some 
of  these  orders,  which  I  directed  my  adjutant  to  give  him;  at  which  General 
Hooker  was  very  indignant.  Notwithstanding  the  action  of  the  Senate  upon 
my  nomination  as  brigadier  general,  I  was  still  in  command,  as  the  senior 
colonel  of  the  brigade,  and  expected  to  continue  as  senior  colonel  commanding 
the  brigade.  But  I  was  relieved  from  my  command  on  Monday  last  by 
General  Hooker.  It  was  the  impression  of  my  officers  that  I  was  relieved 
in  consequence  of  my  action  on  this  order.  Of  course,  however,  that  is 
mere  conjecture.  The  reason  assigned  by  General  Hooker  was  that  my 
nomination  as  brigadier  general  had  not  been  confirmed.  That  would  have 
been  a  sufficient  reason  to  relieve  me  from  the  command  of  the  brigade  if 
another  brigadier  general  had  been  appointed  to  take  command  of  it.  But 
until  then  I  was  entitled  to  continue  in  command  of  it,  as  senior  colonel. 

Question.  Do  you  know  the  document  of  which  this  purports  to  be  a  copy  ? 
[Handing  witness  a  paper.] 

Answer.  [Examining  it.]  Yes,  sir;  this  is  the  official  report  of  Major  Toler 
to  my  adjutant  of  the  occurrences  to  which  I  have  referred. 

The  paper  was  read,  as  follows: 

"  HEADQUARTERS  2o  REGIMENT  EXCELSIOR  BRIGADE, 

"  Camp  Hall,  March  27,  1862. 

"  LIEUTENANT:  In  compliance  with  verbal  directions  from  Brigadier  General 
D.  E.  Sickles  to  report  as  to  the  occurrence  at. this  camp  on  the  afternoon  of 
the  26th  instant,  I  beg  leave  to  submit  the  following: 

"  At  about  3.30  o'clock  p.  m.,  March  26th,  1862,  admission  within  our  lines 
was  demanded  by  a  party  of  horsemen,  (civilians,)  numbering  perhaps  fifteen. 
*  Part  iii 41 


642  TESTIMONY. 

They  presented  the  lieutenant  commanding  the  guard  with  an  order  of  entrance 
from  Brigadier  General  Hooker,  commanding  division,  [copy  appended,]  the 
order  stating  that  nine  men  should  be  admitted.  I  ordered  that  the  balance 
of  the  party  should  remain  without  the  lines,  which  was  done.  Upon  the 
appearance  of  the  others,  there  was  visible  dissatisfaction  and  considerable 
murmuring  among  the  soldiers — to  so  great  an  extent  that  I  almost  feared 
for  the  safety  of  the  slave  owners.  At  this  time  General  Sickles  opportunely 
arrived,  and  instructed  me  to  order  them  outside  the  camp,  which  I  did, 
amidst  the  loud  cheers  of  our  soldiers. 

"  It  is  proper  to  add  that  before  entering  our  lines,  and  when  within  seventy- 
five  or  one  hundred  yards  of  our  camp,  one  of  their  number  discharged  two 
pistol  shots  at  a  negro,  who  was  running  past  them,  with  an  evident  intention 
of  taking  his  life.  This  justly  enraged  our  men. 

"  All  of  which  is  respectfully  submitted. 
"  Your  obedient  servant, 

"JOHN  TOLER, 
"Major  Commanding  2d  Eegiment  Excelsior  Brigade. 

11  Lieutenant  J.  L.  PALMER, 

"Aide-de-Camp  and  Acting  Assistant  Adjutant  General" 

Question.  That  is  a  correct  copy  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  I  directed  Major  Toler  to  report  to  me  officially  what 
had  occurred,  and  my  adjutant  would  be  the  channel  through  which  he  would 
do  it. 

By  the  chairman: 

Question.  Have  you  been  able  to  obtain  valuable  information  from  these 
contrabands  who  have  come  into  your  camp  ? 

Answer.  The  most  valuable  and  reliable  information  of  the  enemy's  move 
ments  in  our  vicinity  that  we  have  been  able  to  get  we  have  derived  from 
negroes  who  have  come  into  our  lines,  they  have  been  frequently  employed 
by  me  as  scouts,  sometimes  singly  and  sometimes  in  parties  of  two  or  three. 
Sometimes  they  have  been  sent  as  guides  with  our  troops  when  it  was  not 
deemed  proper  to  hazard  them  unattended;  and  they  have  uniformly,  whether 
employed  as  scouts  or  guides,  proved  faithful.  In  many  instances  they  have 
proved  to  be  persons  of  remarkable  intelligence.  I  left  several  of  them  at 
my  camp,  whose  services  for  the  government  in  the  past,  and  whose  means 
of  usefulness  in  the  future,  if  we  are  to  operate  upon  the  line  of  the  Rappa- 
hannock,  in  rny  judgment,  entitle  them  to  the  particular  care  of  the  military 
authorities.  Similar  services,  if  rendered  by  white  men,  would,  according 
to  the  usages  of  the  army,  be  very  liberally  rewarded  pecuniarily. 

By  Mr.  Covode: 

Question.  Were  these  colored  men,  who  rendered  you  these  services,  slaves 
or  free  ? 

Answer.  All  of  them  slaves,  I  presume.  I  will  mention  one  instance  par 
ticularly,  where  a  colored  man  named  Jim,  the  slave  of  a  Colonel  Tayloe 
who  commands  the  cavalry  outposts  in  the  rebel  service  on  the  line  of  the 
Potomac  from  Evansport  to  Mathias  Point,  is  a  man  of  remarkable  intelli 
gence.  He  was  sent  on  a  number  of  scouting  expeditions,  both  for  the  arm}7 
and  the  navy,  for  the  Potomac  flotilla  and  for  myself.  And  one  duty  that  he 
performed  was  attended  with  so  much  danger,  and  was  performed  with  so 
much  fidelity  and  ability,  that  I  recommended  that  he  should  be  allowed  one 
hundred  dollars  for  it.  My  recommendation  was  complied  with,  and  he 
received  that  sum.  That  is  but  one  of  twenty  services  that  he  has  rendered 
the  government,  all  of  more  or  less  magnitude.  That  man  is  in  Washington 


TESTIMONY.  643 

now.     I  recommended  him  to  Lieutenant  Commanding  Samuel  McGaw  of 
the  flotilla  to  bring  up  here  with  him. 

By  Mr.  Julian: 

Question.  Do  you  know  of  any  instance  where  they  have  been  treacherous 
to  the  Union  cause  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir;  not  one.  They  exhibit  the  greatest  alacrity  and  pleasure 
in  showing  us  in  any  way  in  their  power.  They  will  submit  to  any  priva 
tion,  perform  any  duty,  incur  any  danger.  I  know  an  instance  in  which 
four  of  them  recently  carried  a  boat  from  the  Eappahannock  river,  passing 
through  the  enemy's  pickets  successfully,  to  the  Potomac  and  crossed  over 
to  my  camp  and  reported  themselves  there.  They  gave  us  information  of 
fcthe  position  of  the  enemy's  force,  which  was  communicated  to  headquarters; 
a  service  upon  which  it  would  be  difficult  to  fix  a  price.  These  services 
rendered  by  these  men  are  known  to  the  soldiers,  and  contribute,  I  presume, 
largely  to  the  sympathy  which  they  feel  for  them,  and  to  the  strong,  I  may 
say  the  irrepressible  disinclination  they  feel  when  called  upon  to  witness 
their  surrender. 


WASHINGTON,  April  15,  1862. 

Lieutenant  JOSEPH  L.  PALMER,  jr.,  sworn  and  examined. 
By  Mr.  Covode: 

Question.  What  has  been  your  position  in  the  army  ? 

Answer.  First  lieutenant  of  company  A  2d  regiment  of  the  Excelsior 
brigade.  I  have  been  detached  as  aide-de-camp  to  General  Sickles,  and 
acting  as  his  assistant  adjutant  general. 

Question.  What  do  you  know  in  relation  to  parties  owning  slaves  coming 
into  your  camps  after  them;  by  whose  orders  has  it  been  done,  and  what 
has  been  General  Sickles's  position  in  relation  to  that  matter  ? 

Answer.  On  three  or  four  occasions  within  my  knowledge  owners  of 
slaves  have  come  into  our  camps. "  How  often  besides  I  do  not  know.  Gen 
eral  Sickles  has  uniformly  received  them  courteously,  but  has  been  very  un 
willing  to  deliver  up  the  slaves  that  they  claimed. 

Question.  Were  these  claimants  loyal  slaveholders  or  rebels  ? 

Answer.  The  best  means  of  information  that  we  had  was  very  prejudicial 
to  them  as  Union  men  in  many  cases,  particularly  in  the  cases  of  claimants 
living  at  Port  Tobacco  and  in  that  vicinity.  The  slaves  they  claimed  we 
always  found  to  be  very  good  and  faithful  men.  We  used  them  many  times 
as  guides  and  scouts.  Colonel  Graham,  of  the  5th  regiment,  which  was 
down  at  Port  Tobacco,  used  them  to  great  advantage,  and  placed  great  con 
fidence  in  them,  when  he  went  on  his  expedition  across  the  river  to  Mathias 
Point. 

Question.  They  were  reliable  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  very  reliable.  One  morning  two  persons  appeared 
and  claimed  some  slaves  that  had  come  to  our  headquarters  and  had  served 
us  there.  They  had  a  letter  from  General  Hooker,  the  terms  of  which  were, 
I  think,  to  the  effect  that  if  General  Sickles  was  satisfied  that  these  negroes 
belonged  to  the  persons  who  claimed  them  they  should  be  delivered  UD  to 
the  claimants.  The  letter  also  stated  that  there  was  sufficient  evidence  that 
these  persons  were  good  and  loyal  citizens.  Now,  General  Sickles,  and,  I 
think,  every  officer  in  the  5th  regiment  and  at  headquarters,  and  we  were 
nearest  to  Port  Tobacco  where  these  persons  lived,  had  ample  evidence  that 
these  persons  had  not  been  good  Union  men.  The  general  doubted  their 
sincerity  very  much.  However,  there  was  the  order,  and  he  did  not  know 
what  to  do.  He  put  them  off  finally,  and  told  them  to  come  the  next  Sun- 


644  TESTIMONY. 

day.  In  the  meantime,  he  sent  for  these  negroes,  who  had  become  quite 
famous  with  us  as  scouts,  and  told  them  that  he  could  protect  them  no 
longer;  that  they  must  leave  the  camp.  He  gave  them  some  money  and 
some  clothes,  and  told  them  they  better  go  home,  which  they  did.  One  of 
them  came  back  about  a  week  afterwards,  and  another  one  came  back  some 
two  or  three  weeks  after  that.  When  the  troops  left  Liverpool  Point  they 
were  still  in  camp.  What  has  become  of  them  I  do  not  know.  I  think 
they  have  been  put  in  charge  of  the  division  quartermaster  there,  as  was 
the  case  with  most  of  the  other  contrabands. 

On  another  occasion  Captain  Brunn,  of  the  1st  regiment,  was  called  upon 
to  deliver  up  a  man  whom  he  had  been  employing  as  his  servant,  I  think. 
However,  I  will  not  be  positive  about  that.  I  know  that  the  captain  knew 
of  his  whereabouts,  and  he  was  called  upon  to  deliver  him  up.  There  was 
some  correspondence  grew  out  of  that  case  between  Lieutenant  Colonel 
Farnham  and  headquarters.  What  was  done  in  the  matter  I  do  not  know. 
Whether  he  was  delivered  up  or  not  is  more  than  I  can  tell.  But  I  do  know 
that  General  Sickles  never  himself  gave  up  any,  although  he  never  positively 
refused. 

Sometimes,  and  more  often  than  otherwise,  orders  would  be  sent  directly 
to  the  commanding  officers  of  regiments,  not  through  headquarters,  the 
usual  channel  of  communicating  orders — orders  would  be  sent  through  the 
slaveholders  directly  to  the  regiments.  That  was  the  case  with  the  1st 
regiment;  and  the  first  we  heard  of  it  was  from  Lieutenant  Colonel  Farn 
ham  asking  for  instructions. 

There  was  one  case  in  the  5th  regiment  where  a  man  named  Cox  claimed 
some  slaves.  He  was  very  badly  treated  by  the  soldiers.  He  came  there 
with  an  order  from  division  headquarters  for  two  or  three  slaves.  He 
pointed  out  who  they  were,  and  undertook  to  take  them  away;  but  the  sol 
diers  pounced  upon  him  and  beat  him  severely,  injuring  him  considerably. 
The  officers  interfered,  and  saw  him  safely  out  of  the  camp,  but  not  until 
he  had  been  considerably  injured.  He  went  away  without  his  slaves.  I  do 
not  know  whether  he  got  them  afterwards  or  not. 

The  first  correspondence  that  arose  on  the  subject  was  early  in  December 
last  or  late  in  November;  I  think  it  was  early  in  December.  That  was  in 
relation  to  some  contrabands  in  the  5th  regiment.  General  Hooker  instructed 
General  Sickles  to  deliver  them  over  to  their  owners,  and  to  instruct 
the  officers  of  the  5th  regiment  to  aid  the  owners  in  every  possible  way  in 
recovering  their  property.  At  the  same  time  the  letter  rather  animadverted 
upon  the  seeming  unwillingness  of  the  officers  to  perform  such  a  plain  duty 
without  being  ordered  to  do  so.  The  general  protested  against  it  in  a 
letter  to  General  Hooker,  and  there  the  matter  was  dropped;  we  had  no 
more  correspondence  upon  that  subject  until  recently,  for  a  long  time.  We 
would  occasionally  hear  through  the  officers  of  the  various  regiments,  of 
orders  being  received  by  them  through  residents  of  Maryland,  to  allow  them 
to  enter  their  camps  and  search  for  slaves.  But  no  such  orders  came  direct 
to  the  headquarters  of  the  brigade  after  this  correspondence  had  taken 
place. 

Question.  Do  you  know  whether  General  Sickles  was  opposed  to  being 
employed  to  catch  and  return  slaves  ? 

Answer.  I  know  that  was  the  spirit  in  which  he  wrote  to  General  Hooker 
on  the  subject. 

Question.  What  was  the  feeling  among  the  troops  in  reference  to  that 
matter. 

Answer.  With  our  people,  there  was  a  feeling  of  indignation  against  it, 
from  the  lowest  to  the  highest;  it  was  the  universal  feeling.  Some  of  the 
officers  would  turn  away,  saying  to  those  claimants:  "you  can  take  your 


TESTIMONY.  645 

property  if  you  will,  but  I  will  have  nothing  to  do  with  it,"  and  then  walk 
into  their  tents  and  pay  no  more  attention  to  them.  Sometimes  they  would 
allow  their  men  to  treat  these  people  very  roughly,  until  they  were  obliged 
to  interpose  to  prevent  their  being  seriously  injured. 

Question.  What  recent  transactions  have  taken  place  there  ? 

Answer.  There  have  been  some  there  entirely  unexpected.  An  order  waft 
sent  from  General  Hooker  directly  to  the  commanding  officer  of  the  2d 
regiment.  Neither  General  Sickles,  or  myself,  nor  any  officer  at  headquar 
ters  knew  a  word  about  it  until  the  general  returned.  He  told  me  at  table, 
in  the  evening,  that  as  he  was  passing  near  the  camp  of  the  second  regi 
ment  he  saw  that  there  was  a  disturbance  there,  and  that  the  major  of  the 
regiment  came  to  him  in  great  haste,  and  with  considerable  excitement, 
and  told  him  that  some  parties  had  come  there  with  an  order  from  General 
Hooker,  that  they  should  be  allowed  to  search  the  camp  and  take  away 
their  slaves;  that  the  men  were  terribly  excited,  and  he  feared  some  evil 
consequence.  The  general  ordered  the  men  to  be  put  out  of  the  camp  at  once. 
I  think  there  was  no  further  excitement  on  that  subject.  I  will  remark 
that  General  Hooker  visited  General  Sickles  the  following  morning,  paid 
him  a  friendly  visit;  partly  official  and  partly  unofficial.  But  that  subject 
was  not  mentioned  at  all;  not  a  word  was  dropped  about  it  on  either  side. 

The  only  other  circumstance  bcarin  g  upon  the  subject  of  General  Sickles's 
conduct  in  regard  to  this  contraband  question,  that  I  now  think  of,  was  a  little 
passage  of  words  that  took  place  between  General  Sickles  and  General 
Negley  one  day  at  dinner.  General  Hooker,  General  Sickles,  General 
Negley,  and  several  other  officers  were  at  dinner  together.  I  was  not 
present  myself,  but  the  affair  was  detailed  to  me  by  Lieutenant  Hart,  who 
was  present.  It  became  generally  known  throughout  the  camp  that  such 
an  affair  had  taken  place,  in  relation  to  this  contraband  matter. 


WASHINGTON,  February  11,  1862. 
Dr.  BENJ.  LIPPJNCOTT  sworn  and  examined. 

By  tin1  chairman : 

Question.  Are  you  a  physician  ? 

Answer.  I  have  been.  I  have  not  practiced  for  some  time.  I  am  now  located 
in  Washington.  My  home  is  in  Philadelphia. 

Question.  Have  you  visited  the  prisons,  or  the  places'  in  Alexandria  where 
soldiers  are  confined  for  minor  offences  ?  If  so,  tell  us  what  you  saw  there. 

Answer.  I  was  there  between  12  and  2  o'clock  last  Sunday — day  before  yes 
terday. 

Question.  Did  you  visit  the  places  of  confinement  there  1 

Answer.  Yes,  sir ;  in  company  with  Dr.  Seltzer,  Quartermaster  Jones,  and 
two  or  three  visitors  from  Philadelphia.  We  were  taken  into  the  slave  pen  by 
Dr.  Seltzer — the  place  where  soldiers  are  imprisoned.  I  walked  around  the 
pen.  I  should  say  it  was  some  40  or  50  feet  square.  It  is  enclosed  by  a  high 
wall,  with  a  little  shed  along  on  one  side  of  it ;  the  rest  of  it  with  no  roof  at 
all,  but  all  open  to  the  weather.  The  shed  was  simply  a  roof  on  one  side  that 
afforded  no  shelter,  for  it  was  so  narrow  that  the  slightest  storm  would  strike 
the  wall  inside  and  under  the  shed.  I  thought  it  was  a  horrible  place  to  keep 
men  in,  and  spoke  to  the  doctor  about  it.  I  asked  him  how  he  got  along  with 
the  men — if  he  did  not  have  a  plenty  of  cases  of  pneumonia  after  they  got  out. 

Question.  What  was  the  doctor  doing  there? 

Answer.  He  was  the  surgeon  of  the  regiment.     He  said  it  was  a  disgraceful 


646  TESTIMONY. 

place.  He  showed  me  where  he  had  had  a  cellar  entrance  filled  up,  where  one 
man  who  had  been  put  in  there  intoxicated  had  fallen  down  and  broken  his  back. 
The  privy  there  had  been  open  when  the  men  were  put  in  there,  and  he  had 
had  that  covered  over.  He  told  me  of  the  depth  of  the  filth  that  had  been  in 
the  pen.  He  said  that  at  one  time  there  was  some  two  or  three  inches  of  mud, 
and  some  two  inches  of  snow  and  slush  on  top  of  that,  during  that  severe  spell 
of  weather,  and  one  of  the  prisoners  who  had  been  put  in  there  during  the  bad 
weather  had  been  found  dead  in  the  morning.  He  had  laid  down  in  the  slush 
there  during  the  night  and  been  frozen  to  death.  I  saw  in  an  adjoining  room  a 
man  some  50  years  of  age,  who  had  been  exposed  in  that  pen  over  night.  He 
was  suffering  from  pneumonia,  and  looked  to  me  as  if  he  must  die. 

Question.  How  many  men  were  in  there  when  you  saw  it  ? 

Answer.  There  were  some  four  or  five  in  the  pen.  As  I  went  up  to  the 
grating  in  the  door  they  begged  me,  for  God's  sake,  to  use  some  kind  of  influ 
ence  to  have  them  let  out,  as  they  were  nearly  frozen  to  death.  They  had  no 
covering  at  all,  no  blankets,  and  no  place  to  sit  or  lay  down  upon,  except  the 
brick  pavement. 

Question.  What  were  they  put  in  there  for ;  what  had  they  done  ? 

Answer.  One  said  he  was  put  in  there  because  he  was  a  little  late  in  getting 
out  of  town ;  he  said  his  pass  had  expired  about  a  half  an  hour.  He  was  a 
member  of  one  of  the  Pennsylvania  regiments.  A  soldier  of  one  of  the  Massa 
chusetts  regiments  said  he  was  put  in  there  for  being  intoxicated.  Another 
man  there,  between  45  and  50  years  of  age,  who  looked  like  a  very  good  fellow, 
said  he  had  gone  in  to  church  Sunday  morning.  He  had  stopped  to  warm  him 
self  where  there  was  some  soldier  who  had  no  bayonet  on  his  gun.  He  asked 
why  he  did  not  put  his  bayonet  on  and  be  in  full  rig.  The  soldier  took  um 
brage  at  that  and  arrested  him.  He  showed  him  the  pass  he  had  to  come  in 
town,  but  the  soldier  said  he  did  not  care  for  his  pass ;  he  must  go  to  the  prison, 
and  he  was  put  in  there. 

Question.  Who  ordered  these  men  to  prison  1 

Answer.  I  talked  with  Colonel  McLane,  who  has  a  regiment  there.  The 
colonel  said  he  had  deputed  one  of  his  captains  as  provost  marshal  of  the  town  ; 
but  General  Montgomery  has  the  control  and  ordering  of  those  things.  Dr. 
Seltzer  said  he  had  plead  with  General  Montgomery  to  take  the  jail  in  town  for 
this  purpose,  but  he  could  not  succeed. 

Question.  Why  did  he  not  remonstrate  1 

Answer.  He  said  he  had,  but  he  could  not  do  anything  at  all.  He  expressed 
himself  that  General  Montgomery  favored  the  secessionists  considerably,  and 
seemed  to  have  a  great  deal  of  charity  for  them.  General  Montgomery  was 
away  at  one  time  on  leave  of  absence  for  some  sickness  or  indisposition  of  some 
kind.  While  he  was  away  Colonel  McLane  was  in  command.  Colonel  McLane 
said  that  during  that  time  he  had  taken,  for  some  use  of  the  army,  a  house  that 
belonged  to  a  son-in-law  of  Reverdy  Johnson.  But  when  the  general  carne 
back  he  had  ordered  the  house  to  be  given  up,  and  had  rented  a  house  of  a  man 
then  in  Alexandria.  That  man  immediately  turned  around  and  rented  this  house 
belonging  to  Reverdy  Johnson's  son-in-law  for  some  $200  or  $300  less  than  he 
got  from  the  government  for  his  own  house,  thus  speculating  upon  the  govern 
ment  in  that  way.  The  owner  of  the  house  the  government  had  hired,  which 
the  colonel  was  occupying,  had  gone  off  to  the  south  with  the  rebels ;  and  the 
colonel  thought  they  better  have  occupied  the  house  rent  free  than  to  have  paid 
money  for  it.  He  said  Reverdy  Johnston  had  talked  with  General  Mont 
gomery,  and  got  him  to  order  his  son-in-law's  house  to  be  given  up.  He  told 
me  furthermore  of  some  minister  of  the  gospel  there  who  had  given  General 
Montgomery  a  special  invitation  to  attend  his  church.  General  Montgomery 
did  attend,  by  special  invitation.  The  minister  in  the  service  refused  to  repeat 
that  part  containing  the  prayer  for  the  President  of  the  United  States  ;  yet 


TESTIMONY,  647 

General  Montgomery  sat  there  and  heard  and  saw  it  all,  and  made  no  opposition 
to  it.  Colonel  McLane  said  he  had  been  anxious  for  some  time  to  have  the 
man  arrested,  but  he  could  get  no  authority  to  do  so.  But  on  Sunday,  while  I 
was  there,  the  man  was  arrested  in  his  pulpit.  As  soon  as  the  prayer  was  ended 
and  he  commenced  the  litany,  he  was  arrested  and  taken  out  of  the  pulpit.  The 
gentleman  who  reported  the  case  to  the  colonel,  while  I  was  there,  said  it  grew 
out  of  an  order  from  Secretary  Seward. 

Question.  Do  you  suppose  this  slave  pen  is  still  used  there  as  a  prison "? 

Answer.  I  judge  it  is  ;  it  was  on  Sunday  last.  The  colonel  said  that  while 
lie  was  in  command  there,  during  General  Montgomery's  absence,  people  would 
come  to  him  with  complaints  ;  secessionists  would  come  with  complaints  regard 
ing  their  houses,  &c. ;  and  when  he  would  not  do  as  they  wanted  they  would 
ask  when  General  Montgomery  would  be  back  again,  saying  that  if  they  could 
see  him  he  would  assist  them.  And  I  was  told  that  the  general  had  given 
passes  to  these  secessionists,  who  had  never  taken  the  oath  of  allegiance  to  the 
government.  Some  rebels  who  had  been  taken  prisoners  were  brought  in  there, 
and  allowed  to  be  fed  by  the  secessionists  of  the  city.  And  eventually  the 
thing  went  so  for  that  the  secessionists  used  to  invite  them  out  to  dinner,  and 
they  went  out  as  invited  guests  to  dinner,  with  a  guard  deputed  to  go  with 
them  and  to  escort  them  back  to  jail. 

By  Mr.  Covode : 

Question.  Do  you  know  anything  about  any  effort  being  made  to  get  the 
bank  building  there  for  some  purpose  connected  with  the  army  1 

Answer.  The  managers  of  the  bank  there  are  all  secessionists ;  not  a  loyal 
man  connected  with  it.  The  mother  bank  is  in  Richmond,  and  the  greater  part 
of  the  stock  is  owned  in  Richmond.  The  colonel  said  that  he  had  been  unable 
to  get  the  general  to  agree  to  allow  him  to  take  that  bank  building  as  a  hospital. 

Question.  Do  you  know  anything  about  General  Montgomery  affording  pro 
tection  to  the  property  of  rebels  1 

Answer.  They  all  told  me  there  that  the  secessionists  could  do  anything  with 
General  Montgomery,  if  they  could  get  at  him. 


WASHINGTON,  February  12,  1862. 

Colonel  GEORGE  P.  McLEAN  sworn  and  examined,  (Dr.  Seltzer  and  Quar 
termaster  Jones  being  present.) 

By  the  chairman : 

Question.  What  is  your  rank  and  position  in  the  army  ? 

Answer.  Colonel  of  the  88th  Pennsylvania  volunteers. 

Question.  Where  stationed  1 

Answer.  At  Alexandria. 

Question.  Will  you  state  in  regard  to  the  place  where  your  prisoners  are 
kept  ? 

Answer.  They  are  generally,  and  I  believe  always,  put  in  the  slave  pen  in 
Alexandria. 

Question.  Is  that  a  fit  place  for  men  to  be  put  in  during  the  winter  season  1 

Answer.  In  my  opinion  it  is  not,  and  I  have  so  expressed  myself  frequently. 
It  is  not  a  proper  place  from  the  fact  that  the  prisoners  there  are  exposed  to  the  ' 
inclemency  of  the  weather.     The  men  coming  in  from  the  various  camps  gen 
erally  come  in  without  blankets,   and  very  frequently  without  overcoats ;  and 
they  are  put  in  there  without  any  covering,  and  have  nothing  to  lie  upon  except 


648  TESTIMONY. 

the  brick  pavement.  My  opinion  is  that  it  is  a  very  unfit  place  to  put  the  men 
in. 

Question.  Would  it  endanger  the  life  or  health  of  a  man  to  remain  there  over 
night  during  this  inclement  season? 

Answer.  I  think  it  would  endanger,  or  have  a  tendency  to  endanger,  his  life- 

Question.  Who  is  responsible  for  placing  prisoners  in  such  a  place  as  that? 

Answer.  I  could  not  say  exactly  who  is  responsible.  I  should  judge  that  it 
was  probably  within  the  power  of  the  commanding  general  to  order  it  otherwise. 

Question.  Have  you  remonstrated  with  him  about  it — reported  the  state  and 
condition  of  it  to  him  ? 

Answer.  I  have  had  inspectors  appointed  regularly  to  visit  the  various  quar 
ters  on  Sunday  morning,  who  have  reported  to  me,  and  I  have  referred  the 
report  to  the  commanding  general. 

By  Mr.  Odell : 
Question.  In  this  report  was  this  slave  pen  spoken  of? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir,  and  condemned. 
By  the  chairman : 

Question.  Have  these  facts  come  to  the  knowledge  of  the  commanding  gen 
eral  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir;  they  are  within  his  knowledge.  He  may  possibly  imagine 
that  he  has  no  other  place  to  put  prisoners  in,  and  I  do  not  really  know  that  he 
has  any  other  place  to  put  them  in.  But  I  am  free  to  say  that  I  think  it  is  the 
privilege  of  the  commanding  officer  to  take  other  quarters.  I  do  not  know  that 
he  has  ever  given  instructions  to  do  so. 

Question.  Who  is  this  commanding  officer  you  refer  to? 

Answer.  The  commanding  general  there  is  General  Montgomery. 

Question.  Has  he  not  power,  as  a  military  commander,  either  to  get  other  and 
better  quarters,  or  to  repair  those  now  being  used  ? 

Answer.  I  so  understand  it. 

Question.  What  do  you  know  of  any  particular  injury  resulting  to  men  by 
reason  of  being  imprisoned  there? 

Answer.  I  do  not  know  anything  positively  myself,  from  the  fact  that  it  has 
never  been  my  duty  to  be  there.  I  have  sent  others  to  inspect  it.  I  have  vis 
ited  the  quarters  as  commanding  officer  of  the  regiment,  and  on  one  occasion 
the  surgeon  called  upon  me  and  I  went  with  him,  and  saw  perhaps  some  forty 
odd  men  there  suffering  very  much.  They  were  cold  and  shivering,  and  I 
released  some  of  them,  seeing  they  were  perfectly  sober,  with  instructions  to 
them  to  go  out  to  their  camps.  I  thought  it  was  nothing  more  than  proper  and 
right  to  do,  assuming  that  it  was  right,  as  there  were  orders  from  the  command 
ing  general  that  all  prisoners  should  be  released  the  next  day  at  guard  mount 
ing.  Some  of  them  had  been  there  over  night,  and  should  have  been  released 
in  the  morning.  I  saw  that  it  was  not  a  proper  place  for  men  to  be  in.  But,  of 
course,  it  is  not  a  very  pleasant  thing  to  blame  and  find  fault  with  the  officer 
over  me,  and  I  have  never  assumed  anything  but  my  own  duties. 

Question.  Is  the  place  clean  and  neat,  or  is  it  filthy  and  loathsome  ? 

Answer.  It  is  very  dirty  at  times,  as  the  snow  and  rain  beat  in. 

Question.  For  what  offences  are  men  put  in  there  ? 

Answer.  For  drunkenness,  and  for  being  in  the  city  without  passes.  The 
commanding  officers  of  the  various  camps  have  instructed  their  officers  and  men 
not  to  visit  Alexandria  without  a  pass,  and  they  have  called  upon  us  to  assist 
them  in  carrying  out  these  orders  ;  and  General  Montgomery  has  also  issued  an 
•  order  that  all  soldiers  shall  leave  Alexandria  at  4  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  and 
if  they  are  found  there  without  a  pass  they  are  arrested,  and  there  is  no  other 
place  to  put  them  in  but  the  slave  pen.  And  if  they  are  found  drunk,  with  or 
without  a  pass,  they  are  arrested  by  our  guards  and  placed  in  there. 


TESTIMONY.  649 

Question.  These  are  what  you  consider  as  trivial  offences  in  the  army,  but 
not  of  a  serious  character  ? 

Answer.  They  are  of  that  character  that  never  can  be  avoided. 

By  Mr.  Covode  : 

Question.  Did  you  ever  exert  yourself  with  the  general  to  get  a  better  place 
to  keep  them  in  ? 

Answer.  It  would  not  be  a  proper  thing  for  me  to  urge  my  commanding 
officer.  I  have  sent  him  the  reports.  We  have  placed  the  matter  before  him 
in  the  shape  of  reports,  containing  the  opinions  of  inspectors. 

By  the  chairman : 

Question.  And  of  course  they  condemned  that  place  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  I  might  remark  that  I  endeavored  on  one  occasion  to 
secure  the  jail  for  that  purpose,  and  I  received  a  censure  from  my  commanding 
officer,  and,  very  likely,  properly,  too.  I  had  no  right,  perhaps,  to  move  in  the 
mattter  when  there  was  an  officer  who  was  my  senior. 

By  Mr.  Odell : 

Question.  What  was  his  objection  to  the  use  of  the  jail  for  that  purpose  ? 

Answer.  I  do  not  know  that  he  gave  an  objection ;  only  gave  me  to  under 
stand  that  he  was  the  commanding  officer. 

Question.  What  objection  is  there  to  taking  the  jail  for  that  purpose,  as  a 
temporary  jail  for  that  purpose  ? 

Answer.  I  do  not  know  that  I  have  ever  heard  any  objection. 

Question.  Does  any  suggest  itself  to  your  mind? 

Answer.  None.  It  might  be  presumed  that  drunken,  crazy  men  might 
destroy  the  building ;  but  that  might  be  prevented  by  proper  guards. 

Question.  Is  any  man  any  more  drunk  and  crazy  with  military  clothes  on. 
than  without? 

Answer.  No,  sir. 

By  the  chairman  : 

Question.  Would  the  jail,  in  your  judgment,  be  a  proper  place  for  this  purpose  ? 
Answer.  That  is  my  opinion,  and  my  attempt  was  to  secure  it. 

By  Mr.  Odell : 

Question.  What  number  would  the  jail  accommodate  ? 

Answer.  I  suppose  it  would  accommodate  some  200. 

Question.  Would  it  meet  the  wants  of  that  department  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  I  spoke  to  the  mayor  of  the  city  about  it,  and  I  got 
reprimanded,  and  made  up  my  mind,  of  course,  that  perhaps  I  was  in  error. 

Question.  Did  the  mayor  object  to  it  ? 

Answer.  No,  sir ;  he  did  not. 

Question.  Did  he  accord  with  you  as  to  the  propriety  of  using  the  jail  ? 

Answer.  He  said  that  he  was  perfectly  willing  himself;  that  he  had  no 
objection. 

By  the  chairman  : 

Question.  Is  there  anything  more  you  think  of  that  is  material  ? 
Answer.  There  are  little  matters  that  perhaps  it  would  be  better  for  me  not 
to  say  anything  about. 

By  Mr.  Odell : 

Question.  How  long  are  these  men  kept  there  by  your  regulations  ? 
Answer.  They  are  put  in  there  any  time  during  the  day,  and  released  the  next 
morning  at  nine  o'clock. 


650  TESTIMONY. 

By  the  chairman : 

Question.  Those  little  things  you  speak  of  may  throw  light  upon  the  subject 
we  are  investigating. 

Answer.  I  might  state  some  things  that  would  reflect  on  my  commanding 
officer.  I  do  not  care  to  do  that.  Perhaps  he  did  not  mean  any  injury  to  the 
men. 

Question.  It  may  be  improper  for  an  officer  to  speak  against  his  superior 
under  ordinary  circumstances ;  but  we  are  here  for  the  purpose  of  inquiring 
into  the  conduct  of  any  one ;  no  matter  how  high  or  low  he  may  be,  he  is  under 
our  jurisdiction. 

Answer.  When  I  spoke  to  the  general  in  regard  to  the  slave  pen,  he  decided 
that  it  was  a  very  suitable  place,  and  said  the  men  were  better  provided  for  there 
than  our  men  on  picket  were. 

By  Mr.  Gooch : 

Question.  Did  you  inform  him  that  you  thought  it  was  not  a  a  suitable  place  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  And  that  was  the  reply  you  received  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  How  long  ago  did  you  call  his  attention  to  it  ? 

Answer.  I  have  done  so  frequently.  It  has'  been  a  subject  of  conversation. 
I  cannot  remember  precisely  when  the  last  time  was.  It  was  last  week,  I  think, 
one  day,  that  the  general  was  talking  to  me  about  it,  trying  to  convince  me 
that  it  was  a  suitable  place ;  but  I  was  not  convinced. 

By  Mr.  Covode: 

Question.  Have  you  given  any  passes  1 

Answer.  In  regard  to  giving  passes,  when  passes  were  issued,  of  course,  it 
was  the  commanding  officer  who  gave  them. 

Question.  Do  you  know  that  he  has  given  passes  to  parties  who  have  .refused 
to  take  the  oath  of  allegiance? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  How  do  you  know  that  ? 

Answer.  I  was  temporarily  in  command  while  the  general  was  away  on  sick 
leave,  and  a  number  of  written  passes  came  to  me  to  be  renewed  which  I 
positively  refused. 

Question.  Why  did  you  refuse  them  ? 

Answer.  I  had  passes  with  the  obligation  attached  to  them  to  be, signed,  and 
I  supposed  it  was  my  duty  to  carry  out  those  orders,  and  I  positively  refused 
to  give  passes  to  any  one  unless  he  would  sign  the  obligation.  There  are  a 
number  of  persons  there  who  are  strong  secessionists  who  have  passes. 

By  the  chairman : 
Question.  Who  gave  them  1 
Answer.  General  Montgomery,  of  course;  that  he  does  not  deny. 

By  Mr.  Covode : 

Question.  Gave  them  to  parties  who  did  not  take  or  sign  the  obligation? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir.  They  came  in  to  me  when  I  was  temporarily  in  command, 
and  I  refused  positively  to  renew  them.  Gentlemen  would  bring  others  in  and 
introduce  them  and  recommend  them  as  good  citizens  and  ask  for  passes  for 
them.  My  question  was,  "Are  you  a  loyal  citizen?  will  you  sign  the  obliga 
tion?  if  so,  I  will  be  pleased  to  give  you  a  pass."  A  great  many  refused,  and 
I  told  them  that  stripped  me  of  any  privilege  or  right  to  give  them  passes. 
Those  passes,  I  told  them,  were  in  my  hands  with  the  obligation  attached  to 
them  to  be  signed;  and  it  was  only  in  compliance  with  that  regulation  that  I 


TESTIMONY.  651 

could  issue  a  pass;  that  I  was  there  to  carry  out  orders,  not  to  make  them 
Of  course  I  was  not  much  thought  of  by  that  class  of  people  there. 

Question.  Is  it  a  common  thing  there  to  issue  passes  to  persons  who  do  not 
sign  the  obligation? 

Answer.  An  order  has  recently  been  issued  from  Washington  to  prevent 
the  general  from  giving  passes  anywhere,  whether  through  the  lines  or  any 
where  else. 

Question.  Did  they  get  passes  by  which  they  went  to  Baltimore  and  obtained 
goods  to  take  through  our  lines  1 

Answer.  I  do  not  know  as  to  which  way  they  went.  The  passes  gave  them 
the  privilege  of  crossing  the  ferry  over  the  Potomac  from  Alexandria  to  the 
city  of  Washington,  &c. 

By  Mr.  Odell : 

Question.  Were  any  passes  given  by  which  these  parties  could  pass  through 
our  lines  into  the  enemy's  country? 

Answer.  Xot  positively. 

Question.  Do  you  know  anything  about  any  other  slave  pen  in  Alexandria 
than  the  one  used? 

Answer.  No,  sir. 


WASHINGTON,  February  12,  1862. 

Doctor  J.  H.  SELTZER  sworn  and  examined,  (Colonel  McLane  and  Quar 
termaster  Jones  present.) 

By  the  chairman  : 

Question.  What  is  your  position  in  the  army  ? 

Answer.  I  am  surgeon  of  the  88th  Pennsylvania  regiment. 

Question.  Where  are  you  stationed  ? 

Answer.  At  Alexandria.  , 

Question.  What  do  you  know  about  the  manner  in  which  prisoners  for  minor 
offences  are  punished  there  ;  how  are  they  confined,  and  where  ? 

Answer.  I  presume  you  want  a  plain,  undisguised,  unvarnished  statement  of 
the  whole  affair. 

Question.  We  want  it  exactly  as  it  is. 

Answer.  I  have  called  the  attention  of  the  authorities  to  this  matter  of  con 
fining  soldiers  in  that  slave  pen.  I  have  visited  it  daily,  and  seen  as  high  as 
150  or  200  (between  200  and  300)  men  confined  in  that  pen.  They  are  men 
who  have  come  in  from  their  camps,  and  are  probably  from  five  to  ten  minutes 
behind  their  time ;  not  having  a  watch,  they  cannot  tell  what  the  time  is,  or  they 
may  have  taken  a  glass  of  liquor  too  much,  and  our  soldiers  arrest  them  and 
take  them  to  that  slave  pen.  You  know  what  a  drunken  man  is  ;  he  feels  un 
pleasant  at  the  idea  of  going  to  a  slave  pen  rather  than  to  a  guard-house.  I  have 
heard  them  say  that  if  they  were  put  in  the  guard-house  they,  at  least,  had  a 
comfortable  place  to  lie  on.  They  are  generally  pretty  roughly  handled  when 
taken  to  this  slave  pen,  as  drunken  men  usually  are,  and  then  they  are  confined 
there.  I  have  called  the  attention  of  those  in  authority  to  these  matters.  There 
have  been  at  times  three  and  a  half  inches  of  snow,  dirt,  filth,  and  such  truck, 
on  the  pavement,  and  they  had  to  lie  there  without  any  covering  at-  all ;  and  I 
have  seen  as  many  as  one  hundred  men  in  there  when  the  thermometer  was  at 
twenty-one  degrees.  The  men  were  wet,  were  brought  in  there  wet,  and  they 
were  forced  to  lie  down  there,  as  there  was  no  other  place  for  them  to  lie  down, 


652  TESTIMONY. 

except  right  on  the  bricks.  The  place  was  not  fit  to  put  dumb  brutes  in,  let 
alone  the  freemen  of  the  north. 

Question.  Did  you  not  remonstrate  against  it  ? 

Answer.  I  did. 

Question.  To  whom  ? 

Answer.  I  remonstrated  with  General  Montgomery.  I  made  a  report  to 
the  colonel,  and  handed  the  report  to  General  Montgomery  ;  and  I  took  the 
general  himself  out  there,  and  showed  him  the  place.  I  said  to  him,  "General, 
when  Providence  endows  us  with  good  qualities  and  better  comforts  than  our 
neighbor  is  possessed  of,  should  it  not  prompt  us  to  endeavor  to  ameliorate 
the  condition  of  our  fellow  men?"  He  said,  "That  is  very  true,  and  it  is  very 
patriotic  in  us  to  come  out  here  to-day."  Now,  I  cannot  lie  down  on  my  bed  at 
night  and  rest  with  any  peace  when  I  have  seen  my  fellow  men  who  lived 
alongside  of  me,  and  who  had  come  out  here  to  fight  for  his  country,  forced  to 
remain  in  such  a  place  as  that,  when  the  secessionist  or  disloyal  man,  upon  being 
arrested,  is  sent  to  the  provost  marshal,  and  furnished  with  a  room  and  fire. 

Question.  Is  that  so  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir ;  there  is  no  mistake  about  that. 

Question.  What  is  the  effect  of  this  confinement  upon  the  health  of  the 
inmates  ? 

Answer.  It  produces  pleurisy  and  pneumonia.  Let  any  -man  reflect  a  mo 
ment.  If  any  one  of  you  should  go  to  his  room  to-night,  even  if  there  is  a  fire 
in  it,  and  lay  down  on  the  floor  and  remain  there  over  night,  you  will  wake  up 
in  the  morning  with  a  chill.  And  some  of  these  men  have  been  brought  up 
with  all  the  comforts  of  life  about  them ;  and  yet  I  saw  a  man  in  that  slave  pen 
the  night  before  last  as  bare  as  he  came  into  this  world.  Out  of  pity  to  him  I 
told  them  to  put  him  inside.  One  man  was  found  dead  there  a  few  days  ago  ; 
frozen  to  death.  I  have  expostulated  until  I  thought  the  authorities  would  not 
listen,  and  then  I  said  I  would  appeal  to  the  country,  to  the  public  press. 

Question.  Do  you  know  anything  about  the  jail  that  has  been  spoken  of? 

Answer.  No,  sir ;  I  have  not  been  inside  of  that.  Yesterday  I  went  through 
the  different  camps  to  find  out  the  condition  of  the  guard-houses  in  the  camps 
and  every  one  I  saw  was  comfortable.  A  gentleman  of  the  sanitary  commis 
sion  was  down  there  yesterday  to  investigate  the  matter,  and  I  went  around 
with  him.  I  asked  the  soldiers  why  they  objected |  so  much  to  being  in  that 
slave  pen.  They  all  said  that  the  idea  of  freemen  being  put  in  a  slave  pen  was, 
of  itself,  horrible  ;  and  then,  if  they  were  put  in  a  guard-house  they  would  have 
some  comforts ;  they  could  get  there  blankets  to  lie  upon ;  and  then  there  was 
not  so  much  feeling  about  it.  This  slave  pen  is  in  such  a  condition  that  a  man 
broke  his  back  there,  and  another  man,  of  our  regiment,  broke  his  thigh,  which 
has  disabled  him  for  life. 

Question.  How  did  that  happen  ? 

Answer.  There  was  an  open  place  in  the  cellar- way  down  which  the  man 
fell ;  and  by  almost  fighting  I  have  succeeded  in  having  it  closed  up.  The 
men  put  in  there,  having  nothing  to  sit  upon,  would  pull  up  the  bricks  of  the 
pavement  to  make  a  seat  to  sit  on ;  and  then  they  would  have  some  drunken 
men  in  there  who  would  get  into  a  fight,  and  the  loose  bricks  would  fly,  and, 
most  generally,  some  one  will  be  disabled  for  life. 

Question.  You  have  made  this  known  to  the  commanding  general  i 

Answer.  I  have  taken  him  there  in  person  and  pointed  it  out  to  him. 

Question.  What  did  he  say  about  it  ? 

Answer.  He  said,  "What  are  we  to  do?  I  have  no  power  to  do  anything; 
I  can't  do  anything."  Said  I,  "  General,  take  the  responsibility,  as  Jackson 
did,  and  do  it." 

Question.  Do  you  know  anything  about  the  giving  of  passes  ? 

Answer.  I  have  seen  passes  in  the  hands  of  the  rankest,  open-avowed  seces 
sionists  in  Alexandria,  with  General  Montgomery's  signature,  to  pass  anywhere. 


TESTIMONY.  653 

Question.  Has  he  obliged  them  to  sign  the  obligations  ? 

Answer.  There  was  no  obligation  signed  to  those  passes.  I  have  myself  seen 
the  general  give  passes,  when  I  was  present,  to  ladies  who  defiantly  told  him 
they  would  not  take  the  oath  of  allegiance.  I  remember  a  gentleman  coming- 
in  who  had  a  pass  for  himself  and  family,  who  is  an  open  and  avowed  seces 
sionist.  He  lived  next  door  to  the  colonel's  headquarters.  He  wanted  the  col 
onel  to  renew  the  pass,  and  the  colonel  told  him  he  would  not  do  it  unless  he 
took  the  oath  of  loyalty ;  and  that  he  said  he  would  not  do,  and  walked  out. 
His  pass  had  expired  while  the  general  was  away. 

Question.  How  long  have  persons  been  confined  in  this  slave  pen? 

Answer.  Some  have  been  there  for  ten  days  at  a  time.  I  have  known  them 
to  be  in  there  for  three  days  without  a  bed  or  a  fire,  and  they  got  nothing  but  a 
little  water  that  the  parties  standing  outside,  out  of  compassion,  passed  in.  On 
one  occasion  I  appealed  to  the  colonel  to  go  out  with  me  and  look  at  it,  and 
when  we  got  out  there  I  said  to  the  colonel,  "  I  know  you  have  a  commander 
over  you,  but,  colonel,  just  take  the  responsibility,  and  let  these  men  go  home;" 
and  he  did  release  some  forty  of  them  that  afternoon. 

Question.  Were  they  confined  there  during  the  months  of  December  and 
January  1 

Answer.  They  were  put  in  there  in  January,  while  the  weather  was  so  cold 
that  it  was  freezing.  A  secessionist  can  get  more  out  of  General  Montgomery 
than  a  Union  man  can.  If  a  secessionist  is  arrested  and  taken  before  him,  he 
is  released  in  half  an  hour.  I  will  tell  you  a  case  in  point.  There  was  a  man 
arrested  for  declaring  open  and  avowed  secessionist  doctrines,  and  General 
Montgomery  released  him,  and  allowed  him  to  go  to  Mayor  McKensie  and  stay 
all  night. 

Colonel  McLane  :  I  will  take  occasion  to  say,  for  fear  there  might  be  some 
censure  cast  upon  me,  that  I  have  endeavored  to  stop  this  matter  with  what  I 
conceived  to  be  my  duty  as  an  officer  there.  There  were  privileges  granted  to 
secessionists.  A  number  of  them  were  selling  rum,  and  demoralizing  our  army. 
1  gave  instructions  to  my  guard  to  arrest  all  such  men,  and  to  arrest,  of  course, 
the  soldiers  there  collected.  My  guards  returned  to  me,  and  told  me  that  they 
could  not  carry  out  my  order.  I  asked  them  why  they  could  not  do  so,  and 
they  said  that  the  proprietor  of  the  house,  who  is  a  secessionist,  showed  them  a 
permit  from  General  Montgomery  that  he  should  not  be  interfered  with ;  and,  if 
necessary,  they  were  entitled  to  call  on  the  guards  for  protection ;  and  following 
that  I  received  an  order  from  General  Montgomery  that  I  should  not  hereafter 
issue  any  orders  to  my  officers  or  men,  or  interfere  with  the  police  arrangements 
of  the  city  of  Alexandria.  Of  course  my  hands  were  then  tied.  If  I  had  had 
the  right,  I  should  have  made  a  different  arrangement.  I  only  state  this  in  justi 
fication  to  myself,  lest  I  might  be  censured. 

The  chairman  :  Did  he  know  why  you  had  issued  your  order — that  it  was  to 
prevent  drunkenness  and  the  selling  of  liquor  by  secessionists  ? 

Colonel  McLane :  He  told  me  himself  that  he  desired  it  to  be  done,  and  I 
supposed  I  was  but  cany  ing  out  his  orders ;  but  after  we  would  seize  their  liquors, 
and  send  them  to  the  mayor,  they  would  go  to  him  and  get  permission  to  get 
them  back. 

The  greatest  evil  of  all,  in  my  opinion,  is  the  influence  there  of  a  man  who,  I 
am  free  to  say,  is  a  traitor.  I  refer  to  the  assistant  adjutant  general — J.  R. 
Freeze.  I  have  been  on  the  eve  of  asking  to  be  relieved.  I  did  not  enter  the 
service  for  dollars  and  cents.  I  left  a  business  that  paid  me  more  than  the  gov 
ernment  pays  me.  But  having  been  connected  with  the  military  for  some  years, 
I  felt  that  I  might,  perhaps,  be  able  to  render  some  service  to  my  country. 
This  adjutant  has  interfered  with  me  in  the  discharge  of  my  duties  time  and 
tune  again.  He  has  even  come  in  and  sat  down  in  my  quarters  and  issued  a 
regimental  order.  I  told  him  I  was  colonel  of  my  regiment,  and  demanded  the 


654  TESTIMONY. 

right  to  issue  my  own  orders,  as  I  was  responsible  for  what  my  regiment  did. 
There  was  a  lady  there  by  .the  name  of  Burns,  who  had  been  pleading  with 
tears  in  her  eyes  to  get  possession  of  her  house,  which  was  being  occupied  by 
the  wife  of  a  rebel  officer.  I  believe  that  General  Montgomery  had  consented 
that  she  should  have  her  property.  This  Freeze  interfered,  and,  having  entire 
control  over  the  general,  prevented  it.  While  I  was  there,  one  day  she  saw 
Freeze,  who  insulted  her.  As  she  was  returning  to  her  home,  one  of  the  senti 
nels,  who  had  been  frequently  kindly  treated  by  her  as  he  passed  her  door  on 
his  beat,  seeing  she  was  in  trouble,  asked  her  what  the  matter  was.  She  said 
she  had  just  been  to  see  Captain  Freeze,  to  see  if  there  was  any  possibility  of 
her  getting  her  house.  They  owed  her  $114  rent  then.  The  last  thing  her 
husband  had  done  in  Alexandria  was  to  vote  for  the  Union,  and  he  had  done  all 
he  could  for  that.  The  sentinel  said,  "  Why  don't  you  go  to  my  colonel  ?" 
At  that  time,  fortunately,  I  was  temporarily  in  command  there.  She  came  to 
me  and  related  her  story,  and  I  gave  notice  to  this  wife  of  the  rebel  officer  to 
vacate  the  premises  in  forty-eight  hours,  or  suffer  the  consequences.  The  father 
of  this  lady,  who  was  also  in  the  house,  went  to  Freeze  about  it.  Freeze  wrote 
to  me  saying  that  Mr.  Lovejoy — the  father  of  this  rebel  officer's  wife — should 
not  be  interfered  with,  either  by  military  or  civil  authority.  I  ordered  the  one 
who  .brought  me  the  note  to  say  to  Mr.  Freeze  that  I  was  then  in  command ; 
that  he  had  about  as  much  to  do  with  the  matter  as  a  boy  in  the  street ;  that  I 
had  issued  my  order,  and  should  see  that  it  was  carried  out.  He  called  in  the 
evening  himself,  and  told  me  that  it  was  as  much  as  my  commission  was  worth 
to  do  that  thing.  I  told  him  my  commission  did  not  come  from  him,  and  that 
if  any  one  interfered  with  me  he  should  be  shot.  The  result  of  it  was  that  I 
handed  the  house  over  to  Mrs.  Burns. 

The  chairman:^  You  have  said  that  General  Montgomery  was  under  the  in 
fluence  of  this  man  Freeze.  Explain  that. 

Colonel  McLane  :  I  have  always  had  the  kindest  feelings  towards  General 
Montgomery,  and  I  desire  to  believe  that  the  general  means  to  do  what  is  right. 
But  I  am  not  of  the  opinion  that  this  Freeze  desires  to  do  what  is  right. 
General  Montgomery  is  old,  and  he  is  easily  persuaded.  This  Freeze  has  no 
military  knowledge  whatever,  but  he  is  there  as  his  assistant  adjutant  general, 
and  whatever  Freeze  proposes  is  carried  out.  I  have  had  to  submit  as  well  as 
all  the  rest.  And  my  hands  are  now  so  tied  that  I  dare  not  give  an  order  to 
my  own  officers  and  men ;  and  I  will  not  for  all  the  money  in  the  United  States 
be  held  in  that  position  long.  I  conceive  that  it  is  my  right  as  commanding 
officer  of  my  regiment  to  issue  orders  to  my  own  command.  My  reason  for 
having  hesitated  to  speak  of  this  was  because  I  did  entertain  kind  feelings 
towards  General  Montgomery,  and  I  do  not  want  to  believe  that  he  is  not  a 
loyal  citizen.  But  I  have  seen  very  strange  things  there. 

The  chairman :  What  strange  things  have  you  seen  ? 

Colonel  McLean  :  I  have  seen  privileges  granted  to  secessionists  that  I  think 
they  ought  not  to  enjoy,  giving  them  passes,  &c.  We  have  had  rebel  prisoners 
there,  and  the  secessionists  there  have  been  allowed  to  visit  them,  and  enter 
tain  them  sumptuously.  That  came  to  my  knowledge  when  I  was  temporarily 
in  command,  and  I  issued  an  order  at  once  that  these  things  should  not  be  per 
mitted.  Secessionists  were  inviting  out  the  rebel  prisoners  to  their  residences, 
and  entertaining  them  at  dinners,  while  our  guards  were  sent  to  escort  them.  I 
issued  an-  order  to  stop  that,  and  not  only  that,  but  that  the  rebel  prisoners 
should  have  the  same  rations  as  our  men  did,  and  why  they  should  be  sumptu 
ously  entertained  more  than  our  soldiers  is  more  than  I  could  understand,  and  I 
determined  that  it  should  not  be  while  I  was  in  command,  and  I  would  not  allow 
them  to  visit  them ;  they  were  not  on  exhibition,  and  we  were  capable  of  taking 
charge  of  our  prisoners.  The  result  of  it  was  that  some  ladies  called  upon  me, 
and  asked  me  if  they  could  go  and  see  the  prisoners.  I  asked  if  they  were 


TESTIMONY.  655 

relatives,  and  they  said  they  were  not.  I  then  told  them  I  could  not  allow  it. 
They  then  asked  me  when  General  Montgomery  would  be  back.  I  told  them, 
that  he  would  be  back  before  long,  as  his  leave  of  absence  would  expire  in  a  few 
days.  Seeing  an  order  to  send  prisoners  to  Washington,  I  took  occasion,  be 
fore  General  Montgomery  returned,  to  send  to  Washington  every  prisoner  in 
Alexandria.  I  am  free  to  say  that  things  have  occurred  in  Alexandria  since  I 
have  been  there  that,  under  my  oath,  with  my  disposition  to  do  my  duty  as  a 
soldier,  my  conscience  would  not  allow  me  to  do.  This  Freeze  has  been  there  so 
long  that  he  has  become  familiar  with  the  secessionists,  and  I  am  satisfied  that  he 
ought  not  to  be  there.  He  has  no  military  knowledge,  in  the  first  place;  never 
was  a  soldier,  and  had  no  experience,  and  I  do  not  know  why  the  government 
should  be  paying  a  man  there  who  can  perform  nothing. 

The  witness,  (Dr.  Seltzer:)  If  this  committee  will  send  to  the  sanitary  board 
they  will  be  able  to  obtain  an  elaborate  report  of  their  investigations  in  this 
matter. 

By  the  chairman  : 

Question.  When  were  the  sanitary  board  down  there  ? 

Answer.  Dr.  Parrish  left  there  this  morning,  and  said  that  he  would  write  out 
a  report  on  this  slave  pen. 


WASHINGTON,  February  12,  1862. 

Lieutenant  D.  D.  JONES  sworn  and  examined. 
By  the  chairman : 

Question.  What  is  your  position  ? 

Answer.  I  am  quartermaster  of  the  88th  Pennsylvania  regiment. 

Question.  You  are  stationed  at  Alexandria  ? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  What  do  you  know  about  the  manner  in  which  soldiers  are  im 
prisoned  there  ? 

Answer.  I  can  say  that  I  concur  fully  in  the  testimony  of  Colonel  McLane 
and  Dr.  Seltzer. 

Question.  You  are  knowing  to  the  facts,  and  concur  in  what  they  have  stated? 

Answer.  Yes,  sir. 

Question.  Do  you  know  anything  about  passes  having  been  granted  to  seces 
sionists,  or  to  those  who  would  not  take  the  oath  of  allegiance  1 

Answer.  I  have  seen  such  passes  granted  at  different  times  by  General  Mont 
gomery's  aid  to  persons  who  would  not  sign  the  obligation.  I  saw,  what  I 
term  very  loosely  conducted,  in  the  office  of  General  Montgomery,  men  receiving 
passes  there  without  any  obligation  being  signed  by  them,  and  others  who  simply 
stood  back  and  touched  the  pen  without  looking  at  it,  under  the  pretence  that 
they  could  not  write ;  persons,  too,  who  were  doing  such  a  business  as  to  natu 
rally  require  them  to  have  some  education,  and  at  least  to  know  how  to  sign 
their  names.  They  would  hold  the  pen  while  the  aid  made  the  mark,  and  turn 
their  backs  to  it  the  while.  That  I  have  seen  myself.  When  the  colonel  was 
in  command  I  frequently  saw  them  bring  in  passes  that  had  no  obligation  signed, 
and  ask  the  colonel  to  renew  them,  they  having  expired.  This  he  positively 
refused  to  do,  unless  they  would  sign  the  obligation.  They  endeavored  to  per 
suade  the  colonel  to  do  it,  using,  as  an  argument,  the  fact  that  General  Mont 
gomery  had  not  asked  it  of  them.  They  were  secessionists,  and  known  to  be 
such  by  the  Union  people  there.  You  asked  the  colonel  if  he  knew  anything 
about  any  other  slave  pen  there.  I  would  remark  that  there  is  a  slave  pen 


€56  TESTIMONY. 

further  on  in  the  same  street.  I  was  in  General  Montgomery's  headquarters 
when  a  captain  reported  to  him  the  existence  of  such  a  slave  pen,  and  he  has 
visited  it.  It  belongs  to  a  secessionist,  and  has  many  comforts  in  it.  He 
reported  that  to  General  Montgomery  about  two  weeks  ago. 

Question.  Why  did  he  not  take  that  1 

Answer.  I  do  not  know. 

Question.  Do  you  know  anything  about  the  jail  there  ? 

Answer.  I  know  that  there  is  a  jail  there,  and  that  the  colonel  has  on  more 
than  one  occasion  spoken  to  the  mayor  about  using  it;  to  which  the  mayor  con 
sented. 

Question.  Do  you  know  any  objection  to  using  the  jail? 

Answer.  No,  sir;  General  Montgomery  remonstrated  about  the  colonel  inter 
fering  in  reference  to  the  jail.  There  was  an  article  in  the  paper  some  two 
weeks  ago  about  this  slave  pen  being  used  to  confine  soldiers  in.  General 
Montgomery  spoke  about  officers  interfering  with  his  command,  and  said,  "There 
is  an  article  in  the  paper  saying  that,  Colonel  McLane  is  using  his  efforts  to  get 
possession  of  the  jail  for  the  confinement  of  these  prisoners.  I  don't  see  what 
he  has  got  to  do  with  that."  Those  are  the  words  he  used. 

Colonel  McLane :  The  general  put  me  under  arrest  for  interfering  with  his 
duties. 

The  chairman:  In  what  particular ? 

Colonel  McLane :  There  was  a  lady  called  on  me  and  said  that  she  was  a 
Union  lady  and  that  she  had  two  sons  who  were  selling  waffles  up  at  the  corner 
of  King  and  Royal  streets,  and  she  desired  to  have  them  allowed  to  remain  there. 
She  said  they  were  driving  them  off.  I  was  going  out  at  that  time  in  company 
with  the  quartermaster.  I  turned  around  to  one  of  my  men  and  asked  him  to 
go  out  and  see  that  this  lady  was  not  imposed  upon.  During  my  absence  my 
adjutant  issued  an  order  that  these  boys  should  be  allowed  this  privilege.  It  ap 
peared  that  the  general  had  previously  issued  orders  that  they  should  not  be 
allowed  to  sell  waffles  there.  But  that  I  knew  nothing  at  all  about.  This  was 
one  of  the  charges  against  me.  Another  charge  was  that  I  had  not  issued  an 
order  to  my  surgeon  to  vaccinate  the  men  of  my  regiment.  Now,  in  fact,  I  had 
issued  that  order ;  now,  I  knew  that  it  was  a  matter  of  spite  on  the  part  of  some 
one,  for  there  was  no  foundation  for  the  charges,  and  the  general  voluntarily  with 
drew  them.  I  told  him  that  if  I  had  committed  any  breach  of  discipline  I  wanted 
to  be  tried  and  punished ;  that  I  did  not  want  to  be  excused  myself  any  more 
than  I  would  excuse  any  of  my  men,  He  concluded  that  I  had  not  and  with 
drew  the  charges. 


INDEX  TO  PART  III. 


WESTERN  DEPARTMENT,   OR  MISSOURI. 

Page- 

Report  ot  Committee 3 

TESTIMONY. 

Albert.  Colonel  Anselm 263 

Beard,  E.  L 270 

Blair,  jr.,  Hon.  Frank  P 156 

Blair,  Hon    Montgomery _.  154 

Conant,  Horace  A 231 

Correspondence,  Orders,  etc 78 

Documents.     [Report  of  General  L.  Thomas,  etc.  ] 7 

Fre'mont,  General  John  C 32,33,43 

Harding,  jr.,  Colonel  Chester 254 

Hunter,,  General  David 234 

McKeever,  Captain  Chauncey 248 

Plummer,  Colonel  Joseph  B 24 

Savage,  Major  James  W 194 

Sturgis,  GeneralS.  D 224.231 

Woods,  Colonel  I.  C 198 

Zagonyi,  Major  Charles 186 


MISCELLANEOUS. 

HATTER  AS  INLET  EXPEDITION — 

Butler,  General  B.  F 280 

PORT  ROYAL  EXPEDITION — 

Saxton,  Captain  Rufus.' 322 

.       Sherman,  General  T.  W 291,292,306 

BLTRNSIDE  EXPEDITION— 

Burnside,  General  A.  E 

FORT  DONELSON,  ETC. — 

Wallace,  General  Lewis 337 

CAPTURE  OF  NEW  ORLEANS — 

Butler,  General  B.  F 353 

INVASION  OP  NEW  MEXICO — 

Roberts,  Colonel  B.  S 364- 


658  INDEX. 

ACCOMACK  EXPEDITION — 

Bacon,  Major  Edward 

Bean,  Colonel  S.  A 

Boardman,  Major  F.  A 

Hobart,  Captain ^ 

Knight,  Captain  John  A _ 

McMillan,  Colonel  James  A  — _ 

Moore,  Captain  W.  P 

Paine,  Colonel  Halbert  E . 

Warren,  Colonel  G.  K 

BATTLE  OF  WINCHESTER,  MARCH  23,  1862— 

Harrow,  Colonel  William. 

McAbee,  Dr.  H.  M .' 

Mason,  Colonel  John  S 

Sullivan,  General  J.  C 

MONITOR  AND  MERRIMACK — 

Fox,  Captain  G.  V.  [Assistant  Secretary  of  Navy] 

PROTECTING  REBEL  PKOPERTY — 

Doubleday ,  General  Abner 

Halsted,  Captain  E.  P.. 

Haupt,  Colonel  Herman ^ > 

McDowell,  General  Irwin 

Morse,  B.  H 

Myers,  Captain  Frederick „ _. 

Trimble,  Major  James  H 

BEBEL  BARBARITIES — 

Bixby,  jr.,  Daniel  — .  - _ _ 

Bradbury,  Serge  tnt  Daniel 

Bnssey ,  Colonel  Cyrus _ 

Cameron,  Hon.  Simon 

Denison,  Rev.  Frederick 

Francis,  Lewis _ 

Greely,  Dr.  James  B 

Homiston,  Dr.  J.  M 

Kane,  John _ ._ , 

Kirby ,  Joseph  A 

Lawson,  John  H 

Noble,  Lieutenant  John  W _, 

Palmer,  Nathaniel  F 

Pancoast,  S.  A ._ , 

Ricketts,  General  James  B _ _ 

Scholes,  Frederick _ 

Seeds.  James  M _ _ 

Sprague,  Hon.  William _ 

Swalm,  Dr.  William  F 

WOUNDED  FROM  FRONT  ROYAL,  VIRGINIA — 

Burrows,Dr.  S.  S 513 

Cooper,  William 532 

Documents  ..  492 


INDEX.  659 

WOUNDED  FROM  FRONT  ROYAL,  VIRGINIA — Continued.  Page. 

Edwards,  Dr.  Lewis  A 529 

Gray,  Hamilton  K -  536 

Hammond,  Surgeon  General  William  A 515 

Hatch,  Anselm — - 535 

Hays,  Dr.  David  S 494,506 

Hewitt,  Captain  S.  L 511 

Hilton ,  Joseph  H 520 

Johnson,  Major  John  C 510 

Kelly,  William 523 

Kiernan ,  William 540 

Letterman,Dr.  J.  A 524 

Morse,  George  H - 538 

Palmer,  James ••-  531 

Salter,Dr.  Francis 528 

Sanford,  Colonel  E.  S - 511 

Spilman,  Lieutenant  Henry  C 510 

Stidger,  Dr.  S.  B 543 

CONVALESCENT  CAMP,  ALEXANDRIA,  VIRGINIA — 

Lathrop,  Lieutenant  Colonel  S.  H . 549 

TRADE  IN  MILITARY  DISTRICTS — 

Documents 557 

COMMUNICATING  COUNTERSIGN — 

Fiske,  Colonel  Frank  S 621 

PAYMASTERS,  RETURNING  SLAVES,  ETC. — 

Brooks,  E.  H --  626 

Jones,  Lieutenant  D.  D - •  655 

Lamed,  General  B.  F 623 

Lippincott,  Dr.  Benjamin - 645 

McLean,  Colonel  George  P -.  647 

Palmer,  jr. ,  Lieutenant  Joseph  L 643 

Seltzer,  Dr.  J.  H 651 

Sickles,  General  Daniel  E - 632 

Smith,  Captain  Thornton 630 

Wilson,  Captain  William - 628 


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